School level

Choose from the following platforms...


G Suite
i Tunes U
Edmodo
Schoology
Mahara
Seesaw
Padlet
Vote for Your Preference...

G Suite for Education


 

About G Suite

G Suite is a combination of free ONLINE productivity tools for classroom collaboration. The system is very quick and easy to set up. Organisation is key across ALL ePortfolio platforms and the skill of management is required.
Tools include;

  • Google Classroom - an online classroom for teachers to organise classroom resources for class, create & organise assignments, communicate with the class, provide feedback and answer student questions when they online.

  • Google Drive - Unlimited cloud storage where students and teachers can upload files/folders from computer or organise Google Docs, Sheets and Slides. Students can share their folder with their teachers. Students can share folders with other students during group-work tasks.

  • Google Docs and Slides - Students can create online documents using Google Docs and presentations using Google Slides. A very nice feature within Google Docs/Slides is the collaboration function, students can share and edit files in real-time - the whole class could be working on one document. Image searches within Google Docs/Slides return images which comply with safesearch and approved for use with Creative Commons.

  • Google Sheets - Students can create spreadsheets. Spreadsheets can also be shared with other students/teacher to collaborate on one piece of work together at the same time. A clever feature within Google Sheets is how Google Sheets can create formulas from student questions.

  • Google Scheduling - Google Calendar can suggest available times to meet other teachers 1:1 and even suggest available rooms. Upcoming school events can be easily shared with students and teachers

  • Google Forms - Students/ teachers can create questionnaires or surveys for class to complete. There are various questions type such as text, paragraph, multiple choice, checkboxes, scale and grid...etc.

PDST Good Practice Videos - Exploring G Suite for Education 


Maths Classroom
(Google Drive)
Primary Classroom - English (Google Classroom)
Primary Classroom - Science (Email, Google Drive, Google Classroom)
Primary Classroom - Visual Art
(Google Classroom)

iTunes U


About iTunes U

An online ePortfolio where teachers become instructors, creating courses using their iPad. Courses can be created as;

  • Self Paced - Students go at their own speed through content/assignments/ 
  • In Session - Students follow along as instructed and complete assignments by a given deadline.

Enrolment:
Teachers provide students with an enrolment code to enter the teachers iTunes U online classroom. Once students enter the course/classroom, their name automatically appears on the teacher register. An added bonus to iTunes U register is that teachers can check when each student last accessed their course.
Course Content:
Course content is uploaded within the 'Outline' section of iTunes U. Teachers can quickly build lessons by importing docs, worksheets, web links, photos and videos. iTunes apps such as books, podcasts and primary sources can also be introduced into each lesson.
Assignments:
Teachers can post assignments to class through iTunes U. Students can hand-in their assignment using iTunes U. The submission of work can take the format of presentations/ worksheets/ videos/ books or any work in another app that will open in iTunes U such as iMovie, iBooks, Book Creator, Animoto...etc. 
iTunes U has a build in grade book for teachers to track the progress of their students. Using the gradebook, teachers can see when assignments were last viewed, if assignments were viewed, when assignments were completed and grade assignments.
Discussions:
A nice feature within the 'Discussion' section is that teachers can turn on/off the discussions. When the feature is turned on, any student can begin the discussion. The teacher can monitor or participate in the discussions. Students can also ask questions to the teacher privately through the private discussion feature. Using the private discussion feature, teachers can also provide extra help or extra feedback to students.

Edmodo


 

About Edmodo

An online space where students and teachers can collaborate safely under teacher supervision. Teachers invite students to join their online classroom using a unique code. Teachers can remove students/ change access code, delete student messages if needed and can even remove students posting rights. Anonymous posting is not possible, students can only post to the whole group or teacher. Parents can be given access to their own child's account.

PDST Good Practice Videos - Exploring Edmodo 


Whole School (1.3)
French Classroom (3.0)
Gaeilge Classroom
Setting Up Edmodo 
Setting Up
Whole School

Benefits for teacher:

  • Teachers can save time printing resources by sharing notes, pictures, videos, documents, links with students using their Edmodo Library.
  • Teachers can set student assignments and set an online submission deadline. Students submit work online so no more carrying home student copies for correcting.
  • Teachers can give live posts, schedules, quizzes, polls and links to class group.
  • Teachers have control over the level of collaboration happening within the class.
  • Collaboration among other students is open and visible to the teacher.
  • Ability for teachers to network with other teachers in their own school, country or world using edmodo to share ideas and resources.

Benefits for student

  • Students are learning 21st century skills using Edmodo.
  • Edmodo encourages online organisation and student responsibility for learning progress.
  • Students who are absent can quickly catch up on missed lessons.
  • Ability to ask questions to whole class/ teacher.
  • Ability to receive immediate support and feedback.
  • Provides quiet students with a place to be heard.
  • Students can earn badges to add to their Edmodo profile.

Useful Links:

Schoology


 

About Schoology

Schoology is an online learning management system. Like Edmodo, the design is very central to student preferences and follows similiar design trends as popular social networking sites such as Facebook. Schoology strengths lie in its collaboration and communication features. Using Schoology, teachers can host interactive discussions with their class. Students can like, reply, delete comments. Teachers can grade student participation within the discussion.


PDST Good Practice Videos - Exploring Schoology 


Whole School
Whole School
Whole School

Benefits for teacher:

  • Teachers can save time printing resources by sharing course content through Schoology.
  • Teachers can post assignments, track due dates, record dates and post comments with grades.
  • Teachers can host interactive discussions with class on Schoology. Student activity within the discussion is captured and participation can be graded.
  • Collecting homework has become easier with Schoology. Students submit their homework using the Schoology online dropbox.
  • Ability to set online quizzes/ tests. Teacher gets immediate scoring and analysis of class results.
  • Schoology has a resource centre and groups for teachers to connect globally with other like-minded teachers - sharing resources, ideas and best practice. Teachers can also communicate privately with other teachers.

Benefits for student

  • Students are learning 21st century digital skills using Schoology.
  • Schoology encourages students to take charge of his or her learning by managing themselves and working with others online.
  • Students who are absent can quickly catch up on missed lessons.
  • Students can easily submit homework prior to the lesson - no more forgotten homework.
  • Ability to ask questions to whole class/ teacher.
  • Ability to receive immediate support, feedback and grades for online quizzes/tests.
  • Students learning journey and developmental thinking process is captured through online discussions.
  • Learning can happen instantaneously anywhere and anytime.

Mahara


About Mahara

Mahara is an free open source ePortfolio and networking environment originally built for third level education in New Zealand. The ePortfolio tool allows students to create an ePortfolio of work and engage in discussions within groups. Students can upload multiple files, create folders and sub-folders. Portfolios can be shared and discussions can happen on portfolios. Within discussions, members of the discussion can be seen, more members can be added, more files can be uploaded and students can report any objectionable material to the admin. 
Students can create their own profile and comment on one another's profile privately or publicly.

The Journal feature is a blogging tool where students can create journal entries, attach files, embed images and configure whether or not comments/rating can be posted under their journal entry.  

Teachers/students can demo Mahara for free here. 
Username: Staff/ admin/ student
Password: MaharaDemo.


PDST Good Practice Videos - Exploring Schoology 


Whole School
Whole School
Whole School

Seesaw is a free platform where students can create ePortfolios to document their learning journey. Students will take ownership of their ePortfolios as their portfolio grows and their digital skills progress. Seesaw is a particularly nice platform for primary school students and learning resource classes. There are some extremely useful tools within Seesaw. One such tool is the ability to record. Students can record their own voice to set personal reminders or advice. The ability to record enables differentiation within instruction formats and enables all students to organise their learning around their preferred learning style.

Seesaw is excellent for monitoring and reviewing developmental progress in learning. Teachers and learning support teachers can strengthen their educational and professional relationship along with supporting pupils/students challenges and celebrating pupils/students achievements. All eportfolios on Seesaw are password protected but the teacher can provide a QR code to parents which will give them access to their own child’s eportfolio of work. With Seesaw, teachers will hear students asking ‘Are you going to show my parents my work?’

Padlet


 

About Padlet

A virtual online wall where students can share their learning or prior knowledge collaboratively with the class. Students can present their understanding onto the online wall using text, image, video or in document format. New feature on Padlet enables students to create flow charts and connect posts with arrows.


PDST Good Practice Videos - Exploring Padlet 


Geography Classroom
English Classroom
ICT in Whole School

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