Guest post from Mote Ambassador Leader - Alex Isaacs, EdTech Specialist in the Long Branch Public Schools District.
In today’s world of education, it is of great importance to create learning opportunities for our students that are meaningful and memorable while leading them to make connections between what they learn and the real world. Sometimes, it can be daunting to develop new ideas that include these qualities and address engaging learners in the four Cs of creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, and communication. All of the above requires a multi-faceted approach, awareness of individuals and their cultures, plus leveraging technology in new and innovative ways. So that begs the question: How do we best meet the needs and skills of our diverse learners while leading them toward becoming proficient in 21st-century learning skills? In my years as a STEM and mathematics teacher, appsmashing different educational technology tools became a resounding answer!
What is Appsmashing?
Appsmashing is a process that can help us offer more meaningful learning opportunities to our students. It combines at least two edtech platforms or tools while maximizing the benefits they provide users. Many educational websites have offered new options to integrate their apps seamlessly into others in recent years. These advancements in technology open up even more creative opportunities for our students and should help teachers implement more accessible, fun, and engaging lessons and activities.
Some of my most memorable moments as a teacher include the fantastic student responses to project-based learning opportunities where multiple applications are combined. One of my favorite platforms to appsmash remains Mote because of its versatility and ability to integrate into other apps, plus every website on the Internet with Sticky Motes! I started embedding mote players into Google Slides presentations and have now found ways to integrate Mote with Edpuzzle, Autocrat, and many more of our favorite edtech tools! In this blog post, I’ll share how to leverage Mote while combining it with other popular edtech platforms and apps, including Wakelet, Adobe Express, and Canva.
Mote + Wakelet
This platform combination is possibly my favorite appsmash of them all! I still remember when Wakelet posted a video on socials sharing its newest integration with Mote just over a year ago. Wakelet is a powerful content curation platform that allows users to create and share aesthetically pleasing collections of digital materials. Users can enhance their collections with Mote-integrated embed players (that look gorgeous) by simply pasting a mote link into the “add web address” bar. Anyone who views a collection with Mote players can listen to the recorded audio messages without leaving the page. Many of my Wakelet collections are filled with mote messages, either offering directions, explaining the purpose of the curated digital materials, or sharing more about me. Integrating Mote with Wakelet not only enhances the accessibility of my content for multilingual learners and their families, but it also offers new creative opportunities while planning activities and curating engaging student audio responses. Click here to check out one of my former students’ Wakelet collections, where they recorded mote messages to offer more in-depth explanations and provide information about themselves.
Elizabeth’s All About Me Mote + Wakelet Collection
Mote + Adobe Express
Another of my favorite appsmashes is integrating Mote and Adobe Express! One of Mote’s best features is its ability to export audio messages in multiple forms, including QR codes. These help provide context to graphics and other designs created with Adobe Express and make printed materials “live” with voice. With this powerful combination of apps, users create even more compelling content with QR audio motes, providing personalized explanations for viewers and listeners. To celebrate November last year, I made a Gratitude Graphic template with two audio QR codes - one to offer audio instructions and the other to provide a more meaningful explanation of the three things I was most grateful for. With the transition to the new Adobe Express, I look forward to creating new templates (once this feature is live) incorporating QR audio mote integrations. Consider how Mote and Adobe Express could benefit your learners by immersing them in more meaningful SEL-themed projects.
Mote + Adobe Express Gratitude Graphic
Mote + Canva
The final appsmash I want to recognize involves Mote and Canva. Like Wakelet, mote message links create an audio player in Canva, displaying a transcription with translation and playback speed options. Embedding audio messages on Canva is as simple as pasting the copied mote link into your desired location. Depending on your settings, a purple or white audio player will pop in for you to resize and add to your design. I used Mote with Canva to offer more detailed and accessible explanations in slide decks while providing personalized feedback to my students on their math projects. Click here to remix this Mote and Canva template, where students select one of the five digital citizenship pillars to focus on to become an expert. I completed this with my friend and former colleague Ashley Navalany and Lois Alston, my partner, for Digital Citizenship Week last year!
Canva Digital Citizenship Template with Mote Player Embed
Appsmashing is a powerful strategy that helps create engaging and meaningful student learning experiences. By combining different educational tech tools, teachers can offer activities that are more personalized, interactive, and accessible. As an EdTech Specialist and former educator, I've witnessed firsthand the profound impact of appsmashing, with Mote standing out as a versatile and invaluable platform! Combining it with the apps I shared in this post empowers individuals to connect to content on a deeper level and develop essential skills for an increasingly digitally driven future. Make Mote a part of your appsmashing repertoire today, and combine it with your favorite tech tools, allowing learners to share their voices in a more impactful way!
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