tech rec for November: flipgrid

by Cait Ferguson 

Are you looking for a digital forum for discussions? FlipGrid is a video sharing platform that can be used to encourage participation from students wherever they are. Teachers can create prompts, share a "Flip Code" with students to invite students to the discussion, and the students can upload a video from their computer or phone to respond. 

Typically, students will respond to the teacher's question or prompt with a short video up to 90 seconds in length. As long as the students have access to a device with a camera, recording and uploading is as easy as pressing a button. For a complete demo, check out the "FlipGrid Tutorial" video. 

FlipGrid is straightforward in its purpose: encouraging students to participate in digital discussions. The platform has one central goal, but there are multiple features available to make the platform accessible and workable for different environments.  

Features:

• free!
• includes 'resources' page, with guidance for both teachers and students
• library of prompts available from other FlipGrid teachers
• ability to create custom prompts
• ability for 'teacher review' to vet student videos before they are posted
• ability to respond to videos with videos
• emojis for students to customize their contributions
• 'gridpals' program if students would like to discuss prompts with students outside of Five Keys

If you would like suggestions for using FlipGrid beyond the usual format, check out the "Fabulous FlipGrid Ideas" video. One suggestion is to invite guest speakers to share thoughts with students through the platform!

If you would like to learn more about FlipGrid, Ok2Ask has a webinar available to watch, and they have upcoming offerings that include more ways to integrate FlipGrid into the class. Ok2Ask webinars are free to attend, offerings are listed here. 

Ultimately, if you are looking for a way to encourage student participation, wherever they are, FlipGrid may be the tool for you! If you use FlipGrid, please share your tips and tricks in the comment section.