Deep Dive into the use of the Interactive presentation software called "Mentimeter".

An Interactive Presentation Software - "Mentimeter" 

History/Background of Mentimeter/Menti.

Believe it or not, students love to be interactive in the classroom, however, sometimes they may be intimidated to do so because of the fear of being wrong. The Mentimeter app (now called Menti) created by Johnny Warstom, Niklas Ingvar, and Jon Mason was founded in Stockholm, Sweden, in 2012. The app made its first debut in 2014 and was established as an app that will enhance collaboration in the education sector, allowing students to answer questions anonymously. The creator found that traditional presentations often led to passive audiences and wanted to change that dynamic by allowing for real-time interactions between presenters and students. 

Photo by Mentimeter

How Menti is used? 

It enables presenters to create interactive presentations, polls, quizzes, word clouds, Q&A sessions, and more, which the students can participate in using their electronic devices. The responses are then displayed instantly on the presenter's screen, creating an engaging and interactive environment. 

Steps: 

• Create: The teacher creates their presentation with various question types like polls, quizzes, word clouds, open-ended questions, etc...  
• Share: Menti will automatically generate a code, which the teacher will send to the students to access the presentation. 
• Engage: The students will anonymously vote, answer questions, and contribute in real-time, fostering discussion and interaction. 
• Analyze: The teacher will view the results, download data reports, and gain insights into the students' thoughts and perspectives. 

The following links provide detailed information on how to use Mentimeter: 

1. How to use
2. Creating your first Mentimeter presentation
3. Adding polls and questions

The perspective of learning that Mentimeter utilizes. 

The perspective of learning that Mentimeter utilizes is both the Behaviorism and Cognitivism perspectives. Behaviorism is incorporated when teachers directly impart knowledge to students through active class participation. In the cognitivist approach, students are asked to answer questions anonymously and the teacher can then review the answers and make notes on how to better convey the concept based on the percentage of incorrect responses. This method allows for targeted instruction and feedback to improve student understanding.

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Have you ever used the Mentimeter app? 

Do you think that it is a tool that enhances class participation?

 Current Use of Technology in Classrooms 

Technology has always been used in classrooms to help bridge the gap between students and teachers. Over the years, the evolution of Technology has served as a catalyst for innovation, and the transforming of traditional classrooms into hubs of interactive learning experiences.  

Do you remember the days of dusty chalkboards, monotonous lectures, and textbook-heavy learning experiences? 

Well, this concept has been strategically improved to offer a vibrant landscape of engaging tools for both the students and the teachers. Jamaica, like any other Caribbean country, has utilized/implemented the use of technology in schools to allow students.

Five Uses of Technology in Classrooms

1. Interactive boards – Gone are the days of static displays, dusty chalkboards, and whiteboards as today’s society calls for the use of interactive boards. Interactive boards empower educators to create immersive learning environments, where students actively engage with digital content through touch-sensitive interfaces. In layman's terms “bring the lesson to life.
2. Audiovisual Presentations – Resource allocations have always been one of the main deterrents to innovation and as such, countries like Jamaica utilize technologies that they are privy to. This means that they utilize a cheap cost-effective multimedia platform that captivates students' interest using animation, images, and videos. Audiovisual presentations facilitate dynamic storytelling, enabling educators to craft compelling narratives that resonate with diverse learning styles.

   

   Photo by jobs.ac.uk

   
   
3. Remote Learning – The pandemic in 2019, forced all of humanity into hiding and as such to continue the learning process through video conferencing platforms like Zoom and Google Meet. This is still in effect as the government of Jamaica (Ministry of Education) has approved hybrid classes as it allows educators to facilitate real-time interactions, lectures, and collaborative activities regardless of physical proximity.
4. Artificial Intelligence – AI has many uses as it can analyze vast amounts of data on student performance and learning styles. At the UWI, lectures use AI to compute climate change data as well as to analyze if a student's work was from an AI. 

   

   Photo by Vision Launch Media

5. Social Media – Imagine explaining photosynthesis using a catchy TikTok video or the French Revolution via Instagram stories. Platforms like these are becoming powerful tools for educators to explain complex concepts concisely and engagingly.

Click the following link to get a more in-depth understanding of the current use of Technology in Education: Click Here

Share your comments!!!!! 

Have you seen any of these technologies being implemented in your school? 

What other strategies can teachers use to create a more inclusive teaching and learning environment? 

The Evolving Educational Landscape: A Five (5) Year Technological Journey

After the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019, the landscape of education underwent a dramatic shift, with technology emerging as a cornerstone. Technology was once perceived as mere “gadgets, devices, and instrument machines” but has now been transformed into tools integral to enhancing teaching, learning, and assessment processes.

An overview of the advancements of technology in Education is explained here. 

Technology in Teaching and Learning

Over the past five years, classrooms have transitioned from archaic/antiquated teaching methods to technologically enriched environments. Gone are the days of hornbooks (a way of tutoring where instructions have been placed on wooden boards); instead, interactive whiteboards, personal devices, digital textbooks (eBooks), and collaborative cloud-based tools have taken center stage. 

I believe three (3) concepts prove technological evolution: remote learning, adaptive learning, and artificial intelligence (AI). With the development of computers and the internet, remote learning – facilitated by video conferencing tools like Zoom and Blackboard, has blurred the lines between physical and virtual classrooms, enabling seamless collaboration and participation in the classroom. 

Photo showing students participating in Video conferencing by Deborah Testerman

AI Chatbots by Greater Learning

Concurrent with remote learning, teachers use adaptive learning methods to tailor learning experiences to meet the individual needs of each student. Additionally, the introduction of AI, exemplified by tools like ChatGPT/AI chatbots, aids both educators and learners in research and concept clarification.

Technology in Assessment

Assessment methodologies have also witnessed a paradigm shift, with traditional paper-and-pencil tests making way for e-marking/on-screen platforms and digital tools to streamline the evaluation process. Furthermore, the advent of virtual reality systems has revolutionized assessment by immersing students in real-world scenarios/simulations, enhancing conceptual understanding and appreciation that would have been impractical or impossible in the traditional classroom. These systems also enable adaptive testing, meaning that tutors can adjust assessments based on individual student performance, providing for more accurate evaluations.

 

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Improvements in technology have both positive and negative implications, what are some negative implications of the advancement of technology in Education?