Helpful apps
It's no surprise to any of us that technology is slowly taking over. "If we let it!" I hear some people cry. Whilst we cannot deny the genius elements of technology is sometimes wonderful, it often places great threat to jobs, communication and sometimes even education. From taking a recent post in a school that places a great emphasis on technology and its usefulness in schools, I have started to reflect on technology's place in education. I have done research on this topic that is widely debated from using technological devices (Ipads) in school to allowing mobile phone usage at break times. After much exploration and testing. I have discovered the following applications and websites that might be appropriate and helpful in several classes...
Quizlet
Quizlet is a great application for creating quizzes, flashcards and terminology/examination knowledge testers. Quizets made can be shared between members, creating a shared learning experience amongst a group of pupils. Once a quizlet has been created, it can be utilised in a variety of ways to ensure that the learning is consolidated through several different methods. What's better, it is completely free!
Kahoot!
Kahoot! is a fantastic app for quiz-making, drag and drop exercises and memorising key terminology. Its free membership allows you to create the three activities above and students can also access these features, creating their own resources to aid their learning. The best feature of Kahoot! is that several devices can be connected to a quiz, meaning that the whole class can play and learn together!
Black Box Education
Black Box Education is a website full of innovative, exciting and engaging resouces for both Drama and Dance studies. They offer both written and practical aids for learning, encouraging pupils to engage with the vibrant materials and learn something new. Resources are specifically geared towards units in the GCSE specifications including Live Theatre Reiew, Devising Drama and specific characterisation aids.
Shakespeare Learning Zone
MORE INFORMATION COMING SOON!
Facebook is a fantastic application for networking amongst teachers, professionals and academics. Each subject have large sharing groups that can be joined, in which people openly share resources, schemes of work and members discuss relevant topic areas. Click the link below to find Secondary Drama specific pages to join and become part of!
TES
TES offers a variety of services including news, jobs, resources, magazines, courses and forums. Its fantasic for up to date educational articles and discussions to be used for a teacher's continued proffessioanl development or to aid students' learning in the classroom. I have used TES to support my own research, and have used their resources to influence my own schemes of work.
Essential Drama
MORE INFORMATION COMING SOON!
The Stage
The Stage offers fantastic resources for both staff and students, with academic articles that create discussion and provoke us to analye the world of theatre. Articles centred around the industry can be suitably aimed at GCSE and A-Level students near to this point in their studies, whilst for lower years articles about theatre reviews and the positive of choosing Drama can be read. With a free membership you can only access a small number of articles a year, but regardless of this, these few can provide create stimuli for important conversations in the classroom.