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HeartMath Technology is like a mindfulness/DBT tool that help people who have depression, anxiety and are stressed to regulate themselves to improve their emotional well-being. Using a device that can be attached to the ear and the heart to measure a person’s heart coherence which is a state of where the heart, mind and emotions are balanced. When there is low heart coherence (for instance if a student has a meltdown or is anxious), the app in the handphone will show an erratic/jagged heart rhythm pattern and the user will be prompted to use breathing and grounding techniques till he restores his balance/composure and his heart rhythm is that of a series of smooth waves. I think this may be useful for people with ASD as it helps them to learn to recognise and increase their physiological awareness of stress and anxiety level and then work on how to regulate themselves to return to normalcy. With constant usage, user can see for himself what kind of activities and situations would promote his sense of well-being and try to replicate more of that. At the same time, user can also monitor activities and situations that would undermine his emotional wellness and work on solving them. The device can be used together with handphone which makes it portable and convenient to use but it cost a couple of hundred dollars. Most of calming apps do not have this feature of real time monitoring of the user state of emotion well-being which is why I am quite impressed with this gadget.
Beth

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The wiggle seat is an example of a low tech tool which I have tried on my students who have difficulty staying in their seat. It is spiky on one side and bumpy on the other and the cushion provides active seating or balance training which forces the child to keep his/her balance. This act of trying to balance on the seat helps my students stay more focused on the task at hand. I teach them how to use it during my withdrawal sessions and it is on loan to them to use in the classroom. I work with the teachers to ensure the students return the wiggle seat to the class cupboard at the end of the school day.

- Ee Kheng

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Kahoot! Our team uses it to reinforce learning say at the end of awareness talks for teachers during contact time/level meetings (teachers love them, coupled with some instant rewards!), as a trivia before the talk even, class talks followed by a Kahoot quiz works all the time for students, and even for those in small group settings to augment their learning.

The essence of learning with fun an in bite-size has always been enjoyable and easy to create! There is movement, sounds, fun - multi-sensorial.

@Maya

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I have been using the Class Dojo reward system for 5 years now. It may sound like an old-school app but it really works well for me.

I have been focusing on improving certain behaviour such as following instructions among my students. To reward their efforts, I give individual points based on their progress.

I will award points to my students right after they exhibit positive behavior because the reward is most effective when given promptly. At times, I encourage them to award themselves a point for any positive behaviour they display. It brings them joy to be able to award themselves points.

The criteria for earning points varies for each student. When students accumulate 20 points, they have the option to select a reward such as recess time with me, play their favourite switch game etc. from the reward box. Additionally, I ask them new ideas for the reward list.

Do try it for those who have not and it's free!

Anuwar Abdul Wahab 😊

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Another alternative visual reminder for students to keep their volume down during seat work time. Volume can be adjusted and if it exceeds the volume, a 'ding' sound will go off.

Introduced and trialed this to my school staff during SEN PD session, and observed teachers using it in class.

What I like about this is that there are multiple functions for use - Polls (true/false qns etc), traffic light visual to cue students, etc). This can be used to teach students' self-regulation techniques. And it served as a good classroom management tool and small group session.

Huiying :)

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Plickers - You do not need the student to use any devices to carry out survey or on-the spot assessment

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Plickers - You do not need the student to use any devices to carry out survey or on-the spot assessment

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Although Kahoot is fun and interactive, I am a regular user of Plickers as it does not require the students to have their individual devices and it can offer instant feedback on my students learning. I find that Plickers is equally fun and interactive as Kahoot.

I am using Plickers regularly in my Self-Management Skills (SMS) lessons for my P1 students as a form of assessment on their learning after teaching them a skill. My P1 students are always eager to show me their answer and can't wait to see if their answers are right on the projector screen.

Although Plickers does engage my students and enable me to know instantly the results of their learning, there are cons. Students who get the answer to the question wrong will be reflected on the screen too as the application offers instant feedback on their answers. This may hurt their self-esteem when they compare themselves with their peers. I am fortunate that my students who got their answer wrong take it as pinch of salt and continued to enjoy the whole process.

In addition, this application may be more suitable for the lower primary students who perceive holding up the "paper clicker" card for you to scan the answer as fun. The older students may perceive it as bothersome or childish. Hence, for those who feel that it can be a challenge to get a few lower primary students to sign in to the devices during our withdrawal session, Plickers could be an alternative choice for you.

Leng Leng

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On a personal level, I am a frequent user of ChatGPT. I've used it to help me write emails to different groups, like parents and organizations such as SEAB.

While ChatGPT has its benefits, it has its limitations too. In my opinion, it's important for users to exercise caution while using it.

Just wanted to mention, I have a friend who incorporated ChatGPT into one of their assignments. Unfortunately, the assignment was flagged and they were accused of plagiarism, leading to a situation where they had to provide an explanation to the Dean. The university opted to give his assignment a failing grade. This left him disheartened and lacking the drive to continue with his studies.

I have been using ChatGPT when it was first rolled out and boy it was godsend for me when I was doing my part-time degree assignments. It helped me a lot in stringing my thoughts and ideas together while having the right command of English and structure.

- Soffiah

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I still use Microsoft Powerpoint to create simple slides. This is especially easy for impromptu or last minute preparation of withdrawal lessons.
Last year, as part of my cluster's NLC, I was trying out the Direct Vocab Instruction (DVI) intervention on one of my student. There were various ways to carry out the teaching but using Microsoft Ppt was the easiest. The goal was to teach the student the vocab word repeatedly. It doesn't have to be very presentable or fancy. The aim was just to show the word, meaning, use of word and images/videos associated to the vocab word. It works fine and my student was able to understand what I wanted to teach. It is easy and convenient especially when I had many vocab words to teach. I had to use one Ppt slide for one vocab word. At times, I needed to teach 3 to 4 words in one session, and up to 10 words in one whole week (all 5 days).
-Soffiah

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Canva app is an app that I will go to to prepare poster, presentation, event invitation cards and even videos! It is free and has ready templates for use. If you like, you can even design on your own.

So far, I have used it for cluster events invitations, PD training slides, SENuggets (i.e., infosheets on SEN resources/condition) and birthday e-cards. I am currently exploring the use of its video function :)

Huiying :)

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Manage classroom noise with bouncyballs.org

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Manage classroom noise with bouncyballs.org

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A visual reminder for students to keep their volume low during independent/ paired work time.
Make all kinds of bouncy balls react to sounds from your microphone. A great sound/noise monitor for kids and a fun way to visualize music (or noise). As sounds increase, plastic balls, emoji, bubbles, or eyeballs shoot up from the bottom of the screen and move erratically until levels decrease.
Keep in mind that students when introduced to this (novelty) want to cause noise in order to see the chaos ensue on the screen. In this case, you might want to let students explore/ test/ play around  at beginning then challenge them to get as quiet as possible. A good tool to set a noise baseline and encourage self-regulation and staying on task.
You can manage the sensitivity level of the microphone to the needs of the class and choose different themes.
- Liza

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Bouncy Balls – Manage classroom noise with bouncing balls!

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A free classroom noise level meter, monitor and management tool. Perfect if your school kids are too noisy! Bouncing balls react to sounds from the microphone.

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MotivAider is an AT device that helps students who struggle to stay focused and on-task during lessons with minimal teacher supervision.

First, I would train target students and teachers on using MotivAider (e.g. setting intervals on the MotivAider, and running the MotivAider). This can be done during a 1-to-1 withdrawal session with the target student.

Then, I would introduce a self-monitoring checklist to target students. I would come up with a specific behaviour definition (on-task and off-task behaviour) and gather baseline data prior to the intervention. The specific behaviour definition has to be made known to the target students and teachers.

Subsequently, the target students would monitor their behaviour using the self-monitoring checklist. The target students would indicate 'Yes/No' on the checklist when the MotivAider goes off at the set intervals.

Finally, I would collate and compare data
and gather teachers' and students' feedback on the use of the
MotivAider.

Below are some of the benefits of using the MotivAider:
1. Less intrusive as compared to when students are being prompted by teachers.
2. Target specific students without peers
knowing.
3. Encourage students to monitor and regulate their own behaviours.
4. Students to take ownership of their learning in class.

Give it a try!
Anuwar Abdul Wahab😊

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This is my first time trying the Word Wall application hence, it is still in the explorative stage. You can choose to conduct the lesson to get the student to play individually or get your students to take turns to play it on your computer.
I choose to lead the session by getting the students to take turns to answer the questions on my computer while my computer screen is projected on the projector screen.
What I like about the application is the varieties of interactive templates it provides and you are able to change it into different template instantly at a click of the mouse when you are carrying out the lesson with your students. It is useful as I find that switching to a different mode of carrying out the quiz, be it in a "Gameshow quiz" mode, "Open the box" mode keep the students more engaged throughout the activity.
Moreover, I like that it is easier to insert pictures for the questions and answers as the application is able to provide "suggested pictures" that you can insert, again, easily with a click of the mouse.
This is definitely one of the applications that I will regularly try in my class in view of the easy functionality and accessibility it provides.

Leng Leng :)

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I used ChatGPT recently to create short texts. For instance, in my literacy intervention I usually teach single words and I want to use these single words in context for the students. So, I have commands like “create a flesch-kincaid level 1 text using these words: ……” It saves me a lot of time to prepare resources for teaching and learning. ~ Soo Ting

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The feety band is attached to the legs of chairs or tables. Students rest their feet on it to bounce away excess energy. The bouncing is non-disruptive, increases time on-task, and makes learning fun! It is another example of a low tech tool which I have used on my lower primary students and found it to be effective. The elevated band allow students to quietly release energy and increase concentration. The only limitation is that it has a maximum stretch and some of my students get frustrated when they want to stretch their legs beyond that.

- Ee Kheng

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Quizizz is a great platform where you can create lessons, conduct assessments, assign homework and have interactions with students. I used this platform to teach literacy and self-management skills to my students during home-based learning. Lessons can be instructor-paced, where teachers can set the time for the activities, or student-paced, where students learn at their own pace.

This platform is also easy to use and you can embed videos, pictures and audio into your lessons to customise it to the needs of your students. It also allows teachers to share their resources with others, which eases the need to plan for lessons all the time.

- Liyana

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Mentimeter is another tech tool that I used, though not as frequently used as Padlet / Kahoot!

What I liked about mentimeter is that it allows us to consolidate responses using word cloud, survey and live polling. I have used it for presentations but I personally do not like it as much compared to the use of Canva.

Huiying :)

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While conducting research on self-monitoring tools for another module (IEC 4022 Examining Evidence-Based Practices), I came across I-Connect, a technology-based self-monitoring system that supports students to independently increase on-task behaviors and classroom engagement. The I-Connect App offers features that are customizable and changeable at any time. The app has self-monitoring questions which can be customized to fit a students’ specific needs or goals.

Engagement “Are you on task?”

Appropriateness “Are you appropriate?”

Comprehension “Do you understand?”

I am excited to try this for my single case study project as it replaces the traditional pen and paper method of self-monitoring. I am hopeful that the novelty will excite my student and increase his engagement.

- Ee Kheng

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I-Connect is a technology-based self-monitoring system that supports Student users to independently increase on-task behaviors and classroom engagement. The technology-based system includes the I-Connect App and I-Connect Portal. The I-Connect Marketing Website also provides Mentors with implementation resources to use to learn how to navigate the I-Connect Portal and support their Students in using the I-Connect App and behavior self-monitoring intervention.• The I-Connect Portal is for Mentors to use and create self-monitoring accounts for their Students. • The I-Connect App is for Students to use to monitor their behavior(s). The App is available on the iOS Store for iPhones, iPads, and Apple desktop devices. It is also available on the Google Play Store for desktop and mobile/tablet devices and the Microsoft Store for Windows desktop devices. I-Connect is a research supported behavior self-monitoring intervention, it was originally developed for Students in special education classrooms but can be used by anyone, anywhere. Outside of the classroom, I-Connect is useful at home during homework or chores, at work, or even during extracurricular activities. The I-Connect App offers features that are customizable and changeable at any time. Self-monitoring categories include the list below, and self-monitoring questions can also be customized to fit a students’ specific needs, goals, or location.• Engagement “Are you on task?”• Appropriateness “Are you appropriate?”• Comprehension “Do you understand?”Mentors and Students are encouraged to set goals, create monitoring question, and choose intervals together. Student charts should be reviewed weekly with their Mentor, and together they can update questions, goals, intervals as needed to best serve Students self-monitoring progress. I-Connect enables Students to set achievable self-monitoring goals and to monitor behavior aligned with success. Self-monitoring can establish higher levels of independence and improve academic outcomes, and the I-Connect behavior self-monitoring technology system streamlines the process!

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I am quite 'rigid' in a sense that I can be so used to something that I will keep using the same tool for any future uses. Canva has been in the market for quite some time and my SEN O partner has been using it regularly (and even bought the plus version). I was skeptical to use it as it was a new platform and was 'lazy' to try out. My SEN O partner shared her presentation using Canva and it 'wow-ed' me so much. Just a few months ago, I decided to give it a try, with my SEN O partner's help. She was also kind enough to let me use her paid version! I explored and realised that it was not that difficult to use this online platform.
-Soffiah

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I agree with Man Ling on the use of Padlet. I used it frequently with in PD sessions and SEN Officers too. However, I have not tried using it with parents previously but will soon be trialing it out in my upcoming cluster event.

Huiying :)

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the AI to help teachers (or us) do homework

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the AI to help teachers (or us) do homework

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One of the challenges that I sometimes face is subject-specific resources to share with my students. While ideally, we obtain these resources (e.g worksheets, questions) from the subject teachers, the reality is (unfortunately) sometimes it's just faster to find our own.

And this tool, helps me be an "expert" in all subjects should I need to generate questions for the students or to check-in with what they understand about a particular topic or subject.

- Liza

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Thanks for your idea to draft email with ChatGPT, Soffiah. I am unsure how it will incorporate the content I intended to include. I shall try it out and see. As usual, I think I will spend a lot of time trying to proof-read before I send the email out.
Chi Ki

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Hi Chi Ki!
Take time to explore and play around with ChatGPT! You can just type out whatever is on your mind. I treat ChatGPT like a human information counter. I also use it to paraphrase my very Singlish sentences into the tone I wanted (e.g., Make the following sentence into a formal tone as I am sending it to a parent). I also use ChatGPT to get ideas on how to respond to 'rude' emails from fellow colleague, while still being professional. :) Sometimes, we have the idea or thoughts but just don't know how to structure them nicely or in ways we imagine it to be. :)
Happy exploring!
-Soffiah

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Soo Ting! I love your idea of creating a resource as such through ChatGPT! I didn't think of that!

I just tried creating a social skills lesson and I typed: 'Create a social skills lesson on 'Asking for help from a teacher'  - Awesome! Happy 'customer' here :)

Maya :)

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I have resisted using ChatGPT for school (i.e. work not NIE) because I was afraid that it’ll become so convenient that I will rely on it instead of “using my brains” to work out solutions for my students. With the convenience of technology, I feel that I’m increasingly putting in less effort to remember things such as phone numbers, appointment dates and I didn’t want ChatGPT to open a Pandora’s box where there is no turning back. Thanks to this course, I took the leap of faith.

As suggested by some of you, I used ChatGPT to create a lesson plan. That was my Aha! moment. I was certainly amazed by what it returned including objectives and assessment. But I couldn't help thinking that I had to learn the hard way when I wrote my lesson plan as a practicum student. Now half the work is done. Is this the future of education?

While ChatGPT improves efficiency, one needs to be discerning to assess the information provided. This opens up a lot of other issues such as students taking the shortcut and losing their initiative or curiosity when they use ChatGPT as a substitute for their own learning efforts. At the end of the day, I guess with any technology we need to use it responsibly and adapt it to our use.

- Ee Kheng

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I am also new to ChatGPT. I just tried creating lesson plan and in-class support resource on self regulation. The steps are so clear and elaborate.
It saves me so much time from creating the basic plan! I could use the time to personalize and customize to individual needs, and creating the resources.
Chi Ki

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I find it is easy to use and I am amazed by how smart it is! I like it that the information that I want can be customized to suit the local context. It will be a tool to go for if I want to get some ideas for my lessons, and I think this can benefit the students as well. As the information given is computerized, I think the ability to discern and decide the relevant information to use is critical. This tool does not take into consideration the learner profile. As it is a chat function, it also does not provide demonstration. (Not sure if this is only available for the paid version?) Being a visual learner myself, I find it hard to comprehend the long chunk of text sometimes. I must also be very specific with the content that I want to find, so the keywords that I type in the search box can allow me to find what I need. I am still exploring ChatGPT.. :) - Shi Li

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I have heard of ChatGPT and have been wanting to try it out. I have heard of how ChatGPT has made our lives easier (i.e., planning of itineraries, lesson plans) but I have yet to get my hands on it. Sounds like something that I should start exploring :)

Huiying :)

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Kahoot is not new to me and I have used it during the staff training to teachers on SEN PD related matters. To capture the attention of the audience before and after the session, I would incorporate Kahoot! quiz into the session. The one with the highest score earns a reward from the team! :) It instills laughter and fun, lighten the information that needs to be "downloaded" to them, and allow me/SEN team to evaluate their learning :)

Huiying :)

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I have tried Class Dojo with my nieces in primary school and it excites them. I have also tried communicating with parents through Class Dojo. However, I wonder how we can tap on Class Dojo reward system with lower sec students in terms of intervention.

Thanks for the ah-ha! moment idea, Anuwar! :)

Huiying :)

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Recently, I have discovered that Canva can be used to create mindmap! Perhaps another IT tool to excite the students when teaching study skills! :D

Huiying :)

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At the start of Term 3, (together with my SEN O partner) I have started our after-school programme. We have a total of 10 students in the programme. We were brainstorming on what platform to use to introduce points-system to them. We agreed on using ClassDojo and tried it for the first time. It was easy to use. However, after using it for a few times, it doesn't seem to "spark joy" in me (and my partner).
While it is something that is used by many educators, I do not see how it can sustain both the students' and SEN Os' interest. We decided to go back to the hardcopy reward chart as it is more concrete and easier to update (no need to log in and assign the rewards).
-Soffiah

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I use chatgpt quite often, I use it during my session with my students. Chatgpt can be used as a tool to brainstorm ideas, generate prompts, offer explanations in different ways. Students can also practice critical thinking skills by evaluating responses, asking follow-up questions and challenging assumptions. Will definitely continue to explore on this !
-Wai Ling

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Right on the Money, that's an Absolute Hoot! 

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Right on the Money, that's an Absolute Hoot! 

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I second Huiying's point of using Kahoot during PD sharing! I have been on both ends, as a presenter and an audience, using this platform.
Kahoot is a fun and engaging way to get the teachers' participation and also as a platform to check for their understanding on the sharing I did (with my SEN O partner). Every teacher has a smart phone and it was easy to get everyone to join in.
From my observation, not only teachers, but the norm in Singapore, people don't really like to speak up freely. With Kahoot, individuals can be 'themselves' as they don't have to entirely state their identity. With that, we can still gauge and get feedback from the audience (teachers). Also with the points system in Kahoot, it got the teachers competitive and on their toes (perhaps, it is in the nature of some people).
- Soffiah

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Sharing of Strategies Taught + Individual Portfolio

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Sharing of Strategies Taught + Individual Portfolio

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I have used ClassDojo for TRANSIT classroom and small-group withdrawal sessions.

Class Stories is a useful section to share bite-sized information and resources on the topics of self-management skills taught in class. I could share visuals/ strategies with parents while including short captions to explain what the strategies are/ how the strategies can be used.

ClassDojo also provided a useful platform for individual portfolios, especially in a small class setting. I was able to share individual work completed by the students in class/ photos of students in action with individual parents. I also used it to share the progress of students in the acquisition of the self-management skills and performance of classroom behaviours in class. This allowed parents to track the progress of the students, and also work together to praise and encourage the students in their progress over time. It was also useful that parents could comment on their child's work/ photo so that I get feedback as well.

I have not tried this before, but it is something that I will like to try moving forward. I think it will be useful I can get parents to also upload child's work/ progress/ examples of students' practising self-management skills at home (eg., packing bag/ calming down strategies) to explore generalization across settings.

- Shi Min

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Thank you for sharing this Leng Leng. I'm excited to give it a try! :) - Ee Kheng

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Thanks for sharing your idea Soo Ting! I've only recently tried ChatGPT to create travel itinerary, and still in the midst of exploring.

Just tried to create short stories with Dolch list words and it's so useful for literacy support sessions!

- Shi Min

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Yes agree with Huiying and Soffiah that Canva is really useful! I use Canva for creating classroom visuals, visual cards for individual students, teaching materials, presentation for sharing with peers etc.

Wanted to get the paid account for more visuals, and then I realised that we can use the Education Account for free! There are a lot of visuals (more than the basic account) that are really useful for use during lessons! Especially since I work in a primary school, the GIFs and graphics really capture the students' attention.

- Shi Min

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I share the same sentiments as Soffiah although I have not tried Class Dojo with my secondary school peeps. Teenagers are so savvy with rewards over and beyond my threshold that points systems as such may not stimulate them much. As a parent, my young child does not seem to be overly excited about the points awarded by his Form Teachers. I am in the understanding that such rewards may not necessarily appeal to all students. Rewards also need to be consistently executed otherwise, giving points can 'lose steam' fast. Customised rewards charts are more personal and reaches out to my current students.

@Maya

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Just want to share a quick note here: Since I started learning  more about ChatGPT, it has been rather 'addictive' I must say. But there are also a number of questions which they are unable to answer to my astonishment. Google remains close to heart.

@Maya

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After reading what has been shared about ChatGPT, I decided to give it a try. I just finished my take on Inknoe Classpoint and I thought, I might as well just try to see how my original version compare with that of ChatGPT. Wow, I am impressed, it really help to craft out my thoughts in a professional and sophisticated way!!!
Beth

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I agree with Soffiah that PowerPoint is the easiest.

I have explored using PowerPoint to create resources for my students with SEN - to do words drill. Instead of using cue cards, I tried using PowerPoint slides, made use of the animation and trigger functions, and incorporate timer into the slides ... it became a 1-min drill to assess the students' learning. The students enjoyed because it was interactive. The count down timer also added in the element of thrill.

Of course it was coupled with reward system to motivate and encourage them for the effort put in! :)

Huiying :)

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I have found Kahoot incredibly useful for several reasons. Firstly, I use it to assess my students' background knowledge on the topics I plan to teach. Secondly, I use it to check for their understanding during the lesson. Lastly, I use it to evaluate their comprehension after the lesson has been taught. Additionally, Kahoot has also provided a fun platform for me to play games with my students.

Anuwar Abdul Wahab 😊

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Hi Liza,

You may also want to explore Classroom Zen if you are a fan of Bouncy Balls. It works like Bouncy Balls but the monster will get angry and ask the class to keep quiet if sound can be heard. The primary school students find it funny and like what you say, they may initially try to test it.

Leng Leng:)

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I am also a frequent Canva user! :) I was trying to explore some other functions and I chanced upon two features: 1) Artificial Intelligence (AI) Copy Generator called Magic Write. Go to Canva Docs and you need to first add Magic Write to Canva. Do note that it works ONLY for Canva Docs. If you run out of ideas of what to write, you can simply type in some keywords and Magic Write will generate some ideas for you. You can watch this tutorial:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npi4Yo82uJ0 Though the video says it is not for education plan users, I tried it myself and it works.
- Shi Li

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I tried using self monitoring sheet as I was a bit apprehensive about using this aid which  may distract the student and teacher may end up having to "remind" the student to stop fiddling with it. The self monitoring sheet didn't work when I get the teacher to try with the target student on a couple of occasions. How do you get student to focus on the task of monitoring his attention and also other students will be curious and distracted by his new gadget?
Beth

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This is a very powerful tool. If the prompt is phrased well, the results can be phenomenal. Not only can it be used for academic purposes, but it can also give ideas on other aspects like planning an itinerary and estimating cost of renovation. Be adventurous to test it out!

Recently, I explored using Chatgpt to create powerpoint. Though it is multiple step process, like copying to Microsoft Word, then create ppt. The results blew my mind! Simply impressive.
- Charlott

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I have tried exploring MotivAider. Similar to Beth, I am a bit apprehensive about using the aid as it can be a distraction to a child.

As for self-monitoring checklist, I have done it before and it works :) I first teach the student the skills etc. then I worked with the teacher (I am lucky in the sense that I get the buy-in from her). So during my in-class support, I would be there to observe and prompt but the self-monitoring checklist would be given and "signed off" by the teacher so that the student knows the teacher is also "a part of it", and teacher is empowered. Once I noticed that the student and teacher were more "used to it", I started to fade off my support gradually. Teacher would by then also "learned" to start prompting the student. Over time, I did not even have to be present and my role subsequently became the "resource provider".

Huiying :)

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Hi Leng Leng!

Oh yes, Word Wall! My SEN O partner and I used Word Wall as part of the P1 e-Orientation. We wanted to assess the students literacy in some ways and Word Wall was definitely one interactive way! While we acknowledge that parents may help their child behind the screen, Word Wall allows us to curate fun and interactive learning through games.

-Soffiah

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2) Text-to-Image: You go under Apps in Canva to enable Text-to-Image. Just type in some words and it will generate the AI image for you. Quite an interesting feature! Here is the tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJst07SVVok
- Shi Li

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I have heard from my colleagues how they have utilize Jamboard in their teachings in class and have given it a try. It is easy to use and apart from using it in class, it serves as alternative to gather responses for PD sessions too!!

Huiying :)

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I was initially unsure about using ChatGPT at all because I was afraid that I'd turn myself lazy from using too much of it. But my colleague in school who sits behind me in the staffroom decided to give me a spiel on Ask AI (another AI search engine) two months ago. Just so happen that week, my school's ICT department shared some ways to make use of ChatGPT, but I wasn't able to attend it. Ultimately, it was my FOMO that led me to finally explore ChatGPT.

I must say that I enjoyed exploring it, and have to admit that I am impressed by the results it churns out. But I still am largely cautious and skeptical (but who knows my stance could change in the future) about the results/content, I mainly use it now for idea generation and brainstorming, and use the content as a springboard to plan for sessions. I rarely copy wholesale but try to improve or transform the content from ChatGPT. This has improved my efficiency and productivity at work.

Something that I found out and actually really like is to prompt ChatGPT to help me explain something simply for e.g. "How do I explain the role of a psychologist in a simple way to a 15-year-old?" Being a language model, I think we can really tap on ChatGPT's strong language to help us explain things clearly or even convince stakeholders.

Benjamin

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I have tried Jamboard. I liked that it is a tool under Google, as I do not need to sign up for a separate account to use. I also like Jamboard more than padlet because of the ability to rearrange the layout of the post-its.

I have used it once for a f2f staff training. Anyone with the link is able to access it. It was easy to send out the link as the staff has a grp chatgrp.

I have also tried it with my upper primary pupils.  It was pretty easy for them to access and use when I could send out the link via our Zoom chat. However, when we had f2f sessions, it is difficult for the pupils to access as the link had to be sent to them via email or SLS, which will require additional log in time.

Chi Ki

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I must say, Canva has made me feel like a pro in creating inforgraphics, posters and any visual presentation!
It is fuss-free to use, and with the education account, you get access to all the resources.
For students, you can create fancy and interesting looking worksheets, mindmaps, goal-setting documents. For yourself, you can create presentations that will engage your audience.
It's definitely one of my to-go tools!

-Liza

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Just as I was about to jump onto the ChatGPT bandwagon, I come across many posts that go "ChatGPT's great but there's 1000's of better AI tools out there!"

I'm still trying out ChatGPT and barely scratching the surface and here's a plethora of AI that offers the many things they can do. Will need to take the time to explore the various platforms to see which works best for me.

Nevertheless, these platforms definitely allows us to work more efficiently and gets us answers faster. However, just as we are mindful (or skeptical) of the responses (check and check), it is important the we equip our students with the ability to discern the information they get from ChatGPT.

-Liza

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I am new to Canva. Used it end of last year to create a presentation slides and make a visual for staff w.r.t a timeline. Thanks for sharing the other functions like mindmapping, Magic Write, text-to-image, ......
Will find out more about them. Sound so useful.
~ Soo Ting

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Like many of you, I initially had reservations about using ChatGPT. I realised that it could be a valuable tool in our work when my Practicum trainee mentioned that she used it for lesson planning. During staff contact time, my Principal and ICT Heads advocated the use of ChatGPT and showcased its potential applications in teaching and learning. I became more inclined and willing to try ChatGPT after their demonstrations.

I started using ChatGPT around six months ago, sparked by a request from my friend who asked me to be her wedding emcee (I didn’t know how to reject!). It was during this time that I discovered how incredible ChatGPT is. When I encountered difficulties in crafting an evaluation survey for the use of reader pens at my school, I decided to give ChatGPT a try. While I had to refine the generated questions, ChatGPT undeniably expedited the process of tackling challenging tasks like this, especially when I do not know how to begin. I also used ChatGPT in drafting a proposal to secure funding for cluster activities, emails and many more. I have yet to try it out for my lesson planning and casework, but I definitely plan to explore this in the near future.

~ Man Ling

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I began using Canva at the start of this year to fulfill my tasks as a member of the Staff Well-Being Committee, and it quickly became an indispensable tool in my work and life. It was then I discovered how incredibly helpful Canva is when it comes to graphic designs. The platform offers a wealth of ready-to-use templates, user-friendly functions for creating videos and animations, and an extensive library of high-resolution images and graphic elements. I no longer need to spend time and money searching for suitable visuals for my resources.

In my role, I've used Canva to create social stories, visuals, reward charts, behavior contracts, worksheets, BINGO games, coloring activities, awareness videos, presentation slides for both staff and parents, and many more. I have also used it for creating video montages and photo collages, designing cards, and even producing posters for our pantry sale.

I love how it is so convenient to use, versatile and most importantly free of charge! It has made my work a lot more productive.

~ Man Ling

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A great tool for collaboration with parents

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A great tool for collaboration with parents

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I started using SLS because of COVID. It allows me to assign work to my students (in groups and individually) so that they can revise at home with their parents. This is a more organised platform to share my resources with parents, as compared to email and WhatsApp. They could watch the videos, revise the content and complete quizzes and games (Quizlet can be embedded in SLS, along with many other tools!). I can monitor their progress and check whether they have completed my assignments.

~ Man Ling

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Phonogram sounds app and Online websites for e-books, audio books and decodable books

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Phonogram sounds app and Online websites for e-books, audio books and decodable books

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Online learning apps can be a useful alternative to traditional pen and paper method. However, it is essential to emphasize the importance of parent supervision and guidance. I typically share these apps and websites with parents to encourage their active involvement in guiding and supervising their children’s online learning.

Phonogram sounds app: This is a reliable and beneficial phonogram sounds application for students. It covers various phonogram sounds, including the alphabet’s, consonant teams, vowel teams, /er/ sounds, /sh/ sounds and other phonograms. Parental guidance is especially helpful here, as students may sometimes find these sounds confusing.

Audio books like Storyline Online and Book Trust can be a valuable resource, particularly for struggling readers who may not have someone to read to them at home.

e-books and decodable books such as Flyleaf Publishing and Reading A-Z offer a convenient source of reading materials that students can access easily from home. Additionally, accompanying worksheets may be available for parents who prefer to print and use them.

Overall, these online resources can greatly enhance learning, but parental involvement and supervision remain key factors in ensuring their effective use.

~ Man Ling

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I started exploring and using SLS too during the covid-19 circuit breaker period. Similar to Man Ling, I used it to assign work to my students with SEN.

I would usually conduct my sessions virtually through zoom. And what I like about zoom is that it has annotation functions that could allow my students to response. For example, I would prepare lesson slides using PowerPoint and they could respond to the questions through the annotation function (i.e., type, tick, use of stickers) - this would allow me to monitor their progress and learning.

Thereafter, I would then assign work using SLS. As the profile of my students are in Secondary School, usually they do not require much parental supervision as compared to primary school students. Sometimes I would incorporate videos into the homework for revision, or I could even get them to record their responses using audio function.

These are great tools that can be used in a lesson.

Huiying :)

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My Year Head had a session teaching us about how to use ChatGPT. You are able to ask ChatGPT questions like " what would Singapore like without LKY". ChatGPT is able to give a description about it which was very well written.

I managed to talk to some Lecturer in Design studies and he was telling me that ChatGPT is at its infancy stage, I am excited for technological advancement. Now AI can produce images just through description words alone. Many of the Arts and jobs might be replaced! I am looking forward to others sharing how ChatGPT can work

Jack

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I am not sure if I am sick of the free to used version. During a wedding, I could here the Kahoot sounds playing in the background and i knew that we are going to play Kahoot.

This class would also remind me to go discover what more Kahoot has to offer.
Kahoot+ has AI question generator, ability to track data, integration of Powerpoint. That is indeed a lot more Kahoot can do if school buys into it

Jack

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Dear Anuwar, I was looking at self monitoring devices  for students with ADHD and I could only find the Attention training system , which looks terrible. Thanks for this! I would look more into it.

Jack

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Website for learning Phonics, Maths and reading (teachyourmonsterstoread.com)

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Website for learning Phonics, Maths and reading (teachyourmonsterstoread.com)

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I have been using this website regularly (teachyourmonsterstoread) it really allows students to do their work on their own, to pick up phonics,maths with the use of a program. It also test for mastery, has a regular breaks and rewards. I would say that only the reading component of the website is lacklustre, but everything else is pretty great.

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Hi Huiying!

Yes, I've heard and tried Jamboard before. In my opinion, it seems to be similar to Padlet. There are pros and cons for these two.
For free version of Padlet, I am only allowed 3 posts, but in Jamboard, there isn't any limitations as long I have a google account.
Padlet is easier for all to access, even for those without any Padlet account. However, I encountered a difficulty the other time when I was doing a sharing with the NASCAN (after school mentors). Not everyone of them has a Google account and I encountered some difficulties getting them to enter Jamboard and participate in the activities there.

-Soffiah

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Wow.  This is my first time exploring word wall.  This is really my Ah-Ha moment.  I was really surprised at the range of choices that are available for me to use to create activities. -Joice Chan

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Wow.  This is my first time exploring word wall.  This is really my Ah-Ha moment.  I was really surprised at the range of choices that are available for me to use to create activities. -Joice Chan

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Kahoot is an engaging tool for students. We also often used it during professional development for teachers.

I find it hard to think of multiple choices for answers. Thanks, Jack, for sharing on the AI component. I wonder if it can help me general possible multiple choices for answers.

Chi Ki

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Canva has everything and anything; from creating posters to presentation slides. I love the fact that it is super user friendly and it provides an unlimited amount of visuals, designs and ideas. It's a resource tool that has helped me to save a great amount of time too, and it has become so convenient to create anything that is please and aesthetically pleasing. It's so eye catching that both the students and adults are constantly impressed by the works.

Just like everyone else, I managed to create all sorts of resources for students and staffs. Recently, my team and I created a Back To School lesson package worksheets which includes school/class rules, daily reflections, checklists and executive functioning skills. Even my principal was super impressed by the package >.<

-Sheril

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Heard so much about it but have yet to try it... till now!

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Heard so much about it but have yet to try it... till now!

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I have heard so much about it but I have yet to try it. My dad uses Chatgpt and most recently, he used it to plan his entire trip itinerary. It was so detailed, extensive and easy to understand. I'm only starting to hop on the AI bandwagon and I am interested to see what I can do with it.

I am starting to understand that its all about how we key the commands in. Very interesting indeed!

Shuxian

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I use Quizizz for teaching short topics (e.g., prefixes and suffixes) and inbuilt quizzes as formative assessment. Students does this as part of independent learning during my sessions. The tool is quite easy to use.
- Charlott

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I am sure everyone has used Kahoot. Just like Soffiah and Huiying, I've used Kahoot to get the attention of the audience during PD sharing. I believe it's one of the easiest way to redirect the attention or whenever there's a need to change the pace of the sharing. It's quite funny to see how teachers can get competitive through such activity too! (Perhaps the fact that my team and I mentioned how there was going to be  bubble tea as a reward for the top 3)

Even with students, the concept of it being somewhat like a game keeps them engaged. The first time I used it with my students were during SDR lessons during covid times; to test their understanding of the comprehension text, I just had to put up the questions into Kahoot and easily they felt the thrill and were pretty excited to answer the questions.

- Sheril

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Hi Huiying, the Classroom Screen looks good. Could you share the link with us? :)

- Ee Kheng

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My students with ADHD love this.  With the band, they walk around lesser and are able to remain seated for a longer period of time -Joice Chan

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My students with ADHD love this.  With the band, they walk around lesser and are able to remain seated for a longer period of time -Joice Chan

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I use Class Dojo as a means of communicating with parents of my students. Class Dojo offers a means of communication with parents without compromising on your privacy after school hours, as you need not reveal your HP no. to parents and at the same time, able to reply to their message based on the urgency of the matters. In addition, Class Dojo is also used as a means of sharing of strategies I have taught my students with the parents via the Class Story function. It allows parents to "like" your post and that is very encouraging to me. I have not tried the rewards function for students yet. But, will give it a try in the future.
Leng Leng:)

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A great tool for formative assessment. I will prep my students that we would be playing Kahoot at the start of the lesson to pique their interest and pay attention. Playing Kahoot is always an exciting moment for my students as they pit their skills against one another. The countdown timer and ranking put them on their toes to do their best. Never a dull moment using Kahoot.
- Charlott

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I don't use ClassDojo with my secondary school students as they find it lame, boring. The rewards of allocating points in ClassDojo is not as impactful as winning in a Kahoot game. Secondary school students also do not want their parents to know too much about their teenage lives. LOL
- Charlott

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Thank you, Shi Li, for sharing Magic Write and Text to Image function in Canva. Thus far, I have used Canva extensively to make infographics, birthday cards for staff (I'm in Staff Welfare Committee), teachers' day cards.  Now, there are more reasons for me to use Canva. :)
- Charlott

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A Good Tool to expand on your knowledge/ideas

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A Good Tool to expand on your knowledge/ideas

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[New e-tool]
I was hesitant to sign up for an account at first. Read all the comments above, and decided to give it a try.

I started on basic questions, to a bit more complicated questions just to test the accuracy of its answers and I am very amazed by the outcome.
From there I realized I could use this tool for idea generation and to expand my knowledge further. It also allows me to "bounce ideas" when I am stuck.

-Zulhilmi Akmal-

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Hi Ee Kheng, the link is: https://classroomscreen.com/app/screen/w/885d010e-1c1c-461f-bd8e-655040144737/g/1e2456b5-a9b7-4e88-a52b-ecd400b47662/s/722c1787-e4c0-4953-b931-2f89f540e65f

Huiying :)

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I used this during my sessions too :) They love it!

Huiying :)

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I am new to Canva and started using it recently and have grown to love it. I have used it mainly to create Powerpoint slides for my lessons. I like that there are ready-made slides and even videos that we can start with by keying in the theme of our presentation and customizing it according to my needs. It does help to save a lot of  my time.

I have read the posts on the usage of Canva and am amazed by the functions that it offers. Thank you for sharing and I will try those functions these days!

Leng Leng :)

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Kahoot is so over-used this days that I always find myself thinking "huh kahoot again" when it comes up during PD. While I have yet to try out other similar apps, I do have some kahoot-fatigue. Its a great way to engage the target audience no doubt, but I'm also ready for something new. If anyone has any suggestions, please share!

Shuxian

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I am a huge fan of Canva! The animation and colours are so refreshing and engaging. I always get compliments for the aesthetic appeal of my slides whenever I use Canva. I think the free version is sufficient for me but I do get a little bit sad sometimes when I find something I like and but its only for paid members.

It is easy to use and so customizable. I tried the free trial and enjoyed it. I used it for cluster presentations and also to share it with my students who are aren't afraid to explore out of pptx.

Shuxian

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I think it's safe to say we can't do without the BIG 3. I am however disheartened by their payment options. It has evolved over the years and becoming more expensive to use what SHOULD BE basic tools in a working computer. I'm grateful to have it on the work laptop but beyond this, I am not subscribed to their payment plans. I remember having to do so when I last did my DISE for all the assignments.

However, I am least confident with Excel. I know it is powerful, but only if I know how to manipulate the commands. I find that confusing and it takes up too much mental effort for me to dive into it. When I need excel and want to execute a command, I just google the specific step I need. Ooops.

Shuxian

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Thanks for all your sharings! Now it makes me want to give this a go!

Shuxian

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I had a student who required this band as an AA for his national exams. He was a co-morbid case and we had to write in specifically to request for a few customized AA but it was approved. It is not disruptive and it does help him to self-regulate better given that one of the diagnoses was ADHD.

Shuxian

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I'm actually looking to explore this for my own workroom! Thanks for the reminder

Shuxian

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This is so great! Thanks for this!

Shuxian

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Oh I did not know I could PDF a padlet! This would make dissemination of content much easier. Thank you Man Ling for sharing!

Shuxian

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Thank you, Huiying! - Ee Kheng

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Many times when we talked about tech tools, naturally it comes to us as iPad, computers, PLD, apps ... and so on.

Sometimes, the simplest low tech tool may not be a bad thing too!

Though I have not personally experienced this, however, it was shared by my partner SENO who used to have a student who needs to tap his fingers beside the chair and sometimes it get so loud especially in the exam settings. Naturally we would think of applying isolation room for the child, however, sometimes, there may be limitations to school resources. As such, she implemented the use of Styrofoam. She cut it out and stick it at the two sides of the chair. She then taught the student that if he needs to tap to regulate himself because he would get so anxious especially during exam, he could tap on the Styrofoam instead of the chairs. This allowed him to regulate and continue with exam with much ease, yet minimizes any noise disturbances to the other students.

I find this a brilliant idea. Subsequently, she equipped the student with other skills to cope and fade off the use of this.

Huiying :)

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Yes! I recently used the PDF-ed function and wow ... I think this can be used in our teachings with students with SEN. I can imagine students in group sessions sharing their responses on padlet, then SENOs can consolidate the learnings and PDF-ed it for students to review!

Love it!
Huiying :)

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You guessed it right, it's a mind mapping app! Amongst the several mind mapping apps out there, my school settled on subscribing MindMup for teachers to utilise as a tech tool especially over synchronous and asynchronous lessons during the covid period. It was also used before as an interactive tool to gather responses during a staff sharing session by myself and SCs.

It really does deliver as a mind mapping app in terms of its features. The user is able to attach images, videos, weblinks, text notes to a node, move connections around to different nodes and change node styles (font, text size, corners etc.) just to name several of them. The look of the mind map is also really neat- the attachments appear as a 'linking chain' icon on the node it is attached to for example. It is also powerfully integrated with Google Drive, which means that the mind map is saved in your G Drive and you can insert items that are already in your G Drive folders. One of the best features I think for a mind map app is the ability to collaborate with other MindMup users.

But it comes with a paid subscription and I don't think it comes cheap. And I must say that it does take some time to learn and explore the app's capabilities. Another limiting factor that my colleagues and I faced was that in order to collaborate and ensure that live changes were saved on G Drive cloud, we could not just open up the mind map via G Drive (i.e. accessing the map like how we would a google document), but had to click the "Open to Google Drive" button to sign in to our accounts on the MindMup webpage. It was a real hassle for some of us and some eventually stopped using the app. I thought it was a real pity, because when it comes to collaborative tech like this, it becomes quite meaningless to use it when there are only a few users utilising it.

Benjamin

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This sounds really awesome! Thanks so much Wai Ling and Zul for sharing this, super keen to try this with my students.

Benjamin

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Losing its novelty, but still very relevant..

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Losing its novelty, but still very relevant..

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[Previously used e-tool]
Kahoot is a very familiar tool for all, students and staffs. It is very easy to setup, simple platform and is fun and interactive. However, I do agree that it is losing its novelty. It is still a great platform to kickstart the use of interactive e-tool with the students before advancing to other e-tools.

We have used this tool several times during recess activities where students would view the exhibits and then would then be given an ipad to attempt the quiz. We noticed that the students were more motivated to participate in the exhibits so that they could attempt the quiz. There were no prizes given for the winners of the Kahoot game, but they still participated.

-Zulhilmi Akmal-

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[New e-tool]
I keep hearing from some of my colleagues on how Canva is the new MS ppt and that it can offer a lot more even with a basic account. I am very thrilled to hear that many here are also frequent users of canva. I was so motivated to try it and have started an account recently. And yes, it is so true!
There are many functions and many ready to use templates with multiple themes.  I am currently trying it out for one of the assignments.
It is very tempting to purchase the subscription.

-Zulhilmi Akmal-

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[Previously used e-tool]
My students and I used to grow mushrooms. They brought the mushroom kit home and documented the growth, daily, on Padlet. They enjoyed the activity so much. I would see them posting their pictures and measurements daily on the Padlet. They would also comment on each other's posts and cheer each other on. Padlet does offers some social interaction between students<->teachers and students<->students.

-Zulhilmi Akmal-

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I discovered Canva a couple years ago and I can't live without it. I use it so often that I've decided to subscribe to it. Just like everyone here has mentioned, I've used Canva to create decks of slides, videos, reward charts and even posters. I've also had older colleagues who have asked me to teach them how to use it. I like that Canva is user-friendly. It is easy to navigate and operates using a simple drag and drop interface. It also offers a variety of templates and elements for users to choose from.
- Liyana

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Lino is an online web sticky note service that can be used to post memos, to-do lists, ideas, and photos anywhere on an online web canvas. I've used it for reflection purposes when we conduct big school events. It is a platform for students to pose their thoughts or pledges. Once they have done so, I would then flash the canvas onto the TV screen in the canteen during their recesses for them to see.

However, when compared to Padlet (which is another similar visual collaboration tool), the information presented does appear to look more disorganised.
- Liyana