IT 648 Project 1– Communication Tools

Domonique Allen, Deborah Brandon, Kelly Hales, and Kelsey Senf

March 18, 2018

IT 648 Project 1– Communication Tools

This report is a summary of four communication tools that were explored and analyzed by all group members. Each member of the group personally tested and critiqued each tool. All aspects of the tools – Socrative, Basecamp, Explain Everything, and Remind Me 101 – are described below as well as the personal group experiences and practical uses for each tool in an educational setting.

The group as a whole agreed that Remind Me 101 was the tool that provided the best benefit in an educational setting, although there were benefits to all of the tools analyzed for the project. A detailed description of each tool follows.

Socrative

Socrative is a cloud-based, engaging student response system used to gather quick, efficient formative assessment data. Teachers can use Socrative to create simple true/ false, multiple choice, or short-answer quizzes that students can take on laptops or smartphones. The teacher can also control the pace at which students take the quizzes; students can either take the quizzes at their own pace, or the teacher can allow the students to see each question one at a time, allowing for discussion or conversation on the topic of the questions.

To allow all members of the group to fully understand the capabilities of Socrative, a quiz was created using the program and then shared with the group. A multiple-choice format was selected. Several simple question stems were provided along with four possible answers. After the quiz was created, each team member

received the code for the quiz. Socrative calls this the “Room Name.” Once the members had this code, they simply went to the Socrative site and entered the quiz. All members accessed the quiz using an electronic device, and Socrative provided a report of their answers, showing percent correct. This could have been done synchronously, but since all members have different schedules, the task was completed asynchronously. Each member of the group responded to the quiz at a time that was convenient for them. After all members completed the quiz, members of the group were able to discuss the pros and cons of using Socrative. The discuss took place predominantly through email communications.

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Functions of Socrative

To create a quiz in Socrative, a teacher needs to create an account at Socrative.com, logging in as a teacher. Once the teacher has the account, a quiz can be made by entering the type of quiz and then providing the question stem, answer choices, and the correct answer. The image on the left illustrates the process.

Students, using laptops or smartphones, go to b.socrative.com and enter the Class Name generated by the app and can then take the quiz. An image of the student login is below.

Advantages of Socrative

Socrative provides for instantaneous feedback, allowing for spontaneous, formative evaluation data. The app provides easy-to-analyze quantitative data, based on both whole group and individual students. Data reports can be created in a spreadsheet format that displays color-coded grading information. Collected data can help educators create learning groups based on student performance. Reteaching is made more efficient as teachers can immediately detect when students fail to grasp concepts. Students can see for themselves how they compare to their classmates, which can help provide a level of motivation to do better.

Challenges and Possible Solutions for Socrative

This app does not provide for peer-to-peer communications. This app is limited to available devices, as some Android devices are incompatible with the app. In some areas, Internet connectivity issues can prevent full implementation of the app. Maintaining students’ attention while the class uses this tool could present an issue. Students could stray and access other apps or websites during the lesson. The teacher would have to make sure that each student is responding to the questions that are presented to the class to ensure that each student was an engaged participant.

Teaching Strategies for Socrative

This app can be used to create a variety of assessments, replacing some paper and pencil tests. This app provides assessment data far more quickly than tests that have to be machine or hand graded. Implementation could include weekly testing and games during lessons, thereby providing much needed assessment data that can be used to guide and make changes in instructional delivery on demand. Types of assessment models include true/false, multiple choice, and short answer tests. Responses are posted in graphic form on the interactive white board. Teacher-made tests can also be uploaded.

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Another way to use the data collected from Socrative is student-based competition. When students sign in to complete a task, they can enter a pseudonym. Since privacy laws prohibit educators from sharing student information publicly, this is a great way to encourage student competition by allowing everyone in the class to see how they are doing compared to their classmates. Once a quiz is completed, the teacher can print a score report and post it online or on a bulletin board. Students can see how they perform compared to their peers. More importantly, they as well as the teacher can see how the class is performing on the standards that are being assessed.

This data is presented in a spreadsheet that is color-coded based upon correct (shown in green) and incorrect responses (shown in red). A quick glance can reveal a great deal of information about the success of the group. One can easily see how well a student performed, how well the class as a whole performed based on the standards assessed, as well as how effective the instruction was based on how many correct answers the students provided.

Perhaps the most effective aspect of Socrative comes from the nature that it provides instant feedback for teachers about the level of understanding of students. A teacher can make, in advance, several checks for understanding and have them ready to go in Socrative. As the teacher gets to the point in her lesson where a check is needed, students can quickly respond. When they do, their responses appear on the smart board for the students and the teacher to see. Everyone in the room can see how much learning has taken place based on the student responses. This allows a teacher to change tactics in the middle of her lesson, guiding her instruction based on the immediate feedback provided by Socrative. This is perhaps the best way to ensure that teachers are providing meaningful and effective lessons for their students.

Basecamp

Basecamp is an organizational and communication program that can help students collaborate on group assignments using only one program.  Basecamp offers six tools to aid students in collaborative work projects. Using these six tools, multiple forms of communication, both synchronous and asynchronous, are available. In addition, members who have access to the site can complete a multitude of tasks including scheduling and organizing work documents.

The usefulness of the program was explored by group members. A playground site was created in Basecamp so that all group members could explore both the synchronous and asynchronous communication tools that are available using the program. Small activities were created for group members using all six of the features that are available in Basecamp. Group members were invited to join the site using an easy-to-access link. The fully functional site allowed each member to comment and collaborate in all areas, to print status reports, and to upload and share documents. After all members interacted with Basecamp, a group discussion regarding the pros and cons of Basecamp ensued. Group discussions took place in Basecamp, via email, and through class blogs.

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Functions of Basecamp

Each of the six categories available in Basecamp are discussed in detail below.

Campfire: This section allows for written synchronous and asynchronous communication between group members. This feature is similar to IM messaging. If members of the group have

immediate questions, the Campfire options allow for immediate question and answer sessions.

Message Board: This feature is a platform for both synchronous and asynchronous communication that allows members to post comments or ask questions. This feature is similar to Discussion Boards found in online course platforms.

To-Dos: In order to coordinate and meet deadlines, the to-do section allows users to create a list of all activities that need to be completed. The steps necessary to reach the ultimate goal can be listed here. In addition, when a to-do is assigned to a particular group member, the member is automatically notified of the action including the due date for the action to be completed.

Schedule: As its name implies, schedule allows users to schedule project deadlines and/or to map out group activities. The schedule provides due dates for all to-do

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activities and events. The schedule is visible by all members of the group. Members can sync the scheduler in Basecamp to their personal scheduler programs such as Google Calendar and Outlook.

Automatic Check Ins: Similar to a roll-call feature. Members can check in periodically for updates. This feature can also help instructors keep attendance as it allows members to check in immediately upon entering Basecamp.

Allowing for asynchronous communication, questions can be posted daily, weekly, or monthly. All questions are visible in a threaded format.

Docs and Files: This section is a storage area for documents and files that can be shared by group members. Files can be organized into folders. The program allows for a variety of file extensions.

Advantages of Basecamp

The advantages and usefulness of Basecamp definitely outweigh the disadvantages. Multiple advantages were cited by group members; a list of the advantages as well as examples to support each follows.

Basecamp offers an easy-to-coordinate, one-stop platform to complete group projects. Students may benefit from this program as it allows them to create, maintain, schedule, coordinate, etc., their educational endeavors on their own. Online course platforms that are used in most online learning programs provide a host of excellent communication tools; however, all communication activities must be created and maintained by the course instructor. When students complete course projects, they can utilize Basecamp and learn to manage and coordinate all of the learning activities associated with the group assignments without relying on their instructors. Learning has the potential to be two-fold: course objectives can be learned through the completion of the project, and soft skills such as collaboration and communication can also be learned using Basecamp.

A mobile application is available so that the site can be accessed from remote locations. The mobile application can be a useful tool to keep students connected to Basecamp more frequently. Using the mobile application, students can complete activities at any time and at any place as well as be alerted when there is activity in Basecamp. It allows students to use the site more effectively. Logging into the site periodically to determine the actions of group members may not be an effective use of valuable time. Coordinating with the mobile application provides a great accompanying tool that can enhance the use

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of Basecamp. In today’s learning environments, many students have at least one mobile device with them at all times.

Basecamp is a cloud-based program, so it can be accessed from just about anywhere.As long as students have an Internet connection and a computing device, they can access Basecamp. In addition, Basecamp allows for file uploads, so the site acts as a cloud-based storage device as well. As physical storage devices such as jump drives can be lost and misplaced easily, this site provides students a way to safeguard the necessary files to complete group projects by storing them in Basecamp in addition to their normal storage devices.

The program allows for both individual and/or group chats. The synchronous and asynchronous communication options that are available in Basecamp are definitely a plus. When working in groups, not all students will necessarily need to participate in all group chats. All students who have access to the group site can initiate chats, and the chats can be individual or with the entire group.

A feature is available that allows the user to generate reports to review the status of the project(s). This feature is an excellent tool for students. All students who are active in the group can use the option, and many useful reports can be generated including individual activity reports, overdue reports, last activity reports, upcoming dates reports, and to-do reports. At any given point in time, students can generate their own reports to serve as updates concerning progress made on any project.

Challenges and Possible Solutions for Basecamp

Although many advantages can be noted with Basecamp, there are some challenges that are inherent as well. Below is a list of the challenges and possible solutions for each of them:

Basecamp is a cloud-based program that was listed as being an advantage but can also be a disadvantage as well. Concerns with privacy issues with cloud-based programs and cloud-based storage are important to consider. Cloud-based programs can be easily hacked. Students should be advised to omit personal information from any files that are attached to Basecamp. Students should be instructed on the dangers of using cloud-based technology and how to safely use this technology in an educational setting.

Basecamp’s user interface is dated. In order for a program to appear user-friendly and inviting, the interface used to maneuver the site should be appealing to the eye. After researching Basecamp, it was apparent that other people cite the user interface as a drawback to the program. Checking into later editions of the tool is advised.

The scheduler proved to be difficult to use. When scheduling dates for the group assignments, it was apparent that the scheduler is not user-friendly. When beginning and end dates were inserted, a reminder for each day of the week appeared for the one assignment or project. When clicking on each link, notes for each day can be added to

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the schedule link. However, it looks cluttered on the screen. Students would have to be provided instructions on proper techniques for using the scheduler.

After the trial period is over, the program is not free. Instructors would need to obtain funding to use this site continually. If Basecamp were funded and implemented, instructors would need to create individual student groups so that students can utilize the site without having to absorb any of the fees.

Teaching Strategies for Basecamp

Basecamp would likely be useful for both post-secondary and k-12 education. One promising use for post-secondary education would be for online learning. Online learning has grown exponentially over the past decade and continues to increase in popularity. In addition to providing students with content that adequately teaches course objectives in online classes, integrating elements that are necessary for a well-rounded education such as working in teams and communicating are also important elements that instructors must consider. Group assignments can be challenging for students who learn at a distance and are often located in different geographical locations. Basecamp has the potential to assist with this challenge and can be used to bridge the gap that students feel when completing group assignments in a virtual environment.

Because there is a fee associated with Basecamp, it would be advantageous for an instructor of an online class to choose one class to pilot its use and determine its usefulness. All students get a free 30-day trial of Basecamp. A group assignment that can be completed during this time frame can be assigned. Using the online learning platform, instructors can provide details regarding the assignment of teams, the project details, as well as details explaining Basecamp. A link to Basecamp can be provided in the online learning platform for easy access to the program.

One important assignment requirement would be to allow the instructor access to each Basecamp site used by students. This will permit the instructor to view activities taking place in each group’s site. In addition to viewing the progress made in Basecamp by each group, student feedback regarding their experiences while using Basecamp can be a part of the overall assignment. Instructors can use the information that is gathered in this pilot class to determine if Basecamp provides the desired results. A decision can then be made to move forward with obtaining funding to purchase it or to search for other options that may be better.

Another possible teaching strategy for Basecamp would be to use it to equip high school students with skills that will benefit them in both college and in the workforce. Many high schools do not have online learning platforms and rely on sites outside of their institution to coordinate learning. Basecamp could be one such learning site. Implemented into appropriate courses, students can learn to work in teams, manage their group projects using technology, and strengthen important communication skills.

Explain Everything

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Explain Everything is a very versatile tool that can be used in the classroom as a teaching tool, a formative assessment tool, or at home by students as a learning tool. Explain Everything is an application that can be downloaded onto iPads or iPhones and connected to a projector or whiteboard in the classroom.

A diagram of the solar system demonstrating the differences between revolution and rotation was created in Explain Everything. All members were given access to the site to view and learn not only how Explain Everything works but also how the solar system works. A recording was available allowing an audio explanation to accompany the visual presentation. Because of the limitations of computing devices that are compatible with Explain Everything, the group was unable to synchronously visit the site; however, each member experienced how useful the tool could be in class where a visual representation would be beneficial. After all group members interacted with Explain Everything, a discussion of the pros and cons of using Explain Everything followed. The biggest issue that the group identified was that it only works with Apple products and, therefore, wouldn’t be the best choice for a classroom that requires students to use their own communication devices.

Functions of Explain Everything

Teachers can use Explain Everything while they are lecturing as a tool that gives students a visual representation of the subject matter. For example, during a lesson on the solar system and trying to explain how the Earth takes 365 days to revolve around the sun, Explain Everything is a great way to provide a visual representation of those concepts. It also helps with demonstrating concepts such as revolve vs. rotate.

Advantages of Explain Everything

During individual or group work when students are completing their work in the Explain Everything app, the teacher can see, from the master viewer, what each student or group is doing and intervene if someone is not comprehending the lesson.

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Another great aspect of Explain Everything is the whole class participation and discussion aspect. For example, many science classes require students to work in groups. Each group will have certain questions that they are supposed to answer, and when they get done, the whole class will discuss the answers. The group that is answering the

question will answer it in the Explain Everything app so that all of the other students can see the answer. This encourages whole-class participation. All of the students like having control of the board and trying to explain concepts on the app. Students then become the teachers, which engages them and promotes learning.

Explain Everything is a great homework tool as well as an in-class tool. The app can be used in many ways as a homework tool. One very helpful way to use Explain Everything is to record homework or project instructions in the app for the class. Anytime a student has a question about the assignment, they can play the audio instructions.

In that same way, visual instructions can also be posted. This really cuts down on students not completing homework and projects due to not remembering what to do or losing paper handout instructions. Students can also use Explain Everything to create their own lessons. Students can create quizzes or discussion questions that the entire class will take part in the next day.

One beneficial aspect of Explain Everything is that students are learning how to use technology as both a learning and teaching tool. This is very important because much of education and jobs in the future will most likely be completed with some type of electronic communication. Being able to navigate electronics will be important. Explain Everything also has a simple interface setting so that students who are just learning how to use it do not get overwhelmed. The features of the application can be built upon. This also allows for differentiation in the classroom because students who are more advanced electronically have the freedom to tackle and use some of the more complex features of the application, while students who struggle with electronics are still able to participate in all individual and group activities but with a simpler application.

Challenges and Possible Solutions for Explain Everything

The biggest disadvantage of Explain Everything is the fact that it can only be utilized if the teacher and students have access to iPads or iPhones and the Internet. Some students may not have an iPhone or iPad, and they would not be able to be included in homework assignments or even classwork if the school fails to provide classroom iPads. Working in groups with other students who do have the required technology may be one possible solution to this challenge.

Teaching Strategies for Explain Everything

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Even though all of the features would not be available without both students and teacher(s) having access to iPads or iPhones, teachers can still use the app in their classroom as an audio/visual demonstrative teaching tool. If the class has just one iPad, then students could take turns taking it home to complete homework assignments. As long as the class has a smartboard or projector, the lesson could still be displayed to the entire class. This would still give students the experiences of using the technology. Overall, though, as an in-class tool, Explain Everything is a great differential resource for audio/visual learners.

Remind Me 101

Remind Me 101 is a website that provides a safe way for teachers to text messages or email students and parents. Teachers are prohibited to text students with their personal cell phones, so Remind Me 101 is the most professional way to get news and reminders to their students as well as their students’ parents.

To satisfy the requirements of the group project, a class titled IT 648 was created using Remind Me 101, and all group members were invited to join the class. The group members talked as a group within the app as well as sent individual messages. Group messages and individual messages were sent and received as a text message, email, or an instant message. This app allowed members to communicate about how well the app worked as well as the cons of the app.

Functions of Remind Me 101

First, the teacher adds his/her class, which generates a unique code. The teacher then shares that code with students and/or parents. After the code is shared, any student or parent who sends a text message with the code will be “subscribed” to the teacher’s class. Any time a teacher sends a message from Remind Me 101, all of the students or parents subscribed will receive it. Using this method, no one knows each other’s mobile phone number; the teacher only sees a name in his/her sign-up list online, not phone numbers. While

teachers can send classroom-wide announcements, they can also send individual messages.

Advantages of Remind Me 101

This free application is very undemanding to use as well as to navigate. It is also very

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easy to update students about field trips, upcoming tests, projects, early school closings, and any important last-minute decisions or reminders. There are multiple ways to use this app. It is not limited to text messages or just application; emailing is another way to use Remind Me 101. In addition, the app allows for the sending and sharing of word documents, pictures, and links to Internet sites. Remind Me 101 is also a great way to improve parent involvement within the classroom, which is very important when it comes to creating a great classroom environment. Teachers can export their message history if needed, and this can come in handy during yearly evaluations or even parent-teacher conferences. Teachers also have office hours when it comes to sending and receiving messages. They get to choose which hours and days they want to receive messages. Teachers also have the privilege to add up to ten classes and an unlimited amount of students to each class. Messages aren’t the only thing that can be sent via Remind Me 101. Word documents as well as PowerPoint presentations can also be sent using this application. This enables teachers to resend homework assignments, study guides, and notes to the students if they have lost them or were absent from school. This app also allows students to be held accountable for their assignments. They can no longer use the “I forgot” excuse.

Challenges and Possible Solutions for Remind Me 101

There are not many disadvantages when it comes to the Remind Me 101 app, but there are a few things that could be better. When it comes to sending a message, it can only contain 140 characters or less. Most teachers make Word documents and send them via the app if they know it will be over 140 characters. Remind me 101 can also be overwhelming when students are responding all at once. It can be a very time-consuming task writing all the reminders as well as responses.

Teaching Strategies for Remind Me 101

Remind Me One 101 should be introduced to the students on the first day of school and should be included in the syllabus so their parents will know it will be used within the classroom. It should be used on a weekly, if not daily basis, and the teacher should give oral as well as hands-on directions on how to navigate the app.

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Teachers will use Remind Me 101 to send out reminders, study guides, useful information, documents, notes, parent memos, and any other educational information that needs to get to the students and/or parents.

Summary

The group’s final comments concerning each of the individual communication tools are summed in the following paragraphs.

Socrative. This apps works well in a 1:1 environment where there is one device for each student. While this is most optimal, environments where this is not possible are still able to benefit from this app. Students can be grouped, allowing them to work together as teams to respond to the questions provided in the app. Since a room number is assigned to the app, it should be changed periodically to prevent students from previous class sections interfering with the integrity of the learning experience.

Basecamp. Basecamp offers an all-in-one site that can be used to coordinate group projects. Its many useful features provide adequate collaboration and communication tools along with a host of other beneficial attributes. The site offers six options that allow for both synchronous and asynchronous communication opportunities. Although a few negative aspects have been identified with Basecamp, the positive features outweigh the negatives. All-in-all, Basecamp is a technological tool that is worth exploring in both secondary and post-secondary settings.

Explain Everything. Explain Everything is an amazing communication tool for classrooms and teachers who like to be very interactive and demonstrative. This app would be especially useful in science and math classes where visual aids are crucial to student comprehension. The app has a simple interface option that allows for the building of skills, so even the most technologically illiterate teachers or students can benefit and learn to use it. Students benefit from the hands-on and interactive learning that is provided by Explain Everything. Being able to see what students are working on helps teachers formatively assess students during group or individual work and intervene when necessary.

Remind Me 101. Student accountability when it comes to the classroom has declined drastically. The Remind Me 101 app definitely has brought some of that back to the classroom. It allows teachers to remind their students and give them an opportunity to be refreshed on what might have slipped their minds after the bell rings. Teachers create their classes and have their students join by using the unique code in which they are assigned. They then send announcements and reminders to their students on any given occasion. It helps a lot when it comes to parent involvement as well as students being held accountable for their learning.

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Reference Page

Basecamp. Retrieved from https://basecamp.com/

Basecamp Reviews. Retrieved from https://www.merchantmaverick.com/reviews/basecamp-3-review/#Negative_Reviews_and_Complaints

Explain.Everything. Retrieved from https://www.google.com/search?q=explain+everything+youtube&oq=explain+everything+youtube&aqs=chrome..69i57j69i60l3j0l2.5134j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Explain.Everything. Retrieved from https://explaineverything.com/

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Gregorian, Tamar. (2017). Basecamp Tutorial. Retrieved from https://basecamptutorial.wordpress.com/

Socrative.com. (n.d.). Retrieved March 14, 2018, from https://b.socrative.com/login/teacher/

Socrative - Product Reviews. (n.d.). Retrieved March 15, 2018, from https://www.edsurge.com/product-reviews/socrative

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