Welcome! Today, we’re diving into the world of digital portfolios and how they can transform the way we approach student assessments. Traditional paper portfolios often end up being either a chaotic pile of papers or overly complex documents that resemble corporate reports. Fortunately, digital tools like Seesaw and FreshGrade offer innovative solutions for creating and sharing student portfolios.
Digital portfolios are an excellent way to promote authentic assessment and project-based learning. They allow students to showcase their work using various media, whether it’s digital creations or records of offline projects. Both Seesaw and FreshGrade provide platforms that are accessible via the web or apps, enabling parents to stay informed about their child’s progress.
Seesaw stands out with its extensive features designed for digital portfolios. Students can easily join classes and document their work, making it user-friendly for younger learners. Teachers benefit from an intuitive setup process, including the use of QR codes for class registration. This platform offers significant control over content sharing, ensuring a secure and organized environment.
While FreshGrade may have fewer portfolio features compared to Seesaw, it compensates with a built-in grading platform. This integration provides a comprehensive view of student learning, combining grades with portfolio photos. FreshGrade’s design is particularly suited for older students, making it an ideal choice for classrooms from fifth grade and up.
Seesaw is available on iOS, Android, and the web, maintaining consistent features across all platforms. FreshGrade, on the other hand, is accessible on iOS and the web, but its grade book is only usable via the web. Both platforms are free for teachers, students, and parents, with options for school-wide or district-wide subscriptions. Seesaw offers archived portfolio access for a fee.
Seesaw’s sleek design and extensive options make it a great fit for elementary students, though it can also be adapted for older learners. Teachers have robust moderation controls, allowing for versatile classroom use. However, teachers will need to implement their own assessment methods.
FreshGrade’s combination of a digital portfolio tool and an integrated grade book is well-suited for older students, especially in Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) environments. Its design caters to a more mature audience, enhancing the learning experience.
Both Seesaw and FreshGrade offer valuable tools for educators looking to enhance student learning through digital portfolios. Seesaw is ideal for those seeking a comprehensive portfolio tool, while FreshGrade provides an all-in-one experience with its grading capabilities. Explore these platforms to find the best fit for your educational needs, and discover more about digital portfolio options and educational technology at Common Sense Education.
Explore both Seesaw and FreshGrade platforms. Create a sample digital portfolio using each tool. Document your experience, noting the ease of use, features, and any challenges you encounter. This will help you understand the practical applications and differences between the two platforms.
Create a comparison chart that highlights the key features of Seesaw and FreshGrade. Include aspects such as user interface, accessibility, grading integration, and media support. This will help you visualize the strengths and weaknesses of each tool, aiding in informed decision-making for educational settings.
Analyze a case study where either Seesaw or FreshGrade was implemented in a classroom setting. Discuss the outcomes, benefits, and any challenges faced by educators and students. This will provide insights into real-world applications and effectiveness of digital portfolios in education.
Engage in a role-playing exercise where you act as a teacher implementing digital portfolios using Seesaw or FreshGrade. Plan a lesson that incorporates the use of digital portfolios, and present it to your peers. This will enhance your understanding of how to integrate these tools into your teaching practice.
Pair up with a classmate to review each other’s digital portfolios created on Seesaw or FreshGrade. Provide constructive feedback on the organization, content, and presentation. This activity will help you develop critical evaluation skills and improve your portfolio creation techniques.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
—
Hi, I’m Jeff Knutson, and I’m here to change your life. How, you ask? Well, first of all, thanks for asking. That’s very polite of you. More importantly, I’m here to help you move beyond traditional paper portfolios. You know the ones—they’re either a disorganized collection of papers or overly elaborate, making you feel like you’re grading a corporate report.
Now, don’t get me wrong—here at Common Sense Graphite, we appreciate how portfolios and project-based learning promote authentic assessment. But there are some great digital tools available for this, right? Let’s take a look at two solid options: Seesaw and FreshGrade.
Both Seesaw and FreshGrade make it easy for students to create and share individualized digital portfolios of their work. Students can use various media to showcase their learning, and their work can be digital or a record of something they created offline. Both platforms are accessible on the web or as apps, and parents can join in to see what’s happening at school.
However, the similarities end there. Let’s explore what’s unique about each tool. Right off the bat, Seesaw has more features as a digital portfolio tool. Most students will find it easy to join a class and document their work. For teachers, setting up a class is intuitive, especially with the handy QR registration code, which is great for younger students.
Teachers also have significant control over who shares what and how it’s shared, which is really important. On the other hand, FreshGrade compensates for its fewer portfolio features with its built-in grading platform. FreshGrade’s integrated grade book is its biggest differentiator, and this combination of tools can really enhance authentic learning and assessment.
Student reports in FreshGrade show grades as well as photos from a portfolio, providing a more complete picture of a student’s learning. Even though FreshGrade’s portfolio tool isn’t as robust as Seesaw’s, it still offers solid functionality.
Of course, none of this matters without the right device or access. Seesaw is available on iOS, Android, and the web, with consistent features across all platforms. FreshGrade is currently available on iOS and the web, but teachers can only use the grade book from the web, not the app.
Pricing is straightforward. Both platforms are free for teachers, students, and parents, with options for school-wide or district-wide subscriptions at a cost. However, Seesaw offers students and parents access to archived portfolios for a fee.
Overall, with a sleek design and many options, Seesaw is great for elementary-aged kids, though it could also work for middle or high schoolers. Teachers have a lot of moderation control over student and parent comments, and it can be used in various classroom settings, but you’ll need your own means for assessment.
FreshGrade’s built-in grade book and digital portfolio tool make a nice combination, and its design is better suited for older students. It’s a good fit for roughly fifth grade and up and works well in any Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) classroom.
Remember, both apps are free—you can’t beat that! To recap, if you need a fully featured digital portfolio tool, Seesaw is your best bet. But if you’re looking for an all-in-one experience with digital portfolios and an integrated grade book, go with FreshGrade. To find out more about other great digital portfolio options and the best educational technology tools and lesson ideas, check out Common Sense Education.
—
This version maintains the core message while removing any informal or unnecessary elements.
Digital Portfolios – A collection of electronic evidence assembled and managed by a user, usually on the web, showcasing their learning journey, skills, and achievements. – In our digital learning course, students are encouraged to create digital portfolios to track their progress and reflect on their educational experiences.
Authentic Assessment – An evaluation process that involves real-world tasks and activities to demonstrate students’ ability to apply their knowledge and skills. – The authentic assessment in our online course required students to develop a marketing plan for a real company, integrating their theoretical knowledge with practical application.
Project-Based Learning – An instructional approach where students actively explore real-world problems and challenges to acquire deeper knowledge. – In the digital classroom, project-based learning allows students to collaborate on creating a sustainable energy solution, enhancing their critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Student Learning – The process through which students acquire knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values from educational experiences. – The integration of interactive simulations in the curriculum significantly enhanced student learning by providing hands-on experience with complex scientific concepts.
Grading Platform – An online system used by educators to manage, record, and analyze students’ academic performance and grades. – The new grading platform offers real-time feedback and analytics, helping instructors tailor their teaching strategies to improve student outcomes.
Device Compatibility – The ability of educational software or applications to function seamlessly across various digital devices and operating systems. – Ensuring device compatibility is crucial for digital learning tools to be accessible to all students, regardless of the technology they use.
Accessibility – The design of educational resources and technologies to be usable by people with a wide range of abilities and disabilities. – Our online course materials are developed with accessibility in mind, providing transcripts and captions for all video content to support diverse learners.
Classroom Use – The application and integration of digital tools and resources in a classroom setting to enhance teaching and learning experiences. – Tablets and interactive whiteboards have become essential for classroom use, enabling dynamic and engaging lessons.
Educational Needs – The specific requirements and conditions necessary to facilitate effective learning for students. – The adaptive learning platform customizes content to meet the educational needs of each student, ensuring personalized learning experiences.
Common Sense Education – An approach to teaching that emphasizes practical, real-world applications of knowledge and skills, often incorporating digital citizenship and media literacy. – The curriculum includes modules on common sense education, preparing students to navigate the digital world responsibly and effectively.
