Teaching with Digital Tools and Apps

With the abundance in education technology (edtech) tools and apps currently available, and new ones popping up in app stores daily, how do you find the right ones for your practice? How do you ensure the digital tools and apps that you select for use in your classroom will enrich and extend your teaching, provide an accessible learning experience, and protect students\u27 privacy? What should you look for when evaluating the user experience of apps and tools? This free, open access eBook highlights the key steps and considerations for finding, evaluating, and teaching with digital tools and apps. The book was designed as part of a class project for the Teaching & Learning with Technology course at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The following undergraduate and graduate students contributed to the book: Michelle Barrett, Matthew Checrallah, Jacob Desgres, Alyssa Federico, Kiel Maurath, Madeleine Olson, Shaunak Shah, Khizar Shaikh, Alexander Shum, Caroline Sonnett, Isabelle Manrong Wang, Chenyang Xu, Chrystal Zajchowski, and Fred Zinn.https://scholarworks.umass.edu/tecs_ed_materials/1000/thumbnail.jp

Digital Tools to Empower 21st Century Learners

Discover how to ignite student creativity, increase communication and collaboration, support student-driven learning, and increase overall engagement in your courses through digital tools, apps, and teaching strategies. The workshop will begin with a quick overview of effective pedagogical techniques for enriching learning with technology, such as using the Universal Design for Learning principles to open up access to learning for all students. Then, you will discover 20 digital tools and apps that you can incorporate in your classroom right now. The workshop will conclude with a discussion about finding, evaluating, and implementing digital tools and apps to enrich teaching and learning

The Americas in Global History Choice Board

This choice board invites students to: Create a virtual world about First American homes and ways of living. Create an edible book entry using only foods from the Americas that spread throughout the world. Develop an interactive story about biodiversity along the Amazon River and rainforest. And explore many more topics that are presented in the resoourcesforhistoryteachers wiki. Go here to make your own Google Doc copy of this choice board to remixhttps://scholarworks.umass.edu/tecs_ed_materials/1022/thumbnail.jp

The 2021 Inauguration Choice Board

This choice board explores how to: Analyze how various media outlets covered the 2021 Presidential Inauguration.Design a replica of the 2021 Inaugural Platform using a 3D modeling tool or recycled materials.Review the Oath of Office for the President and Vice President and think about things to add or change.Review historical Inaugural poems and write a poem about the 2021 Inauguration.And explore many other topics that are covered in Building Democracy for All The Roles of Congress, the President, and the Courts Topic.https://scholarworks.umass.edu/tecs_ed_materials/1003/thumbnail.jp

Current Events Through the Lens of History Choice Board

This choice board explores how to: Create an interactive digital story about space exploration from the Cold War to present day.Evaluate how climate change has been addressed throughout history and draft a proposal for an initiative to reduce the impacts of climate change.Create an infographic comparing the COVID-19 pandemic to other pandemics in history.And explore many more topics that are covered in Building Democracy for All Current Events Learning Pathway.https://scholarworks.umass.edu/tecs_ed_materials/1007/thumbnail.jp

Women Discoverers Choice Board

This choice board invites students to: Use an augmented reality app to design a replica of a fossil discovered by Mary Anning.Code a story about the life of computer pioneer Grace Hopper.Write a script for a TED Talk about Elizabeth Smith Friedman, the U.S. first cryptanalyst.Design a Google Doodle about the Mercury 13 women astronauts.Explore more hidden histories and untold stories about women trailblazers in STEM.And explore many more topics that are covered in Building Democracy for All Influential Women Learning Pathway.https://scholarworks.umass.edu/tecs_ed_materials/1019/thumbnail.jp

Women in Space Explorations Digital Choice Board

This digital choice board invites students and teachers to: Design pages for a picture book or young adult book about Mae Jemison, the first African American woman in space. Write movie or TV show scripts about space explorations where women solve problems and demonstrate courage and commitment to justice and freedom. Have AI draft a science fiction story about women in space and then revise that story into a graphic novel. And many more ways to learn about herstories of women in space exploration.https://scholarworks.umass.edu/tecs_ed_materials/1056/thumbnail.jp

Foundations of the U.S. Political System Choice Board

This choice board invites students to: Explore the foundational features of democracy and evaluate whether social media platforms uphold these features in their community guidelines.Write a script for a TV show or movie that portrays Native Americans accurately and explores how Native American government shaped the U.S. government.Write an opinion piece about whether the Internet would have been a public utility in the Roman Empire.Compare how women Enlightenment thinkers are presented online to how women in science and politics today are presented online.And explore many more topics that are included in Critical Media Literacy and Civic Learning Foundations of the U.S. Political System Topic.https://scholarworks.umass.edu/tecs_ed_materials/1009/thumbnail.jp

Asia in Global History Choice Board

This choice board invites students to: Construct and augmented reality exhibit of the Indus Valley Civilization. Design a 3D model of an ancient Chinese invention. Create a jamboard about the impacts and influences of Gandhi\u27s doctrine of nonviolence. And explore many more topics that are presented in the resourcesforhistoryteachers wiki. Go here to make your own Google Doc copy of this choice board to remix.https://scholarworks.umass.edu/tecs_ed_materials/1023/thumbnail.jp

Black Lives Matter Choice Board

This choice board explores how to: Learn about protest songs and write a protest song for the Black Lives Matter movement.Create a video exploring the history of Black athletes who have engaged in protests.Learn about Zelda Jackie Ormes, the first African American woman cartoonist, and create a cartoon about her life.Explore the contributions of Benjamin Banneker and George Washington Carver to math, science, and politics, and create 3D digital artifacts that represent these contributions.And explore many more topics that are covered in Building Democracy for All Black Lives Matter Learning Pathway.https://scholarworks.umass.edu/tecs_ed_materials/1005/thumbnail.jp