innovatED - Issue 2

Top Educational Software
The Secret Teacher
...Seeking software to transform schools
You can hear a pin drop as the unthinkable question is asked; The question that is not exactly the enormous elephant gallumphing around the
staffroom, but more of an appreciably-sized, sceptical rhinoceros. "So, all of these Tablets / Chromebooks / PCs / Smartboards / Portable Handheld
device thingys... " - wait for it - "They're great and everything..." - wait a bit longer just to ratchet up the tension - "But what, exactly, are we meant to do
with them?" Boom! There it is. Translated into English from Teacherease, this basically means, 'What software are we going to use, are you going to
train me how to use it and will it really have an impact?"
As an ICT coordinator, the question I am most frequently asked by
colleagues (including friends who work at other schools) is, 'What
software can you recommend?'
It's a good question. It takes time to research software, to read the teacher
feedback and reviews. To spend time building it into your teaching plans
and workflows. It takes a certain degree of confidence and faith when you
use it for the first time with your charges, with no guarantee of success.
Even putting aside the reliability or otherwise of the physical equipment,
using new software can be a risky business, and this is why professional
recommendations mean so much, even if we understand as educators
that our culture and contextual situations are different. Even success in
one school can still translate into a complete disaster in another. Look no
further than Class Dojo for an example of software that some schools are
almost evangelical about, but staff at others would quite happily spend
the next 20 years chiseling away at salt in Siberia for a cast-iron guarantee
that they won't have to use it again - ever - and a promise that they can go
back to marbles, star charts and merit badges when they've finished their
hard labour! Recommendations are absolutely vital when it comes to
software, but they are what they are: recommendations, not magic silver
bullets. That said, you could certainly do a lot worse that devoting some
time to exploring the potential benefits of the following...
1. Class Dojo. Connects teachers, parents and students to improve
student behavior and build character strengths. Free.
though is more nuanced; the children can become obsessed by it, so that
receiving points can easily become the all-consuming goal of learning,
and 'negative' points can quickly lead to unwanted, and frankly,
unnecessary communication with parents who are seeking contextual
information on any slight misdemeanor. This can be time wasting and
makes the space where children can just be children that little bit smaller.
This is why it has divided opinion in my school: it can be immensely
beneficial, but you need to think carefully about HOW you use it before
you use it!
https://www.classdojo.com/
2. The WonderWhySociety. A beautifully illustrated, moderated
learning platform. Free (UK maintained schools) / Paid (everyone else).
The WonderWhySociety is a fully moderated learning community for
schools of Primary age and presents an exciting world of wonders - news,
views and discoveries. The system is wonderful in that it allows children to
follow their own learning journeys, based on their own interests. The
moderators are on hand to guide the children and answer questions
'('wonders') and the resources are aesthetically beautiful. It's also a terrific
way of engaging parents in their children's learning.
http://www.thewonderwhysociety.co.uk/
Yes, it can seem like educational marmite for teachers, but Class Dojo is
also an online behavior management system intended to foster positive
student behaviour and classroom culture. Students earn ‘Dojo Points’
based on their classroom conduct. Teachers can also use Class Dojo to
keep parents up to date on student progress and classroom happenings.
Teachers set up their Class Dojo profiles is based on 'class values' which
are fully customisable. There is an app as well as website, and using the
app it is very simple for teachers to reward children in all classes for good
behaviours. The power of the system lies is that there are separate areas
and apps for children and parents to monitor what points have been
allocated. The academic research on Class Dojo has been largely positive::
it heightens parental engagement and increases positive learning and
self-regulatory behaviours. Anecdotal evidence from my own school
46 | Issue 2 | innovatED | www.independentschoolsportal.org