top of page

Teacher Tools for Virtual Instruction

In preparation for the distance learning that will take place starting March 24, here are several tools for conducting your virtual classes and opportunities for you to receive support in creating your virtual class. All courses should run through Empower Learning, with the other tools as add-ons.  

Kingsman Academy virtual instruction model

empower.png
google-hangouts-logo.jpg
Screen Shot 2020-03-16 at 7.39.06 PM.png

+

+

• The school schedule will stay the same, with classes meeting during the regularly schedule times.

• The lesson model will be a check-in and intro on Google Hangouts for the 15-20 minutes of class, then independent work time on Empower Learning, then an exit ticket and check in at the end of the block. 

• Virtual instruction will be a work in progress over the first couple weeks. We will engage in ongoing support, teamwork, and training to ensure every teacher feels capable of delivering effective instruction and support to our students. 

Assigning activities and collecting student work

Empower Learning

Empower Learning has everything we need to engage students in virtual instruction. All courses should be set up as Empower Learning Groups. We will engage in professional development, training, and support so that all teachers and students can take full advantage of this platform. 

Empower login

Tutorial

Google Classroom

This is a platform to distribute work from students, collect work from students, and share feedback and grades. Google Classroom elements can be linked into Empower Learning activities and playlists.

Google Classroom

Tutorial

Secondary options

Class website

You can create website pages with all of your course materials. This is pretty easy to do with Google Sites. 

 

Google Sites

Tutorial

Google Drive

You can distribute work by sharing files from Google Drive and collect work by having students upload work to Google Drive. This is essentially what Google Classroom does for you.

Google Drive

Tutorial

Email

The simplest way to send and receive work with students it to just email it to them. This method will require a lot of organizing by the teacher, but if it's only one student or a very small class, email may work just fine. 

Quizzes and Tests

Empower Learning

Empower has a quiz module. It is also where we enter grades. 

Empower login

Tutorial

Kahoot

Many Kingsman Academy teachers already use Kahoot in your classes, so stuents are familiar with it. You can also use Kahoot to give students a quiz virtually. 

Kahoot

Tutorial on quizzes on Kahoot

Google Forms

This is a very simple and effective way to give a quiz. There is an option to shuffle question order, making it a little harder for the kids to give each other the answers. 

Google Forms

Tutorial

Class Marker

There are many other online quiz and test options you can consider, including Class Marker.

Class Marker

Tutorial

Quizzezz

There are many other online quiz and test options you can consider, including Quizzezz.

Quizzezz

Tutorial

Connecting live with students

Note: Facetime is not recommended for connecting live with your students because Facetime does not have a screen share capability. Facetime might be okay for a one-on-one counseling session. 

Google Hangouts

This is a video chat application that will allow you to connect with dozens of students at once. All Kingsman Academy students and staff are already online with Hangouts through our school gmail accounts. They key feature for teachers is the screen share capability to show students a digital whiteboard or lesson materials on your computer or to look at what is on their screen.

Hangouts

Tutorial

Note: Google is in the process of turning Google Hangouts into Google Meet. You might get redirected from one app to the other or to something called "Hangouts Meet". For now, everything should connect together. 

GoToConnect

This is the app version of the Jive system our school phones and voicemail run through. All teachers will be able to receive phone calls through the school phones and to the GoToConnect app on your cell phones.  

GoToConnect

Tutorial

Remind

This is an app for teachers that allows you to text with your students and whole class without revealing anyone's phone number. It might be a good way to connect with your students and help them get online if they are having trouble with emails and logins. 

Remind

Tutorial

Presenting to students -- digital whiteboards

To engage in live instruction with your students, you should:

1) get your students into a video conference

2) share your screen and teach using a digital whiteboard. 

You can upload images and PDF worksheets onto the digital whiteboards. You can export the digital whiteboard lesson for students to reference later. 

Smart Notebook

This is the software the smartboards use and is very powerful and robust. All teachers have access to Smart Notebook because we have a license that comes with the smartboards. If you have never used, you may need to contact Arshad to get a registration key. 

Smart Notebook

Tutorial

If you have trouble with the Notebook software, there is also a web app that runs online, though the downloaded software version works best.  

Google Jamboard

Simple but functional digital white board that is one of the many apps connected to every Gmail account. 

The one benefit of Jamboard over Smart Notebook is that teachers and students can write on it. This might be the best choice for one-on-one instruction. 

Jamboard

Tutorial

Aww App

Aww is an interactive digital whiteboard with slightly more features that Jamboard. You can email students a link if you want them to be able to write on the board, otherwise, you can just show them what you are doing by screen sharing. 

Aww

Tutorial

bottom of page