Teacher PD Choice Boards, Learning Menus and Playlists
In most of my technology training workshops there are teachers of different levels of digital competence and it's difficult to find activities that would suit individual needs of each participant. Not only our instruction needs to be differentiated but also teacher professional development shouldn't follow the one-size-doesn't-fit-all approach. So I came up with an idea to use choice boards for teacher PD.
Choice boards are are used to differentiate instruction and boost student engagement because they allow students to decide how they will learn a concept and how they will show what they have learned. (Read more about using choice boards in the classroom below.)
Here's an example technology training choice board that you can do online and at your own pace. No matter which row you choose, you will always do activities from three different activities, e.g. to build your collaboration skills, assessment, content creation or classroom management. You can also do a free choice activity. Click here to download the Choice Board.
You are very welcome to share the result of your activities on this Padlet: Choice Board for Teacher CPD.
I completed the first task on my playlist: A choice board for student. Students can choose three learning strategies in a row. Click here to download my Choice Board for Vocabulary Learning.
I highly recommend the following article about choice boards, learning menus and playlists and how to use them in the classroom:
Design Your Own Digital Choice Board by Caitlin Tucker
How To Use Choice Boards To Differentiate Learning by Cassidy Reinken
5 Reasons to Use Digital Choice Boards in the Classroom by Julie Smith
Using Thinglink to Create Interactive Learning Menus That Support Student Choice by Christi Collins
Feel free to add more resources in the comments.
Choice boards are are used to differentiate instruction and boost student engagement because they allow students to decide how they will learn a concept and how they will show what they have learned. (Read more about using choice boards in the classroom below.)
TIC-TAC-TOE CHOICE BOARD
Choice boards are in fact graphic organizers that come in different shapes and sizes with Tic-Tac-Toe format being one of the most common. As in the popular game, the task is to choose and complete three activities in a row - horizontally, vertically or diagonally.Here's an example technology training choice board that you can do online and at your own pace. No matter which row you choose, you will always do activities from three different activities, e.g. to build your collaboration skills, assessment, content creation or classroom management. You can also do a free choice activity. Click here to download the Choice Board.
You are very welcome to share the result of your activities on this Padlet: Choice Board for Teacher CPD.
LEARNING MENU
Choice boards can also be designed in a form of a menu. In my Technology Learning Menu you must choose one appetizer, one first course, one main course and some wine too. Dessert is optional, but as it is often the case, it is irresistibly delicious so leave some room for it too. Of course, feel free to have more of everything. Click here to download my Tech Learning Menu.
PLAYLIST
Inspired by Interactive playlists by Steve Morris, I made this template that can be used as a playlist for building teacher capacity in the use of technology. Click here to make a copy of the template: My summer of 2019 Tech Playlist. It features only 4 items for now.
I completed the first task on my playlist: A choice board for student. Students can choose three learning strategies in a row. Click here to download my Choice Board for Vocabulary Learning.
I highly recommend the following article about choice boards, learning menus and playlists and how to use them in the classroom:
Fulfilling the Promise of the Differentiated Classroom: Strategies and Tools for Responsive Teaching by Carol Ann Tomlison
Interactive Learning Menus by Kasey Bell
Choice Boards and Playlists by Steve MorrisInteractive Learning Menus by Kasey Bell
Design Your Own Digital Choice Board by Caitlin Tucker
How To Use Choice Boards To Differentiate Learning by Cassidy Reinken
5 Reasons to Use Digital Choice Boards in the Classroom by Julie Smith
Using Thinglink to Create Interactive Learning Menus That Support Student Choice by Christi Collins
Feel free to add more resources in the comments.