#BetterTogether- 3 Great EdTech Tool Mash-Ups For Learning (remote or otherwise)

@LisaBerghoff/@MrKimDHS

Peanut butter and jelly, coffee and donuts, popcorn and movies, biscuits and gravy, you get the idea. These are all things that on their own are fantastic but together, they are amazing. The same is true for many of our tech tools. On their own they are useful and effective but put some of the together and they can be transformative. Affectionately known in the edtech world as "app smashing", the idea of using multiple digital tools together in order to create a completely reimagined learning experience for students. Here are some ideas. I hope they inspire you to think differently about how these tools can be used. 

1. Peardeck and Tour Creator

So, you probably already know that Peardeck is an add-on for Google slides that embeds interactive elements and encourages student participation. Did you know that one of the element options in Peardeck is to add a website as an interactive slide?  Google has a tool called Tour Creator that lets you and your students create 360 degree tours either by using a 360 degree camera OR Google Streetview. There are also many fantastic images on the internet that are available for your use. You can add tour creator as a website in Peardeck. That way, when students open your slides presentation in Peardeck, they can view 360 degree images within the peardeck environment. 

There is a great Pear Share session by Stacy Young who explains how she uses these two tools to create virtual field trips. Check it out here.

2. Screencastify and Jamboard

Many teachers have been looking for a way to record lessons and show their screens. However, they do not just want to record their static screens. They want to show some activity in order to engage their students. That's where Jamboard comes in. It is a free app that acts like an interactive whiteboard. 

So, you can use Screencastify to record while using Jamboard to help make meaning for your students.

Want to learn more about using Jamboard? Watch the video below. Once you have your Jamboard game solid, you can click the Screencastify extension and start recording AMAZING videos for your students.

3. Flipgrid and Canva For Podcasting

So many teachers have discovered Flipgrid as an incredible tool for short videos posted by students. Another way Flipgrid can be used is for podcasting. Instead of showing students on video, they can create a graphic and save it as a sticker in Flipgrid. They would show their "sticker" on their screens while they are recording their podcast. That way, listeners are looking at the logo the students created in Canva while listening to the podcast they created in Flipgrid.

Here is more information about podcasting in Flipgrid.

What are some other edtech mash-ups that you are using in your classes? Are you looking for new capabilities to keep learning fresh? Go ahead and share in the comments below and let's get the ideas flowing!