[ad_1]
Disclosure: Volley is an advertiser on FreeTech4Teachers.comAt the top of 2021 an outdated good friend from the early days of Free Know-how for Academics launched me to a brand new dialog platform known as Volley. I preferred it a lot that I included Volley in my Better of the Internet 2021 webinar. So now that you understand I’m enthusiastic about it, let’s check out what Volley is and the way it may be utilized in college settings.
What’s it?In my webinar final month I described Volley as “Flipgrid meets Slack.” However that description doesn’t precisely convey all that Volley does.
At its core Volley is a cellular and desktop software for video messaging with members of a bunch. Nevertheless, those that are digital camera shy can use Volley with out turning on their cameras. You need to use Volley to report and share screencasts with out turning in your digital camera. Moreover, Volley affords choices for audio and textual content messaging. And should you’d wish to have a dialog a few doc, you may share the file with others in your group. So as to add a little bit enjoyable to your Volley conversations, use the library of GIFs to work together with members of your Volley teams.
One of many options of Volley that I actually admire is {that a} written transcript is mechanically generated for each video and audio message. The transcript is nice for making the dialog accessible to those that have issue listening to what’s being mentioned in a Volley dialog.
How does it work?
To get began utilizing Volley it is advisable set up it in your cellular system (iOS or Android) or in your pc (Home windows or Mac). When you’ve put in the app, sign up and also you’ll be welcomed with a video introduction from Volley’s CEO, Josh Little. You may reply to Josh with a video or audio message, should you’d like.
You may set up conversations on Volley into areas. An area lets you collect folks collectively in a single place. Inside an area you may create channels (that are open and discoverable) and conversations (that are non-public and invite-only). You may create as many areas and invite as many individuals as you need. By default you’ll have an area named after you (mine is Richard’s Area and you may be a part of it right here) and you may create as many extra areas as you need. Briefly, consider areas in Volley as school rooms or teams. Channels are conversations inside a Volley area. For instance, I created a Volley area for my Junk-free January problem and inside that area I created three channels; day by day assist, random, and welcome.
Watch this quick video to see how Volley works.
How can or not it’s utilized in instructional settings?The training web page on Volley’s web site suggests a handful of ways in which one may use Volley for instructional functions. Earlier than I even noticed that web page I believed that Volley might be nice for extending classroom conversations and for offering a assist or an instructional assist discussion board for courses. In Volley you possibly can create an area that your entire college students in a category be a part of. Then inside that area create channels labeled “educational assist” and “persevering with classroom dialogue.” Use the educational assist channel for college students to put up questions and reply classmates’ questions on assignments, difficult ideas, or the rest that they want help with. The screencasting functionality of Volley might be very helpful when attempting to reply a few of the questions in that channel. Likewise, the file sharing functionality might be helpful when college students merely want one other copy of a rubric or project description.
A “persevering with classroom dialogue” channel in your classroom Volley area might be nice for giving college students the chance to take part in discussions even when they weren’t current in school. Moreover, college students who didn’t get sufficient time to speak throughout a category dialogue would profit from with the ability to share extra of their ideas. You would additionally use this channel as a spot to put up exit ticket prompts on your college students to reply to. Right here’s an inventory of a few of my favourite exit ticket prompts.
On this quick video I show tips on how to create educational assist and persevering with classroom dialogue channels in a Volley classroom area.
Within the context {of professional} improvement, Volley might be a fantastic resolution for faculties. Tech coaches and tutorial coaches can use Volley to create on-line areas through which college members can ask questions and take part in discussions about finest practices for utilizing know-how of their school rooms.
Right here’s a little bit video I made to point out how I’d arrange a Volley area for skilled improvement.
One other method to consider utilizing Volley for skilled improvement is to have a principal or different college chief may create a Volley area for employees. Then inside that area create channels in response to grade stage, topic space, or another standards for skilled studying communities. Academics can then share what’s working of their school rooms or ask for recommendation in an space they need assistance with (I’d keep away from discussing particular college students). You may even simply have a “random” or “enjoyable” channel for staff constructing.
Get Began!For highschool, school, {and professional} studying settings, Volley has a ton of potential for good. I’m excited to see extra lecturers use it. And should you simply wish to strive it your self earlier than inviting your class or colleagues, be a part of me on Volley and ask me a query or simply say howdy.
[ad_2]