In our newest blog series, Ed Tech Tools, we have been highlighting tools that help students cultivate and strengthen the 6 C's of 21st Century Education. These skills include:
• Critical thinking and problem solving
• Collaboration
• Creativity and innovation
• Compassion and character
• Community and citizenship
• Communication
It is nearly impossible to assist students in any area without data. In this article, we will discuss tips to use Mentimeter to create engaging presentations and receive real-time feedback.
What Can You Do With Mentimeter?
Mentimeter allows you to create live polls, quizzes, competitions, word clouds, Q&As, and many more interactive assessments to collect real-time data from students. Used in conjunction with resources from iCEV, students will have multiple opportunities to master the lesson content.
Three Ways You to Use Mentimeter Today
Jumpstart your lesson with a word cloud. Before you begin teaching content, know what students already know. Allow students to share everything they know about a subject before you being your lesson. For example, if you are teaching the cybersecurity lesson, students could have 3 entries, or ideas, to the collective word cloud. Review the word cloud with the class to share their collective thoughts. Point out that words that are largest were entered the most and highlight common thoughts for the class. Once the lesson has ended, you can return to the word cloud to allow students to discuss what they learned.
We have put together an example for you to try. What do you know about cybersecurity? Add your three thoughts here.
Add a little competition to your lessons with a quiz. The leaderboard adds a friendly competitive edge and fun to your classroom quiz assignment. Quiz competitions are a great way to review lesson vocabulary. Allow students to have a little fun as they test their knowledge with Mentimeter Quiz. First, you will enter your question along with all of the possible answers and select the correct answer. Make questions even more rigorous by adding more than one correct answer. Before students start, they are able to enter a nickname. Then, the question will appear, and students will need to answer before the countdown ends. If their answers are wrong, they will not receive any points. The leaderboard will update after each question, and you can choose to show it to the class to let them see who is in the lead. Click here to take our one-question quiz.
Used open-ended questions to allow students to summarize their learning. Students can respond in complete sentences or simply list terms and thoughts to let you know what they learned from the lesson. At the end of the lesson, ask students what they learned. Students can type complete sentences or share a list of ideas, terms, and their biggest takeaways from the lesson. Answers can be displayed in speech bubbles, one by one, or in a flowing grid. The example below shows a still image of the flowing grid. When students add their answers, the boxes move, or flow, up and down to make room for new responses. As students enter their responses, as a class, you can discuss what has been entered to review the concepts taught. Take our open-ended question for a spin. Add your answer here.
How To Get Started
1. Create a Mentimeter account at www.mentimeter.com
2. You can sign up using your Facebook profile, Google account, or email address.
3. Select "new presentation" to start creating.
4. On the right-hand side, select your presentation type.
5. Next, input the content, or what students will see in order to respond, or interact, with the lesson. You can also add images here if your presentation choice allows for images.
6. Click "present" to use the presentation during class.
7. Students will go to www.menti.com and type the code at the type of your screen to participate.
The short video below will also show you how to create your first presentation.
Are you looking for more ideas to use Mentimeter with your iCEV lessons?
Mentimeter has an inspiration area for teachers and students. Here you will find ready-to-use ideas you can easily incorporate into your iCEV lesson plans. Select "add to my presentation." Then, click "my presentations" to access the template and make any necessary changes before using it with students.
Mentimeter is a great tool to collect data and assess students. Using Mentimeter, teachers can engage students in real-time while assessing their understanding of the content.