Kiester 1

Elizabeth Kiester
Prof. Scott Straub
EDUC 215 / SU 17
July 13, 2017

Technologies: Useful Virtual Programs for Teachers

When I read the instructions to this assignment I was immediately infuriated! I need to be
working on prepping lessons for the upcoming school year, not expending energy on creating
some cute newsletters or lists or any whatchamacallit for parents/students who may or may not
even read them. Ugh! Im just a Spanish teacher in a small-town school.

So, with great reluctance and even greater self-discipline (to not punch the *explicit* computer
screen), I searched the internet for information to share about the following programs:

Mailchimp
Asana
Toodled
Facebook Groups
Raptivity

First up: Mailchimp

On the YouTube search bar, I entered: mailchimp tutorial. Among the various video titles, the
first thing I noticed were unfamiliar terms (to me anyway)

Make a campaign
Manage subscriber lists
Integrate Mailchimp with WordPress
Tutorial Mailchimp Paso a Paso en Espaol (Hey, I actually understand Spanish!)
Mailchimp Landing Page Tutorial

There were other items to list, but for the sake of time and effort I wont. Ive noted the very
first video that came up in the search. It is 20:24 in lengthone of the shorter among those
listed. (The narrator speaks quietly or the volume seems very low.)

Tutorial: How To Create A MailChimp Campaign From Start to Finish -

Beginners Guide (2017)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fF59vUPvMsk
Published on Apr 27, 2016
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Mailchimp seems too complicated for corresponding with parents and students for day-to-day
communications. However, I would like to do educational trips abroad. Mailchimp could prove
useful for disseminating information about the trip in regard to fees, fundraisers, etc., and would
be easily distinguishable from regular school correspondence.

The video explains how to create a campaign, but I was more interested in knowing what the
program offers, so I did a second search What are the features of Mailchimp tutorial. The
following is the first on the list. Its 54:10 in length.

Mailchimp Tutorial 2017 - How To Use Mailchimp From Start to Finish

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OE0k7tuKEa0&t=4s
Published on Jun 11, 2016

NOT what I was looking for Im always left wondering what a program can do (what is
available that I have no idea even exists as an option?).

I am still left wondering how any of these could be a helpful tool versus the school-provided
emails. As far as I know, the districts invest monies in technology (Google and some type of
grading program). If we choose to use another program are we wasting tax-payer money?

With additional scrolling through the list of videos, I came across this one on the second page of
hits:
The New Google Forms--Detailed Tutorial
Teachers Tech
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cm3KyqbaMJA
Published on Mar 5, 2016

For an old-timer like me, this was much more helpful and useful. Ah, but I got off track

Next: Asana

This time I just typed in asana. Sorry, the first video up had a goofy looking guyI went with
the one by Matt Gibson. It was the first video with nearly 100K views.

Introduction to Asana
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJFH8zPkcjc
Published on May 12, 2014

Asana has many helpful features for keeping organized. However, for me this would be overly
complicated to utilize. My life is way too boring to require such a detailed organizational tool.
Post-its are more my style. The real paper kind. I love to rip em up when the task is done!
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Next: Toodled: nopeToodledo

The search brought to my attention that the spelling on the original list was not correct and the
program is pronounced a couple different ways apparently. I chose the following video because
the creator used handy dandy in the title! Nonetheless, he seems to know his stuff, though the
video is a bit hard to see. Its 9:24 in length. (FYI: He likes Asana!)

Toodledo Overview - A Handy Dandy Organizing Tool - James Melendez

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5F4wb1Rh70
Published on Sep 4, 2016

I still like Post-its better, but I could see using this program for personal tasks to keep them in a
separate space from the Google Calendar I use for teaching purposes.

Next: Facebook Groups

I have not seen Facebook since I deleted my profile in 2013. Personally, I find there is an
extensive amount of drama linked with Facebook. I would rather stick with a teacher web site
linked to the schools official site. As I understood it, Facebook was created for family and
friends to stay connectedI wish that were still true. The personal and professional realms, in
my opinion, should be guarded and kept separate from one another.

Next: Raptivity (Add the word tutorial to bypass raptivity Ronnie gee in the search bar.)

Introduction to Raptivity - weekly webinar

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OjKA3hZeW8
Published on Feb 17, 2014

Below the video it reads:

Raptivity is an award winning interactivity builder which allows instructional

designers and course developers to quickly and easily create engaging learning
interactions. It boasts of 190+ versatile interactions across categories like games,
simulations, brainteasers, interactive diagrams, virtual worlds and many more.
So why wait? Get started by simply adding content to your interaction and
sharing our videos!

The following is a brief 1:25 length video highlighting Raptivitys features:

Interactive eLearning using Raptivity

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THMuWJangrI
Published on Jul 10, 2016
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I like Raptivity! I chose to research Raptivity in greater detail as it has more options to
incorporate in the day-to-day student learning. It incorporates numerous learning theories in the
templates and is easily adaptable. Its engaging, has immediate feedback, and allows for diverse
interactions.

The program was launched in January 2006. Then, in February of 2015 there was a launch of
Raptivity Linker which creates short interactive experiences. They have 190+ templates and do
not require any programming knowledge in order to use thema major plus for people like me!
And, they can be published from all kinds of devices such as a cell phone, tablet, and laptop.

I think the challenges would be determining the criteria to guide/limit the creations. I could see
getting too excited about the endless number of possibilities and keeping the focus narrow
enough to actually stay focused. Also, it would be difficult to make a grading rubric. Since the
templates of Raptivity are so user-friendly and diverse, that would make it challenging to score
the students work.

A districts investment in Raptivity seems worthwhile, though. The basic Lifetime License is an
initial $300.00 and subsequent yearly support is $150.00. Even the Suite upgrade at double the
cost seems doable. Ive witnessed districts spend far more on worthless signage, for example.
This program could prove to be an invaluable instructional aid. I feel if the district does not have
the funds, any grant program would agree about Raptivitys worth and provide financial
assistance.

I could see having students use Raptivity for various class projects. Personally, I prefer having
student-centered assignments in which they produce something while utilizing Spanish language
skills. In the utilization of Raptivity, they would be learning content during the creative process
and have the added benefit of sharing with the class, in small groups, or with a partner. Also,
they could use the projects as a study tool at home.

The features I would likely utilize from Raptivity include creating a spin game (like Wheel of
Fortune) to randomize questions; an e-book to include text, audio, and illustrations; and panning
cards to present information with text, photos, and videos (I remember as a kid getting cards
similar to these in the mail from National Geographic). These are just a few of the possibilities!

There was also a news release for Raptivity Linker which stated, What started off as a tool to
string Raptivity interactions has evolved into a solution for creating Bite Sized or Just-In-
Time Learning modules. These programs essentially help guide the teacher (and/or students)
to create interactive mini-lessons. The formulated templates are relatively easy to use and the
possibilities of learning activities are endless.
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The following are further YouTube video tutorials:

Raptivity Showcase: Samples, Demo and Raptivity Linker

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_b7nDh8s1g
Published on Mar 26, 2015

Webinar Recording - Create Learning Arcs Using Raptivity Linker

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqJl4SontoY
Published on Mar 20, 2014

As a language teacher, I would be able to create supplemental activities for the thematic lessons
as well as allow students to develop their own. The process of creating would be as beneficial as
the use of the end products. I would also be able to use Raptivity activities for assessing students
progress. Im certain there are other options I didnt encounter yetit seems incredibly versatile!

I would conclude that even though I started this research with a negative attitude, I have found
benefit from the time invested. I learned that with a clear purpose for utilization, it is evident
there are innumerable programs to help ease the tasks of ones life and make learning more fun
and engaging for students. Raptivity is the one I found most useful. It is an e-learning software
with customizable ready-made interactions one could publish in multiple languages from any
device. It has games, simulations, presentation aids, visual aids, brain teasers, assessments, and
more. I dont know what my reality will be this upcoming school year, but I hope its virtually
amazing!