How to Keep Kids Collaborating Remotely
Collaborative learning doesn’t have to fall by the wayside when you’re teaching online. These tech tools and strategies will get students working together in no time.
Many schools already use tools designed for collaboration, like Google Docs or Slides, with which students can easily build on each other’s work in a presentation. Tools that offer virtual bulletin boards for stickies or images, such as Padlet or Nearpod Collaborate, are also ideal for collaborative projects. Or try an interactive whiteboard tool like Jamboard.
For group projects or discussions, some videoconferencing tools, like Zoom, allow breakout rooms. Or, harness students’ enthusiasm for virtual worlds by assigning them to build models together in games like Minecraft and Roblox that offer support and tools just for educators.
To support peer feedback online, ask students to record videos to show their learning with a popular tool like Flipgrid, and classmates can comment on them or make response videos. And many apps allow students to reflect on each other’s uploaded work, like Seesaw.
With just a little research and tech know-how, you can get your students working together, no matter where they are.