See Saw

 I recently wrote about the university, and higher education app, Moodle. In that writing, I spoke about how its interface is much more designed with older students in mind. I alluded to the fact, in that post, that there are apps online that are also aimed at younger students. In this week's blog post I will briefly discuss one of those apps, Seesaw. “Seesaw is a simple way for teachers and students to record and share what's happening in the classroom. Seesaw gives students a place to document their learning, be creative and learn how to use technology”, (Seesaw, 2022).

 

Seesaw is an interactive online classroom that allows teachers to create individual journals for their students. Teachers create a classroom on the app and will load the information of all the students. The students will, on top of the classroom space, have an individual learning space that is personal to them. Upon the creation of the online classroom and individual spaces, a classroom code is generated for each user. Each personal ID gives access to both spaces. The teacher can use these spaces to set overall tasks for each student to complete. The teacher can also create activities to give extra support to students who require additional learning.

I first started using See Saw during initial pandemic time, spring 2020. That time I just came back from Dubai (I worked in Dubai for 4 years as an Early Years Teacher) to Tashkent and couldn't get a job here because all schools were closed for quarantine. My previous employer from Dubai offered me to run classes through See Saw and Zoom. I happily agreed as it was convenient for me to work for Dubai's Nursery being in Tashkent. Now, I am using See Saw as Continuous Provision for Home learning with my Reception students at WIST. Depending on what theme, letter or number we learn in the class, I try to choose and assign activities accordingly for my students. For example, this week in Maths we are learning about 2D shapes. So, I can assign two activities:

• ·         Find shapes song in “Community” and ask the students to sing and learn the shape names
• ·         Find “Shapes Sort” activity in Community and assign it for students

 Seesaw, by design, comes with features that ensure educational and academic oversight is paramount. The tasks are completed in the app using specially designed editing tools. The teacher can make requests that the tasks are completed with the microphone recording feature, or video. The teacher can also request that an annotated draft version is submitted first so that any corrections can be addressed by the teacher and sent back to the student. These features are ideal for home education and ensure that academic progress is recorded. In my school, a teacher reported that whilst a student in year 2 was completing tasks online while attending from home, the microphone recorded audio of a tutor telling the student the answers. The feature allowed the teacher to supply evidence to the parent that the student was not being academically honest and used to support the teacher's assertion that additional work should be completed.

 

Seesaw is the easiest app, in my opinion, to supply feedback on student work. You have the ability, as the teacher, to record audio feedback to the students, record and submit videos of explanation and praise. You can be much more auditory and visual which is important to younger students who may not have the reading skills or comprehension of simple written feedback. For most younger students, visual learning is the key to maintaining focus, “Visual learners learn through seeing. Children who are visual processors tend to observe a parent's or teacher's body language and facial expressions for content and learn through demonstrations and descriptions. They tend to have well-developed imaginations and often think in pictures”, (AbilityPath, 2020)..

 

As teachers we are often encouraged to bring IT into the classroom. Seesaw is the perfect solution for this. If you have smartphones, tablets, or iPads, you can do so much to create interactive work for the students. I have seen teachers create QR codes around the classroom as a  ‘scavenger hunt’, and use Seesaw's camera feature, to complete and record the activity. Students can use the app to answer questions and play learning games individually or as a classroom. Technology is allowing limitless opportunities. Both positives and negatives can come from the use of IT in the classroom, however I believe that allowing students access to technology now will set them up for employment in later life. Most jobs now require an understanding, and use, of some kind of technology. however I do agree, with some, that the use of technology can take away from the personal relationships between teacher and student.

 

To conclude, when looking at other apps that can be used in the classroom, I personally believe that Seesaw is the epitome of learning technology. Seesaw is incredibly versatile and can be used with all school aged children. Its application is easy to use, even for those with a fear of technology. I would highly recommend this application to any teacher.

 

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Reference List

 

AbilityPath. (2020, March 10). Children's learning styles. AbilityPath. Retrieved April 6, 2022, from https://abilitypath.org/ap-resources/childrens-learning-styles/

 

SeeSaw. (2022). Where learning happens. Seesaw. Retrieved April 6, 2022, from https://web.seesaw.me/parents