by Marnie Anderson, DL Coach @ Parkside Centennial elementaryKristin Macki, at Parkside elementary, shared an easy to use, effective app at a staff meeting - Plickers. It really is the best thing since sliced bread. How much: FREE! What technology do you need? The teacher needs a laptop, smartphone or ipad and an Internet connection and a digital projector. The students do not need any technology – which is great. What is it? A super quick way to assess student understanding without them writing or teacher marking, (Extremely Awesome!) How does it work?1. Sign up at https://plickers.com on your laptop and then download the free app to your phone or tablet. 2. Print your scanning Plickers cards (or contact our Printshop and order 40 Plickers cards on card stock for $2.00) 3. Assign each of your kids to a card. 4. Create multiple choice or true/false questions to determine understanding. 5. On quiz day, hand out the cards and explain how to turn it so the correct answer is on top. |
6. Bring up your quiz on the laptop and open the app on your phone. Que the questions on your phone and press LiveView on your laptop. 7. I read the question out loud. The kids turn their card to their chosen answer, then you scan the crowd with your phone or tablet. 8. If the scan was successful, the box beside their name will turn blue. (It does not show if they got it right or wrong.) 9. You can see on your handheld who is right or wrong. Finish the quiz. |
For more detailed help, go to Getting Started with Plickers.
Teachers love this app as it really fits in with the Universal Design for All model and students that have difficulty writing or expressing orally can fully participate with no adjustments necessary. It can be used and would be useful at every grade level from primary to grade 12.