jamboard google classroom assignment

How to Use Google Jamboard, for Teachers

Take long distance learning to the next level with a Google Jamboard upgrade

What is Google Jamboard?

Google Jamboard is an innovative tool that allows teachers to interact with students with a whiteboard-style experience, only digitally without being in the same room. It's essentially a giant digital whiteboard that can be used by any teacher for any subject, making it a great tool for schools to use right across the -- ahem -- board.

Jokes aside, Jamboard does mean the hardware investment must be made for the full 55-inch 4K touchscreen experience. This offers 16 simultaneous points of touch contact and WiFi connectivity, plus handwriting and shape recognition. A Full HD webcam and two styluses are available, with an optional rolling stand that ideal for moving between classrooms.

However, Jamboard also works digitally as an app so it can be used on tablets, phones, and other devices. It'll even work via the web using Google Drive so it is really widely accessible. Of course, it also runs on Chromebooks, albeit without the shape or stylus support, but it's still a very capable presentation platform.

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While Jamboard was designed with business use in mind, with a presentation kind of feel, it has been adapted widely and works well as a teaching tool. Lots of apps work with the platform, from Screencastify to EquatIO. So it need not be a from-scratch creative effort.

Read on to find out how to get the best out of the Google Jamboard app.

How to Use Google Jamboard

At its most basic, Jamboard is a great way to work through information with a class. This can be done remotely using the app, and could even be used with multiple devices to also incorporate Google Meet, as if you were all in the room together.

Of course Google Jamboard is also a great tool for integrating with Google Classroom since it is able to utilize Google Drive materials that are likely already being used by those who work with Classroom.

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To access Jamboard, simply sign into your Google account, or sign-up for free. Then, when in Google Drive select the "+" icon and go down to "More" at the bottom, then down to select "Google Jamboard."

Alternatively you can download the app for iOS, Android, or using the Jamboard web app . Create a Jam and add up to 20 pages per Jam that can be shared with up to 50 students at once in real time.

Jamboard works with many apps, a process called app smashing. Here are some great examples that can help make teaching more engaging.

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How to Create a Jam

To create a new Jam, find your way into the Jamboard app online, via the app, or using the physical Jamboard hardware. 

In the board hardware, you simply need to tap the display when in screensaver mode to create a new Jam.

For mobile users, open the app and tap the "+" to get a new Jam started.

When using the web-based online platform, open the Jamboard program and you'll see a "+" which can be selected to get your new Jam up and running.

Your Jam will automatically save to your account, and can be edited as needed.

Getting Started with Google Jamboard

As a teacher using Jamboard it's good to start by being open and being ready to take a risk. This is a new technology that allows you to be creative and to try new things. 

Let the class know you're trying something new, that you're vulnerable but you're doing it anyway. Lead by example so they feel they too can express themselves even when it may feel uncomfortable or they risk failure. That's the next tip: Don't be afraid to get it wrong!

Share what you're doing with Google Classroom – more on that below – so that even children away from class that day will be able to see what they missed.

When working in groups be sure to label each frame so that students can refer back and easily find the page they're working on.

Top Tips for Easier Jamboard Use in Class

Using the Jamboard is relatively simple but there are lots of shortcuts available to help make it more interesting and engaging for students. 

Here are some useful tips:

• Use pinch to zoom to make pictures larger to quickly zoom in.
• When searching for an image, look for "GIF" to get moving images that kids love.
• Use handwriting recognition to input rather than keyboard for speed.
• If another teacher accidentally shares to your board, double tap the power button to cut it off.
• Use the palm of your hand to quickly erase anything on the Jamboard.
• Use Auto Draw, which will take your attempts at doodles and make them look better.

Google Jamboard and Google Classroom

Google Jamboard is part of the G Suite of apps so it integrates nicely with Google Classroom. 

Teachers can share a Jam as an assignment in Classroom, allowing students to view, collaborate, or independently work on it as with any other Google file.

For example, create an assignment in Classroom, attach a math lesson Jam file as "Make a copy for each student." Google does the rest. You can also select "Students can view," which allows read-only access to a single Jam, if that's the way you need to work.

Google Jamboard and Screencastify

Screencastify is a Chrome extension available from the Chrome Web Store that can be used to record teachers using video. This is a great way to walk through a presentation, such as solving an equation, so the kids get the experience as if the teacher is really there by the whiteboard. 

An easy way to use this is to create a new Jam as a whiteboard with a notebook or graph-style background. Then write out math problems to be worked through on each separate page. Screencastify can then be used to record and attach that video to each separate page. This means the students have a specific guide video for each separate problem you present.

Google Jamboard with EquatIO

If you go into Texthelp in the Chrome Web Store you can get the extension EquatIO to use with Jamboard. That is an ideal way for math and physics teachers to interact with the class.

Create a Google Doc and name it after a lesson or book chapter. Then use EquatIO to create math problems and insert each into the Google Doc as an image. Then all you need to do is copy and paste the images into page on a Jam and you've got yourself a digital worksheet.

Luke Edwards is a freelance writer and editor with more than two decades of experience covering tech, science, and health. He writes for many publications covering health tech, software and apps, digital teaching tools, VPNs, TV, audio, smart home, antivirus, broadband, smartphones, cars and much more.

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Jamboard and google classroom.

November 2020

This post was first shared in our GSD Ed. Tech. Monthly Newsletter for Teachers , authored and curated by Teresa Bruin, Educational Technology Team Leader. (Link: https://sites.google.com/granitesd.org/gsd-ed-tech-newsletter/2020-archives/november-2020/jamboard-and-google-classroom-integration )

Jamboard ( http://jamboard.google.com/ ) is a collaborative whiteboard space with options to draw, add pictures, shapes, sticky notes, and text boxes. It’s simplistic collaboration, and now you have the option to add Jamboards as assignments in Google Classroom. To get started, go to jamboard.google.com . Students will not need the app to participate on a Jamboard you assign to them.

Students Can Jam From Anywhere

Educators can engage all students in the learning process, whether working together in a traditional classroom, a group seminar setting, or through distance learning. The Jamboard website and app for Android and iOS make it easy for students and educators to join in on the creativity from their phone, tablet, or Chromebook.

Jamboard Basics and Templates

Watch the videos below to learn how to use Google Jamboard and how to assign Jamboards to your students in Google Classroom.

Click here to see what it’s like to use Jamboard and collaborate with others.

Click here for 10 Jamboard Templates for Distance Learners from the blog, Ditch That Textbook.

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Classroom resources, how to use google jamboard to build ideas visually, google jamboard is a virtual whiteboard that elevates collaboration via sticky notes and doodling tools.

Chalkboards and whiteboards have been used as teaching aids for decades. More recently, these aids have seen a digital makeover in the form of Google Jamboard.

Using the Jamboard platform from a personal device is useful and accessible thanks to interactive features such as sticky notes, digital pens, and a laser for presentations. GSE Professor Catalina Martinez notes that Jamboard “allows for more creativity in terms of demonstrating [students] understanding beyond what they might necessarily be able to write or draw on a piece of paper.”

Jamboard can be utilized in both synchronous and asynchronous classrooms. In a synchronous setting, Jamboard is used to brainstorm ideas between classmates, complete interactive activities, and play games. GSE professor Jo Boaler tasks students with synchronous activities through Jamboard in her classes because “inside Jamboard, students can be drawing and working on problems and collaborating together.” In an asynchronous setting, Jamboard can be used to illustrate ideas during the lecture, collaborate at sporadic intervals, and share ideas on a continuous collaborative project. Within an instructional flow, a professor may invite students to their ‘jam’ using the share feature, and then ask students to add sticky notes as a response to an analytical question regarding the class readings from the night before. 

• Integrates with the Google suite, so ‘jams’ save to Google Drive automatically
• ‘Jams’ can be shared using the same sharing function as Google Drive
• Anyone can access a jam from almost any device 
• Easy-to-use interface that requires no setup other than having a Google account
• Cloud-based service which allows ‘jams’ to be shared with as many people as necessary while securely storing projects
• Can be used for synchronous lessons, brainstorms, meetings, etc. 

Cons :  

• Less useful on devices without touch capabilities (i.e. laptops/desktops) 
• Not very customizable, color options are limited, and cannot tailor the brush size
• Similar to many other digital whiteboards like MURAL and Miro; there no extra features other than being a part of the Google Suite
• There is no presentation tool integrated with the app like other G Suite applications

Examples of use in a digital classroom:

Case 1: reflection boards.

Instructors may ask students to create a ‘jam’ showcasing the key information learned from class lessons. GSE Professor Catalina Martinez “had students create a Jamboard to reflect on some of the course learning,” and “[compile] course takeaways using different course artifacts and their reflections.” This may be useful for instructors by enabling them to see themes reflected in their teaching, as well as those which could use some work. 

Case 2: Answering reading questions

In this example, an instructor may create and send out a ‘jam’ with questions on each page about a particular topic or reading assignment. Students can then go on to the ‘jam’ and leave sticky notes answering the questions. This is useful because it enables instructors to see how each of their students is understanding course material. 

External resources:

Learn how to use Jamboard Christopher Cormier and Catalina Martinez Interview Jo Boaler Interview

About the author

Matthias Abebe, Undergraduate ’21

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52 Google Classroom Activities For Middle Schoolers: Quizzes, Projects, Interactive Tools, And More

February 24, 2024 //  by  Ashley Charles

Since virtual learning took off during COVID-19, Google Classroom has proven to be a practical platform for managing classrooms and captivating students. With technology advancing globally, adopting up-to-date digital tools is imperative for your students’ success. With the 22 Google Classroom activities below, you can use your middle schoolers’ technological talents to enhance learning, foster tech skills, and organize your classes! Whether you use a single activity or incorporate them all to run your classroom, these activities, add-ons, and apps are sure to please!

1. American Museum of Natural History

Bring your teaching to life using the resources that are available from the American Museum of Natural History. With a simple click of the “Share to Classroom” button, your classes will be instantly connected to a variety of articles and other resources like online tours, and stimulating visual aides.

Learn More: American Museum Of Natural History

2. Classcraft

Classcraft approaches motivation creatively by gamifying behavior management to promote positive habits for your middle schoolers! The program integrates seamlessly with rosters in Google Classroom to help you manage your students’ behavior.

Learn More: Classcraft

Introducing computer science and coding to your middle school students has never been easier! CodeHS merges seamlessly with Google Classroom to provide a variety of age-appropriate, rigorous, and fun programming activities for your kiddos.

Learn More: CodeHS

4. Data Classroom

Have a unit on data coming up soon? Data Classroom can link up with your Google Classroom to make plotting and analyzing data digestible and engaging for your students who are new to statistics! They’ll love all of the fun ways that they can display and interpret their data sets.

Learn More: Data Classroom

5. Duolingo

Are your students learning a second language? Using Duolingo in combination with Google Classroom is an organized and easy-to-track way of bringing a digital element to language learning. The simple and entertaining structure of lessons makes it perfect for your polyglots!

Learn More: Duolingo

6. Google Forms

Google Forms is great whether you’re a teacher or a student! You can use these as a fun way to deliver a class quiz or gather information from your kiddos for a lesson or at the end of a lesson. Your learners can also use them in a project or just for fun! Either way, they’ll be having fun and growing their digital skills

Learn More: Google Forms

7. Google Slides

Google Slides is another versatile tool from the Google Suite. Perfect for completing homework assignments, reviewing notes, and doing collaborative activities, your students can access Slides through their Google Classroom profile. What’s even better is that you can review and keep track of their work remotely! 

Learn More: Google Slides

8. Jamboard

If your board space is taken up by lists, calendars, and anchor charts or you’re responsible for a program of remote learning then Jamboard is the perfect collaboration tool! It will help get your learners engaged and working together to create a display of ideas and thoughts.

Learn More: Jamboard

9. Flipgrid

Flipgrid is another amazing digital collaboration resource that connects with Google Classroom for interactive lessons. Your middle school kiddos will absolutely adore creating unique Flipgrid videos and sharing them with their peers!

Learn More: Flipgrid

10. Fluency Tutor

While most of your middle school students should be able to read fluently on grade level, the reality is that this is not always the case. When your kiddos need remediation, Fluency Tutor is incredibly helpful because it allows them to record their practice and hear themselves reading.

Learn More: Fluency Tutor

This app works with Google Classroom to help your students collaborate and learn interactively through beautifully designed lessons! You or your kiddos can create Padlets to provoke discussions, introduce new content, or make presentations!

Learn More: Padlet

12. Take Attendance

Make attendance a breeze by creating a morning quiz in Google Classroom to get your middle schoolers thinking and responding while attendance takes itself! These questions could be personal to help you bond with your kiddos or academic to help them recall past material. 

Learn More: Attendme Attendance Quiz

13. Google Classroom App for Evidence

Google works well within schools and is also incredibly accessible to students and their families outside of the classroom. Using the classroom app to submit homework and to take photos as evidence of work or understanding is another exceptional way to utilize Google Classroom’s many resources in a practical way.

Learn More: Google Classroom App

14. Communication

Above all else, Google Classroom is a fantastic tool for communicating with your middle school students and their parents. This platform offers the perfect way to get the word out about important information like schedules and forms by sending announcements to your class.

Learn More: Alice Keeler

15. Celebrate Great Digital Work

Putting stickers on kids’ work seems to always excite them. Whether they are in 2nd grade or 7th grade, stickering work is definitely still a thing! They LOVE it and they will love it even more after they’ve submitted a digital assignment in Google Classroom and you slap a digital sticker on that too!

Learn More: A Love of Teaching

16. Google Slides Turned Interactive Notebooks

Spiral notebooks are becoming a thing of the past now that the digital age is steadily taking over. Whether students have blended learning, in-person learning, or completely virtual, this idea helps keep kids organized! Plus, it helps save trees!

Learn More: Student Savvy

17. Flash Cards

Google Classroom is the perfect place for flashcards created in Slides! You can make test reviews and vocabulary flashcards and upload them to your Google Classroom to give your students access to resources in and out of school! There’s no excuse for them not to know their times tables now!

Learn More: The Techie Teacher

18. Google Draw

Instead of your kiddos relying on uninspired images from the internet, have them use Google Draw within Google Classroom! Whether they are making a slideshow or adding to a report, Google Draw will help them solidify their knowledge with a visual representation of their very own, all whilst learning a whole new skill too!

Learn More: Two Boys And A Dad

19. Kahoot!

Ask any kid about Kahoot and they’ll rave for hours. Teens and tweens love a good challenge, and adding Kahoot to your Google Classroom will offer that perfect amount of competition to keep them engaged in whatever topic you’re teaching. You can even use it outside of the classroom, maybe over a break as a check-in or relationship-building activity!

Learn More: Ditch That Textbook

20. Digital Escape Rooms

Another game-style activity is an escape room. Your middle school students will enjoy working through digital escape rooms that you can assign to them in Google Classroom. These would work well to turn the focus of learning from a “lesson” to more of a “game,” or for a class party!

Learn More: Karly’s PD Resources

21. Roll Some Dice

Have you ever found yourself, five minutes before class starts, searching high and low for that tub of dice that you swear was there yesterday!? You’ll be wishing that you had downloaded this Google Slides template for your Google Classroom! It’s perfect to use with your students for silent, focused dice-rolling during math games or other activities, and you’ll never lose them! 

22. Virtual Guest Speakers

Infuse your Google Classroom with the expertise of guest speakers! Combine Q&A discussions with the speaker and pertinent assignments for your students on Google Classroom to help them get the most out of the experience. Google Meet is fully integrated with Google Classroom for seamless interviews!

Learn More: Emerging EdTech

23. Ed Puzzle Integration

Putting together interactive video lessons doesn’t have to be complicated! Ed Puzzle lets you embed questions for your students into videos and share them seamlessly through Google Classroom. Your kiddos will love this fun, interactive way of learning!

Learn More: Ed Puzzle

24. Newsela For Current Events

Keep your pupils informed using Newsela. The platform provides perfectly pitched articles at varied reading levels, making it accessible to everyone in your classroom. You can share these directly through Google Classroom, picking topics that align with your current topics or class interests.

Learn More: Newsela

25. Screencastify For Demonstrations

Screencastify records your screen to make instructional videos for Google Classroom. Showing your work with Screencastify can help your kiddies learn by example to navigate new technological tools or other concepts that are difficult to grasp with a verbal explanation alone. This is a great idea if you’re setting some tricky homework that your learners might need some additional instruction on.

Learn More: Screencastify

26. Discovery Education Streaming

Discovery Education Streaming brings enthralling videos, virtual tours, and other educational resources appropriate for your middle schoolers directly to your Google Classroom! With resources across thirteen different topics, there’s sure to be something for everyone in your class.

Learn More: Discovery Education

27. Interactive Google Maps

Add an unexpectedly exciting element to geography lessons using Google Maps! Google Maps integrates with Google Classroom to allow your students to explore new locations independently without even leaving their seats! Using street or overhead view allows them to have an almost first-hand experience of what life looks like in other parts of the world!

Learn More: YouTube

28. Mathletics For Mathematics

Are you struggling to get your kiddos to engage with your current math activities? Mathletics is a brilliant digital resource on which you can create individualized math exercises and challenges to engage each of your learners at their level. It also syncs with Google Classroom which makes tracking learning progress super efficient for teachers!

Learn More: Mathletics

29. Google Arts & Culture

Google Arts & Culture gives your students the ability to virtually tour a whole bunch of global museums, art galleries, and landmarks on their own through Google Classroom. From the Musèe d’Orsay in Paris to the Nagoya City Art Museum of Japan, they really can explore culture from all corners of the globe!

Learn More: Google Arts & Culture

30. Nearpod For Interactive Lessons

Nearpod facilitates interactive lessons and allows your kids to answer questions privately from their own phones or laptops. You can select answers anonymously that you’d like the entire class to look at, allowing your learners to participate in this group learning activity free of the usual anxieties that come with sharing their answers with the class! Share these lessons on Google Classroom to promote active learning!

Learn More: Nearpod

31. Time Management Tools

Help your learners develop vital life skills using time management tools with Google Classroom. Assigning tasks and deadlines encourages them to practice their organizational skills. This tutorial shows you how to smoothly integrate some simple time management tools with your Google Classroom for effective teaching.

32. Virtual Science Labs

Scientific curiosity can be difficult to ignite in middle schoolers without hands-on activities! With virtual science labs through Google Classroom, you can challenge them to perform safe, interactive experiments and learn how to record their observations.

Learn More: Praxi Labs

33. Bitmoji Classroom

Kids love to personalize their online presence so why not join in on the fun and create a virtual classroom using Bitmoji? Build your own cartoon classroom and fill this digital landscape with resource links, making it interactive for your class. All that’s left is to create your own Bitmoji avatar!

34. Storybird For Creative Writing

Get your kiddies excited to weave narratives, illustrate pictures, and publish their unique stories through Storybird! Their finished stories can be shared in your Google Classroom for analytical literary discussions with classmates. What a perfect way to combine a writing lesson with a task to improve your learners’ digital literacy!

Learn More: Storybird

35. Quizziz for Fun Assessments

Revamp the mundane with Quizziz, turning evaluations into exciting quests! Turn your Google Classroom into a fun, game-filled arena by sharing timed quizzes with your kiddies; it could be anything from a revision session to gauging their knowledge on a brand-new topic! This is a surefire way to park their competitive spirit all while enriching their learning. 

Learn More: Quizziz

36. Zearn Math

Target your middle schoolers’ learning with Zearn Math’s personalized mathematical sessions. This fantastic online tool allows you to cater to each learner’s pace by assigning lessons via Google Classroom in a way that accommodates different learning curves and promotes effective mathematical understanding.

Learn More: Zearn

37. Collaborative Writing with Google Docs

Google Docs is a classic and super simple tool for creating collaborative narratives and nurturing teamwork in your students! Co-authorship can also help your kiddos bond and hone their communication skills–plus, Google Docs works seamlessly with Google Classroom! You can even hop on from your own device and give them feedback in real-time as they work.

38. Desmos For Interactive Graphing

Simplify mathematics with Desmos’s interactive graphing tool. Instruct students via Google Classroom to explore complex concepts through hands-on activities. Visual learning sparks curiosity, making math more relatable.

Desmos is an interactive graphing tool that allows your learners to explore complex mathematical concepts with superb visuals. Each of your kids can input their own data and see it made into a graph. You can give your middle schoolers instructions to use Desmos and share their graphs through Google Classroom!

Learn More: Desmos

39. Google Earth Geography Exploration

Google Earth promises a tangible geography experience for your learners. Link your Google Classroom up to this amazing resource and watch as world terrains are revealed to your kiddos through virtual tours. You can assign specific tours that fit with your learning or just let them explore! A comprehensive geographical understanding of the world awaits!

40. Creating Podcasts

For a creative challenge, why not ask your middle schoolers to produce a podcast? They’ll need to write scripts, record, edit, and share their final podcasts on Google Classroom! This is an excellent project on so many fronts, building their skills in teamwork, research, writing, and evaluating their work, as well as teaching them a whole host of digital skills in recording and editing audio!

Learn More: Class Tech Tips

41. IXL Learning Integration

Bring IXL Learning to your Google Classroom to develop your learners’ skills and confidence across a whole range of subjects! You can assign skills and personalized practice to each of your kiddos via Google Classroom and keep track of their progress over time.

Learn More: IXL

42. Google Calendar For Planning

Introduce your kiddos to the concept of effective scheduling with Google Calendar. Show them how to devise their study plans and keep track of their assignments and deadlines all of which will enhance their time management skills. Google Classroom becomes a planner that helps them to organize their academic life.

Learn More: Chemistry Is My Jam

43. Virtual Book Clubs

Cultivate a love for literature by creating a virtual book club for your school or class! You can use Google Classroom to announce the assigned book and to facilitate discussions! Making this an online or digital task, can encourage your kiddos to make great contributions to the discussion in ways they may not have felt completely confident to do in person!

44. GeoGebra For Math Visualization

Illuminate mathematical concepts for your learners with GeoGebra’s unique visual tools! You can integrate your Google Classroom with apps from GeoGebra to assign interactive, intuitive activities to your students! Geometry has never been so fun!

Learn More: Geo Gebra

45. Digital Portfolios

Portfolios give your kiddies a chance to see snapshots of their learning over time! Introduce digital portfolios to your students through a variety of attachments and templates for Google Classroom that can automatically collect their work throughout the year into one manageable place! There’s even space for them to reflect on their learning and write their own thoughts!

Learn More: Teach Create Motivate

46. Glogster For Multimedia Projects

With Glogster’s digital studio, your students can create Glogs that include text, video, and clickable interactives to share with the class in Google Classroom! Let their creativity run wild and let them design it however they want.

47. Pear Deck for Engaging Presentations

Pear Deck is a platform that helps you enhance your virtual presentations to keep your students invested in your lessons! You can give these interactive presentations through Google Classroom to foster active participation in the learning. 

Learn More: Pear Deck

48. Tinkercad For 3D Design

Inspire some craftsmanship in your students with Tinkercad for 3D Design! Tinkercad turns Google Classroom into a digital workshop, hosting and sharing the design projects of your middle schoolers. This activity is the perfect blend of digital learning and creativity!

Learn More: Tinkercad

49. Epic For Reading

Foster your kiddos’ passion for reading with Epic!’s vast digital library. You can assign reading tasks via Google Classroom to keep them in the habit of reading, then set a follow-up task to check up on your learners’ comprehension. 

Learn More: Epic!

50. Canva for Design Projects

With Canva, your tweens will be able to indulge their imaginations and design polished posters, infographics, and presentations! You won’t believe how professional their creations will look! Plus, Canva lets you and your students publish straight to Google Classroom, making these two a match made in digital learning heaven!

Learn More: Canva

51. Quizlet for Study Tools

Supercharge your study sessions with Quizlet! Turn rote learning into fun with flashcards, entertaining mini-games, and personalized study based on each student’s individual challenges. With Google Classroom, you can quickly add your students to a Quizlet class to receive all the content and keep track of their scores!

52. Edublogs For Student Blogging

Writing blog posts is an amazing way for your middle school students to harness their unique voices and practice articulation! Assigning Edublogs to your kiddos in Google Classroom keeps writing blogs organized and effective! 

The Harriet W. Sheridan Center for Teaching and Learning

Inclusive approaches to support student assignments during times of disruption.

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• Teaching in Times of Disruption

Fortunately, for much of the time, Brown instructors and students are able to teach and learn as planned in the syllabus. However, in times of major disruption--whether due to factors such as global pandemics or weather--there are times when these plans need to be adjusted. This resource offers approaches to making these adjustments, through both lower and higher-tech means.

Recommendations from Brown's Office of Student Accessibility Services (SAS) are also offered to address accessibility.

In times of significant disruption, the key goal is to help students get the support they need to meet your most essential course objectives.  Teaching in times of disruption may involve thinking creatively about how to build up students’ knowledge and skills in different formats to complete the same assignment. An example of this adjustment includes delivering a  recorded lecture  and then having students complete the original exam using the Quizzes tool in Canvas. Digital Learning and Design (Sheridan Center) has compiled guides for  Digital Teaching  that offer ideas and modifications for Online and Remote Accessible teaching and learning practices.

However, instructors may also wish to think creatively about the assignment itself, through an approach that may not be intensively digital. For the purposes of inclusion, it is important to be mindful that some students have limited access to laptops and data plans. An assessment that relies on face-to-face interaction (e.g., discussion, presentations, debates) might be completed in  Zoom , or it could be substituted with an assignment in a different format that meets the same course objectives. One example of a "low tech" adjustment includes asking students to write a pro/con issue comparison memo, in lieu of participating in a classroom debate.

Here we describe the most frequently used assessments in Brown courses and offer low- and higher-tech options for helping students to complete them. If you are using an assignment type that is not detailed here, please contact  [email protected]  to talk through options specific to your teaching context.

Creative Approaches to Help Students Complete Key Assignments

Brown provides multiple options for discussions and lectures:

• This  Canvas Discussions article  provides information on creating basic online discussions. 
• Harmonize  enables you to assign discussions by Section or Group. You can assign participation milestones that are scored automatically. Participation and activity is provided as a summary in Speedgrader to make assessment easier.
• Ed Discussion  provides an open Q&A style discussion that allows students to elevate and answer questions from their peers. Instructors can validate student answers and provide clarification.”
• If lectures are held online (such as through  Zoom ), record the session  to the cloud. The audio will automatically be transcribed with machine-based captions. You may edit the transcription after the meeting to correct errors. Having lecture capture or video captioned as soon as possible after production is important for students with hearing concerns. If you have students who require human-based captioning for accessibility reasons, please contact  [email protected]  for assistance from Media Services. More info on Zoom transcription

In many ways, papers are the ideal assignment during times of disruption because they require fewer adjustments compared to other types of assignments. However, in cases where it is difficult to offer peer or instructor contact (such as to go over drafts or discuss expectations), ideas to creatively support student writing include:

• For peer feedback, instructors can set up pairs or triads for students to email drafts to each other. Just as with any peer feedback process, it is most helpful to structure these discussions by sharing a rubric in advance, or asking students to annotate their draft with questions that ask for specific feedback from their reader. Instructors also can ask peer readers to answer specific, descriptive questions like, “What is the biggest unresolved question in this draft? What do you want to read more about in this essay? What are the draft’s biggest strengths?“ (Gooblar, 2019, p. 93).
• Students can use Google Docs or an emailed Word version to share drafts with instructors. The wonderful aspect of this option is that it also allows students to use the comment feature to dialogue with the instructor, e.g., “Here’s where I think my thesis statement is” or “Here is a section that I am struggling with” (LaVaque-Manty & Evans, 2013).
• To offer guidance to students about helpful writing conventions, online tools such as  Purdue OWL  offer resources about topics such as writing a thesis statement and discipline-specific writing expectations.
• Research papers may be tricky for students to complete, especially if the assignment was originally designed to involve a lot of on-campus interaction, use of the library’s physical collections, or data collection. Consider what the key goals for the research paper are. Bean (2011) lists seven, including how to ask discipline-appropriate research questions, how and why to find sources, how to take good notes, and how to write for audience, genre, and purpose. If your most important goal is source-related, an annotated bibliography might also function well as a substitute assignment. If asking and answering questions is most critical, consider if a research proposal — laying out the key intended aims and approaches of the project — might meet similar objectives.

The  Writing Center  (Sheridan Center) offers face-to-face appointments and virtual appointments. In both cases, writers can schedule appointments using the Writing Center’s  scheduling system .

To help students complete labs and lab reports, consider:

• Whether the key objective of the lab is (or could be) data analysis, rather than data collection. If the latter, instructors can share pre-existing/”dummy” data with students then ask them to analyze and submit via Canvas or email.
• Can some aspects of the lab be accomplished if students watch them, rather than do them? For example, the  Journal of Visualized Experiments  (to which the Brown library subscribes) offers over 9,500 videos demonstrating experiments, mapped to key concepts and student protocols.  MERLOT  also serves as a repository housing 90+ virtual labs.​

Examples of some of the innovative ways that Brown instructors pivoted their labs in 2020-21

The  Center for Language Studies  offers the following recommendations:

• Assign Zoom Breakout Rooms to facilitate small group tasks such as practicing grammatical or lexical structures, completing collaborative worksheets or exercises, or preparing / performing a short role play. For more suggestions, view the guide on  Supporting Language Learning in Zoom Breakout Rooms .
• Ask students to record interviews, conversations, and other speaking assignments using GoReact (external tool in Canvas), which allows for both instructor and peer feedback through time stamped audio, video, and written comments.
• Use Canvas Discussions to encourage formal and informal written or multimodal interaction between students around course topics, reflection, and prompt questions. For more suggestions, view our guide on  Supporting Language Learning in Canvas Discussions .
• Choose Harmonize (external tool in Canvas) to provide a more social media experience for students to share thoughts and reflections. Students can annotate pdfs individually or in groups. Instructors can set due dates for follow-up assignments and use the auto-grade for completion feature.
• Access this  document  from Stanford University to compare Canvas Discussions, Harmonize and Hypothes.is
• Take full advantage of the SpeedGrader in Canvas Assignments to provide audio, video, and written feedback on student submissions 
• Post assignments in Canvas using GoogleAssignments to help students to keep all assignments organized for the course
• Collaborative writing assignments can be facilitated by taking full advantage of Google Docs. The assignment should include a table with enough rows for all participants and multiple answers so that students' submissions do not run into each other and cause confusion.
• Access students' creative energies by using Google Jamboard to facilitate collaborative presentations during class in breakout rooms and as homework. Students can choose to contribute by adding text using the PostIt feature, upload photos and draw. 
• For more information specific to language learning technology, please email  [email protected] .

Projects may be broken down into components — such as data collection, writing, presentations — that can be addressed by some of the ideas outlined above. However, other options include:

• PhET  offers a number of online simulations where students work through core concepts in physics, mathematics, chemistry, earth science, and biology. Students can work through the simulations and design a class activity, physical lab, or homework assignment that incorporates that concept.
• For design projects, students can create prototypes at home using objects around the house. The prototypes can then be shared as a photo or video file through email or Canvas.
• Students may still have access to computer software off campus to complete group projects. Check the  Brown software catalog  or contact your IT department to determine what is needed to give students access to specific programming.

Digital Learning and Design (Sheridan Center) has compiled guides for digital teaching  that offer ideas and modifications for Online and Remote Accessible teaching and learning practices. However, other possibilities for creatively measuring student understanding of concepts include substitution of an in-class exam with:

• A timed or untimed take-home exam, sent as a  Canvas Assignment .
• A final portfolio with revisions and annotations. For classes with significant writing (weekly responses, multiple papers, etc.), students could have the opportunity to revise a certain number of assignments and compile them into a final portfolio. The portfolio should then be annotated, where students explain their writing and revision process for each piece and include a brief introductory statement about the work as a whole—which elements of their growth in the class does the portfolio highlight?
• A series of smaller assignments that can be completed remotely in lieu of comprehensive exam.

There are ways to extend time through Canvas for students who have an extended time accommodation from  SAS . This extension should be in place for the students prior to the start of the exam. If the student logs on to complete the exam and the extended time is not activated, they will need to reach out immediately to the professor and/or SAS during business hours.

General Considerations for Assignment Re-Design

In making any significant adjustment during times of disruption, it is also helpful to consider four overarching questions:

What are my most important course objectives, or the knowledge, skills, and capacities a student in my class should achieve?  This resource  offers support for identifying course learning goals.

How can learning materials provided to students be accessible?

• SAS  recommends that materials be distributed in an accessible format such as Word or a tagged PDF. Styles   such as headers should be used so that students who use screen reading technology can navigate the structure of a document. Generally, accessible documents are first produced in Word, converted to PDF and then checked for accessibility.
• Additionally, it is necessary to provide   accessible lecture notes and slides to all SAS-registered students.
• Be aware that all videos must be captioned. Instructors can use   the  Canvas built-in Accessibility Checker  to improve the accessibility of their Canvas pages. 
• For more detailed guidance on accessibility for Canvas, Zoom, documents, media, and web-based content, review the  Digital Accessibility Practices  from Digital Learning & Design (Sheridan Center).

How can I support students in understanding new assignments or expectations? The Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TILT) framework offers three core areas that instructors should intentionally communicate to students in any assignment (Winkelmes et al., 2016): 

• Purpose, or goals of the assignment
• Task, or what you expect students to do and how they should complete the task

Template for designing transparent assignments

In rethinking key assessments that align with those objectives, what are ways to give students a sense of control to mitigate anxiety about unforeseen disruptive events?  This resource  offers several ideas for heightening students’ sense of flexibility and choice, but other options include allowing students to choose formats (e.g., a cell phone-recorded video or a written script of a presentation) or grading proportions (e.g., drop your lowest grade).

Please contact the Sheridan Center ( [email protected] ) to talk more about these or other options specific to your teaching context.

Subscribe to the Sheridan Newsletter

Bean, J. (2011).  Engaging ideas: The professor’s guide to integrating writing, critical thinking, and active learning in the classroom, 2nd ed . San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Gooblar, D. (2019).  The missing course: Everything they never taught you about college teaching . Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

LaVaque-Manty, M., & Evans, E. M. (2013). Implementing metacognitive interventions in disciplinary writing classes. In M. Kaplan, N. Silver, D. LaVaque-Manty, & D. Meizlish (Eds.),  Using reflection and metacognition to improve student learning: Across the disciplines, across the academy  (122-146). Stylus Publishing. 

Winkelmes, M., Bernacki, M., Butler, J., Zochowski, M., Golanics, J., & Weavil, K.H. (2016). A teaching intervention that increases underserved college students’ success.  Peer Review , 18(1-2). Available:  https://www.aacu.org/peerreview/2016/winter-spring/Winkelmes

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Swarthmore College – ITS Blog

Google Jamboard Is Going Away

During the pandemic, when emergency remote learning became our new reality, many of us fell in love with Jamboard’s seamless, interactive capabilities. It became our go-to digital whiteboard, allowing faculty and students to connect, collaborate, and create in ways we hadn’t explored before.

However, as technology continues to evolve, so do our tools.  In 2023, Google announced that they will be retiring the Google Jamboard service and app, including the physical Jamboard devices. Here is the detailed timeline:

Google Jamboard Retirement Timeline

Until october 1, 2024.

• The Jamboard app will continue to function normally.

Starting on October 1, 2024:

• The Jamboard app ( jamboard.google.com ) will become view-only. You will no longer be able to create new or edit existing Jams on any platform, including the web, iOS, Android, and Jamboard devices.

After December 31, 2024:

• You’ll no longer be able to access the Jamboard app or your Jam files.
• The Jamboard app will be shut down, and all Jam data will be permanently deleted. Any remaining Jam files will be automatically converted to PDF files and saved to each owner’s Google Drive.

Actions to Take Before December 31, 2024

To ensure a smooth transition and retain your valuable content, please take the following actions:

• Download and Export Your Jam Files : You can export Jam files as PDF or PNG files from your computer, the Jamboard mobile app, or Google Drive.
• Explore Alternative Whiteboarding Solutions: Begin evaluating alternative digital whiteboarding solutions that best fit your educational needs. Key considerations include compatibility with Google Workspace for Education, privacy and security, cost, and deployment options.

Embracing New Digital Whiteboarding Tools

In response to customer feedback and the evolving capabilities of other whiteboarding tools, Google has partnered with FigJam by Figma, Lucidspark by Lucid Software, and Miro. These tools offer advanced features such as an infinite canvas, use case templates, voting, and more, providing a rich collaborative experience.

• FigJam by Figma : Known for its user-friendly interface and robust feature set.
• Lucidspark by Lucid Software: Offers seamless integration with Google Workspace and a variety of templates.
• Miro : Provides extensive collaboration features and is widely used in both education and corporate settings.

Preparing for the Future

To prepare for the retirement of Jamboard, follow these steps:

• Download and Save Your Jam Files: Ensure you have saved copies of all Jam files you wish to keep before December 31, 2024.
• Evaluate Alternative Solutions: Assess the alternative whiteboarding tools mentioned above to determine which best meets your needs.
• Stay Informed: Google will provide more details about the automatic conversion process and further integration with Google Workspace apps in the coming months. Keep an eye out for updates.

Be sure to go to Google’s support page and learn more about how to prepare for Google Jamboard to wind down and learn more about other alternative tools available.

If you have any further questions, feel free to reach out to ITS via our support portal at support.swarthmore.edu .

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• Stream: See posts, comments and other materials when they log into the program. Upload content and respond to comments while students can collaborate with their peers and comment on posted materials.
• Class Management: Facilitate classes through an organization with features such as a content library for assignments, slides, class papers, forms and other resources. Lock due dates, set a timer on access for materials, reuse content, add YouTube videos and more.
• Accessibility: Accommodate students with impairments such as hearing, vision, physical disabilities and processing disorders. Use voice access, screen readers, closed captioning and more so learners can access information in a way that helps them. Adjust the content to make it more visual, auditory and more to match individual learning styles. Download an accessibility conformance report to analyze the effectiveness of the program.
• Security: Use a system that supports the standards and compliance for the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998, Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, Software & Information Industry Association, ISO/IEC 27018:2014, HIPPA, GDRP and more. Host information on secure servers, let administrators watch over data security and get audited by a third-party to ensure data protection.
• Grading: Allow instructors to add comments, grade, enter commonly used feedback, apply rubrics and automatically notify students when their assignment is ready for them.
• Educator Groups: Unite local educators so they can collaborate and help one another online and in-person. A local volunteer organizes the group and the members unite for teaching, workshops, advice and more.
• Testing: With built-in security, users can host tests, quizzes and exams in a virtual environment where students can bring their own devices. Tests are easy to build and customize with multiple formats for questions. The fourteen unique question types include fill-in-the-blank, word answers, multiple-choice, numeric answers, click-on-target and many others. Students can also do video assignments, drawings or chemistry questions. Several behavioral algorithms help teachers monitor students and prevent cheating. If they do, they’re immediately locked out. Instructors can also see a real-time report and can offer secure codes so students can get into the proper test. Once the exam is complete, educators can automatically grade and have results show up immediately in the gradebook. This system is compatible with smartphones, laptops and tablets and doesn’t require a separate app. Grades can transfer to an LMS or other solution. Once grading is complete, it’s easy to review results and identify at-risk learners.
• Attendance: Teachers can verify attendance in several ways. First, they can prompt students to sign in using a unique code and assign grades to reward students who are present. Second, the solution can verify the students’ physical location so only those in class get counted. It sends points for roll call and participation straight into the gradebook. Alternatively, instructors can build options for excused absences.
• Grading and Reporting: Users can track learner progress, implement weighted grading and track attendance and performance. All of this transfers to the gradebook automatically. Instructors can weigh factors such as questions, participation and attendance. From there, administrators can analyze information and adjust for future lessons. To make sure teachers miss nothing it automatically captures student replies and participation grades in the gradebook.
• Course Creation: Users can integrate quizzes, tests and other course materials. They can also track through analytics and port results over to other software. The system is FERPA compliant and has extensive support. Some other functions are the discussion tool where students can collaborate, offline mode, multiple file type capabilities, access to the marketplace, design consulting and more. Administrators can include gamification, flip classrooms and use devices to bump up engagement. Teachers can also stream lectures and students can participate in a live chat.
• Assignments: It provides the functionality to create, personalize and auto-grade homework. Teachers can assign unique questions based on the group or individual and use interactive questions to engage students and reinforce the material. Homework assignments are easy and quick to assemble. Users can time responses, limit wrong answers or show the correct answers. They can also add images, videos and website links and build existing homework right into the platform. When the homework is complete, instructors can provide feedback immediately with comments. For hard subjects, users can create ungraded homework.
• Institutions: Broader districts or institutions using the solution can acquire support specifically for their needs. The solution provides help with implementation, scaling, onboarding and other resources. Afterward, the company can help administrators review the program’s success. For organizations looking for more comprehensive help, the company manages support and training for the institution. They also offer workshops that follow the pedagogy and challenges of the faculty. A team of 40 instructional designers works to make this happen while a dedicated account manager communicates one-on-one. It integrates with all major LMSs and works with Shibboleth for easy configuration and single sign-on capability. It comes with institution-paid and student-paid options and has a clicker buyback program for the early transition.
• Cloud-Based: The solution is a Software-as-a-Service and available without additional hardware or installing. It’s designed to scale smoothly and collects student data to ensure the organization is keeping track of student aptitude and progress.
• Assessments: These deeper level analytics go after not just individual grades or students, but can track performance, completion, persistence and learning outcomes across the organization. It offers both summative and formative analysis so instructions can both correct the overall course and find individuals who need help. This makes it easier to track, identify, diagnose and fix problems when they arise.
• Content Creation and Course Authoring: For specialized content, the solution provides authoring tools to create the materials. Users can get help with textbook projects. Instructors who want to share their work on the marketplace still own the copyright and earn royalties. It also provides collaborative projects where multiple educators and experts can come together to make a textbook. Creators can import OER or other content and split the revenue among collaborators.
• Accessibility: It has various options to accommodate different students and learning styles. This includes allowing students to dial-in to a lecture via phone, transcripts of lecture records and videos of class meetings. It also optimizes assignments and textbooks so students can work from their desired device.

Product Ranking Rankings reflect a product's position in the LMS Software product directory which is based on a combination of popularity and performance metrics once assessed by SelectHub research analysts. This product ranking is independent of its Analyst Rating. " data-placement="top" class="price-info-icon">

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User Sentiment Summary

Google Classroom has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 92% when considering 4017 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

TopHat has a 'good' User Satisfaction Rating of 78% when considering 63 user reviews from 3 recognized software review sites.

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Google Classroom is an eLearning solution that’s widely used in education because of its price point. While the base version is free, there is a paid enterprise package with expanded functionality. Reviewers like its simple UI, integration with the G Suite, support of multimedia options and good base functionality with grading, assignments, exams and more. They also felt it encouraged engagement and collaboration while saving time and money. On the flip side, reviewers felt the platform lacked options for customization and didn’t come with enough features. The platform isn’t a full-service LMS. It delivers lessons, shares files and has some higher function feedback functions, but doesn’t have the advanced administrative, reporting and other options of more robust solutions. This is an excellent option for small to medium-sized organizations that need to facilitate training. Make sure you understand the functional differences between the free and enterprise versions.

Is TopHat a top-tier learning management system, or does it fall flat? User reviews from the last year reveal a mixed bag. TopHat is praised for its interactive features that boost student participation, such as polls, quizzes, and seamless integration with existing LMS platforms. Educators particularly appreciate its ability to transform lectures into engaging experiences, as highlighted by a professor who lauded TopHat for breathing life into their classroom and facilitating dynamic student interaction. However, some users find the platform's initial navigation somewhat cumbersome and occasionally encounter technical hiccups. A case in point is the "time-constrained attendance marker," which reportedly suffers from lag, impacting user experience. While TopHat's customer support receives mixed reviews, its strengths lie in its user-friendly interface, diverse question formats, and smooth integration capabilities. Its standout feature, the ability to create an interactive and engaging learning environment, makes it a hit among educators. Conversely, the pricing model, which requires students to pay individually, draws criticism for potentially hindering access for some. A user aptly pointed out, "Not all of my students have the means to pay for access (which can really impact their grade if they don't use the platform)." TopHat's differentiating factor lies in its dedication to fostering student engagement and active learning. This is achieved through features like real-time polls, quizzes, and interactive presentations, setting it apart from traditional, static learning platforms. A testament to this is a user's comment, "Top Hat is a great student engagement tool, useful in polling students on the fly or setting up assessments prior to class." In conclusion, TopHat is best suited for educators seeking to infuse their classrooms with interactivity and boost student participation. Its array of engagement-focused tools makes it ideal for educators who prioritize active learning. However, the pricing structure might pose a challenge for students with limited financial resources, making it crucial for institutions to consider alternative funding models or explore site licenses to ensure equitable access for all.

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