More than just a whiteboard app-- Using Explain Everything to enhance instruction & support student learning

One of my favorite presentation apps for the classroom is Explain Everything (available for iOS, Google Play, Microsoft Store, and Chrome Web Store, $3.99). With a plethora of whiteboard apps on the market, the tools included in Explain Everything make this particular whiteboard app a powerful tool for enhancing instruction in the K-12 classroom... and more than worth the cost!

First off, some of the tools:
-Create new presentation from blank template or saved image
-Multiple width drawing tool
-Text tool
-Variety of writing colors
-Insert objects including images, videos, sounds
-Group & ungroup objects
-Record video and audio
-Pointer tool for presenting
-View audio/video timeline for editing of specific clips of audio or video
-Export slides/recording as image, video or pdf
-Save in Explain Everything app and/or export directly to camera roll, mail, iBooks, or other linked 3rd party apps (GDrive, Dropbox, Evernote, iTunes, YouTube)

So, what does the use of Explain Everything look like in the classroom? And how can you use Explain Everything to enhance instruction and improve student learning?

Teachers can improve instruction & support student learning by:

• Delivering direct instruction from tablets (combined with AppleTV or Chromecast) allowing the teacher to "untether" themselves from the front of the room and circulate to students while teaching

  

  Recording a lesson

• Recording lessons for students to access later (I like to record my direct instruction in the moment and then post the videos to my class website for students to access anytime they need reteaching or help on classwork/homework)
• Blending/flipping the class environment with teacher-created instructional videos (and being able to download videos means they can be uploaded to websites/blogs or burned to disc)
• Quickly sharing slides or videos to specific students in class by uploading into Google Drive
• Allowing students to record (using audio/sketches) their ideas before writing
• Having students take notes (while reading, during lectures) on multiple slides using text, audio, images, diagramming

Students can demonstrate their learning by:

Primary source analysis

• Solving math word problems and explaining their work using annotations and written/spoken explanations
• Creating models or animations to show their thinking in all subjects
• Creating their own story problems
• Recording videos or images of a science lab and then annotating and explaining observations and results
• Documenting real world examples of subjects being studied in class and then recording an explanation of the connection between learning and the artifact found (ie. recording the weather one day and explaining how it connects to learning in science, etc.)
• Creating teaching videos for their peers
• Turning written stories into digital stories and videos
• Importing primary source artifacts or art and recording their analysis
• Creating collages and murals to show what they know

Have more ideas for how to use Explain Everything in the classroom? Share them with us in the comments below!