Bring Your Word Wall to Life with Mote

 

Mote is a very simple, yet powerful tool that gives feedback a personal touch. Beyond feedback, Mote can be used to provide scaffolds for English learners and struggling readers. Over the years, using a word wall has been a popular strategy used in classrooms across the world. It's an easy way to display vocabulary for students to reference. It helps build an atmosphere and culture of learning in a classroom. 

A problem with word walls is in how they can be just ornamental. It takes a "commitment" to get students to actively use it as a resource. If you struggle to get kids to interact dynamically with the word wall, Mote is very useful. Mote allows you to record voice notes, all of which can be accessed via a QR code. When printing out your words for the word wall, add the QR code to each word. This allows students to use their devices to scan the QR code and have the word pronounced and read to them, in addition to providing additional verbal information or context.

Start by clicking the Mote extension, and in the dropdown menu, click Record a mote voice note button. Record yourself pronouncing the word, reading the definition and or providing additional information and context.

When you finish recording, it will appear under My recent motes, with the most recent being at the top. Next to each mote, you will see a share button. 

When you click the share button, you'll see three options pop up. One is to copy the link to the mote, another to embed the HTML code and the third will generate a QR code you can download.

Click Save to download the QR code.

After saving and downloading the QR code, use your favorite tool (Google Slides, PowerPoint, Google Docs, Microsoft Word, Google Drawings, Canva, etc.) to create a place card with the word for the word wall. After typing the word, leave space to upload the QR code.

With the word typed and QR code added, print out your place cards. For me, I would use Google Slides or PowerPoint to create a slide for each word. From there, you can print all the words at once on one file.

With your "Mote-ified" word wall set up, as part of your lesson plan, students can use their devices to scan the QR code to interact. This helps kids get out of their seats and possibly jump start some academic conversations while engaging with the vocabulary like never before. Combine this with Quizlet Live or Quizizz to add a level of gamification.

When it comes to Mote, word walls are just part of the tip of the iceberg. The possibilities are virtually endless with the ways you can use Mote to personalize learning and engage students. How have you used Mote beyond merely providing verbal feedback?

If you have any questions and would like a follow up, contact me via Gmail or Chat at ajuarez@techcoachjuarez.com. 

My book, The Complete EdTech Coach: An Organic Approach to Digital Learning, co-authored with my wife Katherine Goyette is now available on Amazon. Click here to purchase. It is published by Dave Burgess Publishing. Be sure to follow the hashtag #OrganicEdTech and #CVTechTalk for updates.

Engage With Your Students in the Google Classroom Stream

The Google Classroom Stream can easily get overlooked as most work is done within the Classwork tab. If you use the default settings, the Stream can be a very confusing place with assignment posts being included with class announcements. Not too long ago, I wrote a post showing you how to configure the Stream settings so only class announcements appear and assignment posts do not. 

The Stream is simple, versatile tool for engaging students. The most common use is for class announcements. As seen below, type your announcement in the box.

When you start an announcement, some basic stylistic tools appear. These tools include Bold, Italics, Underline, Bullets and Remove Formatting. If you have the Mote Chrome Extension, a Mote button will appear as an option for leaving voice messages as an announcement.  Like with an Assignment in the Classwork tab, you have buttons to share files from Drive or computer, add links or YouTube videos.

Besides announcements, the Stream can be used for kids to do an exit ticket. This way, there is no collecting of slips of paper that can be difficult to manage or read. It's quick, convenient, informal CFU.

Below is an example of what a Stream exit ticket could look like.

You could use the Stream to give kids a sneak preview or head start on an upcoming lesson. For kids who like to work ahead, I often post a link, days in advance, to a Quizlet Study Set with the vocabulary we will be using for an upcoming lesson. 

The same way the Stream can be used as an exit ticket, it can also be used as a bellringer. When used as a bellringer, I like to add the instruction "When you sit down" to give kids clarity.

Video announcements are another way to utilize the Stream. If you're a YouTuber and upload videos YouTube, you can easily add YouTube videos as an announcement. Many kids will respond or react to a video announcement more often than just text. The example below is from a day I was absent and I left a video message to let the kids know why I was out and what my expectations were. This is easily done with the Google Classroom mobile app.

With the mobile app, start an announcement and click the "paper clip" button at the top of the screen. In the menu that appears, as seen below, click Record video. This video will not be on YouTube, but saved in your Google Classroom folder in Google Drive. 

As mentioned earlier, if you've installed the Mote Chrome extension, a Mote button will appear as an option. Click it to leave a voice announcement or reminder.

Below is what it will look like after you've posted a Mote message as an announcement in the Stream.

Another way you can use the Stream is to send students reminders for upcoming assignment due dates. In Classwork, each assignment has its own link. Copy and paste the link in a Stream announcement. Kids will have one click, easy access to the assignment without having to search for it in the Classwork tab. 

Below is an example for a Spanish Class where students are reminded when their "Cinco al Dia" assignment is due. All they have to do is click the link for quick access to the assignment. When using the Stream to post links to assignments, this not something you can do one time for all classes as each assignment within in each Classroom has different links. You will have to repeat for each Classroom.

These are just a few of the ways I like to engage students with the Google Classroom Stream. In what ways do you engage students with the Stream? If you have any questions and would like a follow up, contact me via Gmail or Chat at ajuarez@techcoachjuarez.com. 

My book, The Complete EdTech Coach: An Organic Approach to Digital Learning, co-authored with my wife Katherine Goyette is now available on Amazon. Click here to purchase. It is published by Dave Burgess Publishing. Be sure to follow the hashtag #OrganicEdTech and #CVTechTalk for updates.

Mote is Now Available in Gmail

Just this morning, Mote released a cool new update that allows you to easily embed Mote voice notes into Gmail! The next time you click the Mote Chrome Extension, what you see below will appear. Click Yes to enable Mote in Gmail.

After enabling it in Gmail, do a quick refresh of your browser and start a new message in Gmail. You'll notice on the bottom toolbar a Mote button. 

When you click the button, it will immediately start recording so be ready to talk. Click the Mote logo in the pop up to stop recording. 

When you're done recording, what you see below is what it will look like in your message. If you're not satisfied with the recording, click the three dots in the top right corner of the recording and click Delete.

Below is what it looks like on the recipient's end. On a computer, the recipient will simply click the play button and hear the message. On a mobile device, when they click the Mote message, it will open in a mobile browser window where they can click play and listen.

Sometimes students and colleagues can get a better understanding of what you're trying to say via the spoken word rather than just text. How will you use Mote in Gmail? If you have any questions and would like a follow up, contact me via Gmail or Chat at ajuarez@techcoachjuarez.com. 

My book, The Complete EdTech Coach: An Organic Approach to Digital Learning, co-authored with my wife Katherine Goyette is now available on Amazon. Click here to purchase. It is published by Dave Burgess Publishing. Be sure to follow the hashtag #OrganicEdTech and #CVTechTalk for updates.

 

Start the Teacher/Student Feedback Loop with Mote and Google Classroom

Many educators, recently, have fallen in love with Mote and the ability it gives them to leave personalized, voice feedback to students. I have to say, I very much enjoy leaving voice feedback to students, but there are still many students who struggle accessing the feedback and acting upon it. The series of screenshots below demonstrates how to get started leaving feedback as the teacher and how students access the feedback to resubmit work.

Start by opening an assignment in Google Classroom and opening a student submission. This will open the Google Classroom Grading Tool.

In the Google Classroom Grading Tool, on the right side of the screen, you will see a space to enter Private comments. If you have the Mote extension added to Chrome, a Mote button will appear in the Private comments space. Click this button to begin recording your verbal feedback. The examples shown below are from a Thin Slides activity about Adolf Hitler.

After clicking the Mote button, recording begins almost instantly. You will see the 1:30 countdown start. Click done when finished recording. In this Thin Slides about Adolf Hitler example, I verbally explained to the student that their image was of Joseph Stalin and not Hitler. If I were to leave comments on their turned in document, I may also verbally remind them on Mote to look for those comments as well before resubmitting.

When the recording is finished, it will appear as the text below. Click Post when ready.

Often times, students do not respond to feedback. If you have students who struggle with this, share the following screenshots with them. Remind them that when a teacher leaves a Private comment in Google Classroom, they will receive an email. Be sure they have comments and notifications turned on in Google Classroom. In the email, they can click on the title of the assignment or click Reply to be taken right to the assignment. They can also click the Mote link to hear the feedback without having to go to Google Classroom.

After hearing the feedback from Mote, and possibly reading text comments left on the document, students click Resubmit to turn in the latest iteration of their work.

If you have any questions and would like a follow up, contact me via Gmail or Hangouts at ajuarez@techcoachjuarez.com.  My book, The Complete EdTech Coach: An Organic Approach to Digital Learning, co-authored with my wife Katherine Goyette is now available on Amazon. Click here to purchase. It is published by Dave Burgess Publishing. Be sure to follow the hashtag #OrganicEdTech and #CVTechTalk for updates.

 

Voice Instructions With Mote When You Make A Copy For Each Student

 

In a recent blog post (click here to read), I demonstrated a new update to the Mote Chrome extension. This update allows you to record voice notes with Mote and paste the link anywhere. Previously, Mote recordings could only be embedded in Google Classroom and other Google Workspace apps. 

Giving students verbal instructions is a very useful strategy. Students who struggle to read often better understand hearing the instructions read aloud by the teacher. This is a great scaffold for English learners. Using the Google Classroom platform, a common practice is to attach Slides or Docs and make a copy for each student.

Now that you can paste Mote recordings anywhere, you can create a template Slide or Doc with the Mote link pasted in. When you make a copy for each student in Google Classroom, the voice recording is instantly distributed to all students. Check out the example below.

If you have any questions and would like a follow up, contact me via Gmail or Hangouts at ajuarez@techcoachjuarez.com. 

My book, The Complete EdTech Coach: An Organic Approach to Digital Learning, co-authored with my wife Katherine Goyette is now available on Amazon. Click here to purchase. It is published by Dave Burgess Publishing. Be sure to follow the hashtag #OrganicEdTech and #CVTechTalk for updates.

Get "Moted" with Motepad

If you're anything like me, you probably love using the Mote Chrome extension to leave verbal feedback for students. Some students, English learners in particular, respond better to verbal feedback instead of merely text. 

Mote has been a great tool for leaving feedback. Until recently, Mote existed within Google Workspace (formerly GSuite) apps such as Docs, Slides, Classroom, etc. Now the Mote extension allows you to create verbal notes and feedback from any screen when you're using Chrome. Mote calls this Motepad. Check it out, in action, on this YouTube video.

Click the extension and in the dropdown menu, click Record a mote voice note. 

Immediately, you'll see the 1:30 countdown timer for you to start recording. 

Click done when you're finished and it will automatically copied to your clipboard. 

With your mote voice recording now on your clipboard, the possibilities of where you can paste it are endless. It can be placed into a Gmail message, a Chat response just to name a few. You can paste it anywhere you need to respond or reply on the internet.

If you have any questions and would like a follow up, contact me via Gmail or Hangouts at ajuarez@techcoachjuarez.com. 

Get Started Leaving Voice Comments with Mote

Feedback is essential to the learning process. Traditionally, feedback has been given verbally, face to face, or via text comments on a document (digital, handwritten). Mote is a Google Chrome Extension that combines both verbal and digital feedback. With Mote, you can leave voice comments on student work done with Google Docs, Slides, etc. It can be used in conjunction with Google Classroom as well. 

There is something powerful about hearing a teacher's voice, especially in a distance learning environment. Often times, with English learners, meaning can get misinterpreted when feedback is left via text. For these students, the meaning is more easily understandable when they hear inflection and tone from the teacher voice. 

Take a look at the screenshots below to learn how to get started using Mote for the first time. 

Step 1: At the Chrome Web Store, search for Mote. When you see Mote appear in the search results, click Add to Chrome.

Step 2: Once Mote is done being installed to your Chrome browser, click the "puzzle piece" extension manager. In the drop down menu, find Mote and pin it with the rest of your extensions. This will make it available on your browser.

Step 3: When you click Mote for the first time, you will have to verify your age.

Step 4: After verifying your age, check the acknowledgement box and sign in with Google. (first time only)

Step 5: The notification below will appear once you're done signing in. Be sure, on the next Doc or Slide you open, to refresh it once it's open. This will activate Mote so you can leave a voice comment.

Step 6: After opening and refreshing a Doc or Slide, insert a comment. When you do, you will see the Mote icon in the comment box. Click it to begin leaving a voice comment. 

Step 7: Recording starts almost instantly. When you're finished recording, click Done.

Step 8: The voice comment will take a few seconds to process and will look like this while processing.

Step 9: When finished processing, the voice comment will look like this on the teacher's end.

On the student end, the voice comment will look like this. All they have to do is click play to hear your comment.

If you have any questions and would like a follow up, contact me via Gmail or Hangouts at ajuarez@techcoachjuarez.com. If you would like to unsubscribe from this blog, go to bit.ly/tcjinbox.