top of page
Search
  • Writer's pictureKatie & Christa

Flipgrid for collaboration

Updated: May 8, 2019

Communication is a two-way street: We talk and then we listen. The listening part let’s us make sure we’re understood.

I’m trying to bring more listening into my classroom. In my science communication courses, I ask students to explain complex concepts in terms anyone can understand. I know one of the best ways for them to hone their science communication skills is to get plenty of feedback. It’s also important for them to see how other students tackle the same assignment in a different way. These collaborative moments give students confidence and new communication strategies to try in the classroom and beyond.

In last week’s post, Christa and I wrote about Flipgrid as a powerful tool for fostering science communication skills. I’m still experimenting with the tool, but it appears to support meaningful collaboration, too.

I ask each student to upload a video of themselves explaining a scientific concept — I give them one participate mark for doing so. I then ask each student to provide substantive feedback on two of their classmates’ posts for another participation mark.

The feedback in Flipgrid is in video format. I like this feature because I think it encourages a more genuine exchange than text. All of the feedback has been very positive, which is great — it gives students a confidence boost and helps them get to know one another. Next time, I’ll give them guidance on their feedback with the goal of encouraging more analysis and higher-level thinking. One idea is to encourage them to think about how the explanation might help someone make better decisions in their life. After all, good science communication should inform our choices on both a personal and policy level.

 

I also use Flipgrid to create a sense of community and agency in the classroom. I tell students that if everyone gets two pieces of feedback on their post, the whole class gets a bonus mark. This way, they’re working together toward a common goal and spreading the feedback around evenly.


By encouraging students to watch their classmates’ videos, I’m exposing them to different communication strategies. They’re learning that there’s no one right way to communicate a complex concept, but there are strategies that tend to work well. When students see something they like, they’re likely to try it out themselves. I share Flipgrid videos in class to show excellent examples of science communication. I ask the students for permission first, of course, but they’re almost always enthusiastic. The students whose videos I share become ‘mentors’ to their peers. One student told me two of her classmates asked her for feedback on their explainers after watching hers in class. She, in turn, reached out to another classmate who did well on a different assignment. The students are learning from each other and providing crucial support to one another as they step out of their comfort zones.


I also use Flipgrid for large, collaborative, interdisciplinary projects. For instance, I asked students to recall why they became interested in science. Who or what inspired them to pursue science over something else? From 100 short videos, we together extracted 100 data points for a research project aimed at understanding what sparks scientific curiosity.


Students are now working in small groups to explore societal barriers to scientific curiosity and propose community projects aimed at increasing opportunities for scientific engagement. Our Flipgrid community set the scene for this creative, collaborative project.


 

Christa and I attended the Learning Technologies Symposium on October 10th. Dr. Tony Bates talked about current developments in digital learning in Canada. Much of his talk focused on how students learn from multimedia, and how this is a deep form of learning. “Make them do it,” he said. This is in line with how my students represent, create and share knowledge with Flipgrid.


It takes some planning to use Flipgrid to promote meaningful collaboration, and I know I’ve already missed some opportunities this semester. I’m making a list of all the things I’d like to try the next time around. Still, Flipgrid has been a fun way to encourage my 100 students to work together, learn from each other and, perhaps most importantly, give each other encouragement and confidence.

49 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All
bottom of page