We always love it when we find tools that are versatile. We also love it when our favorite tools evolve into something bigger and better over time. We love it even more when those tools are free. Wakelet has quickly risen to the top of our favorite tools list at DLGWAEA and we are excited to share ideas of how to use it.
If you are new to Wakelet, imagine it as the ultimate digital bulletin board. If you have a core list of websites and resources that you share with your students, turn it into a Wakelet. Wakelets can be shared not only with students, but teams could contribute and share resources through a Wakelet as well. Wakelet not only allows you to collaboratively curate resources, but it also has Immersive Reader and the Flipgrid camera as built-in features. (For a step-by-step tutorial on how to get started, check out Microsoft Education’s 45 minute crash course!)
If you are new to Wakelet, imagine it as the ultimate digital bulletin board. If you have a core list of websites and resources that you share with your students, turn it into a Wakelet. Wakelets can be shared not only with students, but teams could contribute and share resources through a Wakelet as well. Wakelet not only allows you to collaboratively curate resources, but it also has Immersive Reader and the Flipgrid camera as built-in features. (For a step-by-step tutorial on how to get started, check out Microsoft Education’s 45 minute crash course!)
So how does Wakelet measure up for classroom use?
First of all, Wakelet, could be used simply as a digital library of vetted resources for students. Give students a headstart with online research by curating resources for them! Take it one step further by opening up the collaboration feature for students to continue to add resources. But you aren’t just limited to links. Add images, text, videos, Tweets, or anything from your Google Drive or OneDrive.
First of all, Wakelet, could be used simply as a digital library of vetted resources for students. Give students a headstart with online research by curating resources for them! Take it one step further by opening up the collaboration feature for students to continue to add resources. But you aren’t just limited to links. Add images, text, videos, Tweets, or anything from your Google Drive or OneDrive.
Take a 45 degree turn on this idea and consider it for student portfolios. Imagine all of a student’s work in one spot to share or reflect upon throughout the year. Wakelet is easily shareable to any audience through link, QR Code, or direct connection through some of your favorite places like Google Classroom, Remind, and more! Pro tip: Keep track of all your students’ portfolios by creating a ‘home’ Wakelet and adding student Wakelets into the home Wakelet to make them more easily accessible.
| Are you using playlists or checklists in your classroom? Wakelet is a great option for taking it digital! Add everything your students need right into the Wakelet! Don’t forget to add your own instructional videos using the Flipgrid camera. Directly from your Wakelet board, you can add a 3 minute video using all the features of Flipgrid, like annotating on the screen or adding pictures to the video. Talk about taking those playlists to the next level! | |
| | Wakelet’s icing on top is the inclusion of Microsoft’s Immersive Reader. This powerful little tool takes Wakelet to a whole new level. With the click of a button, students can have websites read aloud, translated, reading preferences applied, among other amazing tools. Although this feature is still in beta and isn’t perfect yet, it still is a game changer. To eliminate bugs, make sure to drill down to the actual website page you want to share. Homepages will not work with Immersive Reader. Immersive Reader also doesn’t work with other media such as PDFs or Tweets, but works great with any notes/text you add to the Wakelet board. Our team is so excited about this built-in accessibility for students and look forward to seeing it used in classrooms. |
But there’s always room for improvement, right? Here’s what we would like to see improve with Wakelet before we declare it the "Absolute Edtech Supreme":
Wakelet is a flexible tool that has endless possibilities for classroom use. From a digital library of resources to more powerful playlists, Wakelet might be the answer your classroom has been looking for and all for free! We would love to hear how you use Wakelet in your classroom! Leave your ideas in the comments or connect with @DLGWAEA on social media!
~Mindy Cairney (@TeamCairney) and Amber Bridge (@abridgesmith)
- Owner of the Wakelet should be able to edit and delete additions to their board, as needed
- Ability to open up device camera when adding an image to the board
- Ability to add audio directly from device microphone without a Flipgrid workaround
- Freedom to move posts and place them anywhere on the board (example: concept map)
- Option to add text descriptions to posts on the board
- Ability to embed a Wakelet that is set up with Mood Board formatting
Wakelet is a flexible tool that has endless possibilities for classroom use. From a digital library of resources to more powerful playlists, Wakelet might be the answer your classroom has been looking for and all for free! We would love to hear how you use Wakelet in your classroom! Leave your ideas in the comments or connect with @DLGWAEA on social media!
~Mindy Cairney (@TeamCairney) and Amber Bridge (@abridgesmith)
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