What is it? ClassFlow is a tool that teachers can use to create interactive, next-generation lessons to use on interactive touch-boards in the classroom. It allows students the opportunity to be a part of the lesson and of the learning rather than just sitting on the sidelines. With ClassFlow teachers can create/add quizzes, games, videos, and more to every lesson.
How to create an account: I started by going to the link below:
Once there, I clicked the blue button labeled create an account on the top right corner of the screen. It is important to sign up as a teacher so that you have the ability to use all the tools and resources to create lessons. Next, the website asks you to provide information such as your name and email address and to create a username and password. Once the information is put in you can sign up and begin creating.
The process: There are hundreds of different things you can do with ClassFlow. The presentation I have featured below was one that I created for a class of preschoolers. In order to create it I started by selecting the create activity circle on the main page. This leads you to a place where you have the option to select a matching activity. I broke up the letters of the alphabet into about 5 groups to create matching games where the students could match uppercase letters to lowercase letters. I saved each of the activities in the resources section of ClassFlow. Then I went back to the home page and selected the create lesson button. When you are on that page you are able to add slides just like in Microsoft PowerPoint. I inserted my matching activities onto the slides of the presentation. I also inserted an image I found on Google that the students could use to practice tracing theirs letters. Lastly, I selected the insert button again and I found a Youtube video of an alphabet song for the kids to sing and dance. I included this video in the middle of the presentation.
How does it tie into component 3C? Component 3C focuses on the engagement of students in the learning process. ClassFlow fits perfectly into this component because this tool is all about interactivity for the students. Getting the students interacting in classroom lessons is a key step in engaging their minds. The different types of assessment offered in ClassFlow allow for the teacher to ensure that every student engages in all the levels of Bloom's Taxonomy. Engaged students are the best students and with the various visuals, games, etc. that ClassFlow has to offer it truly is a great tool to use to implement component 3C.
What specific element of 3C does it relate to? There are aspects of ClassFlow that fit into multiple elements of component 3C however the one that ties the best is the third element. The third element targets instructional materials and resources. What this means is that a teacher who is correctly implementing this element puts significant thought into the different uses for classroom materials as well as incorporates a diverse range of resources available through both the school and the district. It is essential the teachers search out innovative materials such as ClassFlow that help to keep students engaged in the learning. ClassFlow is a resource that requires thought and time in order to create meaningful lessons which is why it relates perfectly to element 3 of component 3C.
How does ClassFlow incorporate the SAMR Model? The SAMR model is essentially a set of guidelines for teachers to reflect on when incorporating the use of technology into the classroom. There are four levels in this model and they are split up into two groups. The S stands for Substitution and the A stands for Augmentation. These two both fall under the larger category of enhancement. The M stands for Modification and the R stands for Redefinition. Modification and redefinition fall under the larger category of transformation. ClassFlow incorporates major parts of the SAMR model because ClassFlow allows teachers to move past the stages of substitution and redefinition and right into the modification stage. ClassFlow is a type of technology that allows for significant task redesign. Students are able to engage and interact with new information at a much deeper level and are given the opportunity to experience the new information in different and innovative ways. Some presentations might only reach the augmentation level based on the amount of functional improvements that are made to the lesson. The goal is to reach the levels where transformation can occur rather than simply enhancement of an older lesson but either way the SAMR model's relation to ClassFlow is a crucial reason why ClassFlow can be so impactful in the classroom.
What I would do differently: Next time I use ClassFlow, whether it be when I am student teaching or in my own classroom I would like to insert links within the presentation to different websites. For example, say you are teaching a unit on a particular book, such as The Call of the Wild, to older students. When creating a ClassFlow presentation you could include links to websites that review the book, a website about the author (Jack London), a website with discussion questions, and so on. The presentation then serves as just the starting point to a whole plethora of information that the students can access.
How does ClassFlow relate to the ISTE Standards? The ISTE Standard for Educator's that ClassFlow best relates to is Designer. An educator who is an ISTE designer is one who uses technology adapt, personalize, and create learning experiences for their students that foster learning and accommodate every child's needs. A true designing teacher should use digital tools and resources to maximize active and deep learning. ClassFlow allows educators the opportunity to create, personalize, and adapt lessons that better their students learning in all the necessary ways. A teacher that uses ClassFlow is a teacher who has reached the designer criteria for the ISTE Standards for Educator's.
Sources: Alphabet letters on white background. (2017). Freepik. Retrieved 22 November 2017, from https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/alphabet-letters-on-white-background_1041497.htm
Danielson Group » The Framework. (2017). Danielsongroup.org. Retrieved 21 September 2017, from http://www.danielsongroup.org/framework/
ISTE | Standards For Educators . (2017). Iste.org. Retrieved 2 October 2017, from https://www.iste.org/standards/for-educators
Next Generation Lesson Delivery Software - ClassFlow. (2017). ClassFlow. Retrieved 22 November 2017, from https://classflow.com/
Oxnevad, S. (2013). Using SAMR to Teach Above the Line - Getting Smart by Susan Oxnevad - 1:1 programs, EdTech, technology. Getting Smart. Retrieved 19 September 2017, from http://www.gettingsmart.com/2013/07/using-samr-to-teach-above-the-line/ School. (2017). Pinterest. Retrieved 22 November 2017, from https://www.pinterest.com/pin/230950287121075737