Enhancing blended teaching with Genially: a wonderful journey

In the ever-evolving landscape of education, the blend of traditional teaching methods with digital tools has become not just advantageous but often necessary. This week in Tilly's class we got to experience how to use "Genially" to prepare for and create classroom projects. Tilly divided us up into groups and our group was in charge of the topic: how to make pancakes. Our group decided to use this topic to teach our students how to write a flow chart in English. After writing our lesson plan, we started to prepare our lesson. My group members and I agreed that we needed to make a mind map of the process of making pancakes, which would help the students see the teacher's ideas clearly and understand how to write each step better. Besides, the mind map would also be useful for the students in the pre-study and post-study phases of the lesson. When Michelle and I were making the mind maps, we found that the good thing about "Genially" is that there are a lot of templates for us to choose from, but the bad thing is that the fonts are really small, and we have to be very close to the computer screen in order to see the words on them. On top of that, due to the internet, many of the features on it would lag when we were operating it. So Michelle and I were pretty cranky during the mind-mapping process, which is still a fun experience to think about now. 

Here is the link for our design: 

https://view.genial.ly/65d8acce507fa8001334e5d6/interactive-content-brain-mindmap

https://view.genial.ly/65d8aa6cbc59e40014319a44/interactive-content-how-to-make-pancakes

As an educator navigating the complexities of blended teaching, I embarked on a journey to explore how Genially could enhance the learning experience for my students. Here, I share my experiences, insights, and tips on incorporating Genially into blended teaching practices.

"Genially" is a versatile online platform that allows users to create interactive, visually appealing presentations, infographics, interactive images, etc. Its user-friendly interface and rich set of templates make it an attractive option for teachers who want to engage their students in new and exciting ways.

Setting the Stage: Preparing for Blended Learning

Before diving into the world of "Genially," it's necessary to establish a solid foundation for blended learning. This involves identifying learning objectives, selecting appropriate content, and determining how technology can enhance the learning experience. With these elements in place, Genially can serve as a powerful tool to bring lessons to life. Here are some choices for teachers to choose:

Bringing Lessons to Life: Creating Interactive Content

One of the key features of Genially is its ability to create interactive content that goes beyond traditional slideshows. With Genially, educators can incorporate videos, audio clips, quizzes, and animations into their presentations, allowing for a more engaging and immersive learning experience. For example, I used Genially to create interactive timelines that allowed students to explore historical events at their own pace, as well as interactive infographics that visually represented complex concepts.

Some benefits of using "Genially":

1. Engaging students in active learning: "Genially" offers several features that facilitate collaboration among students, such as collaborative presentations and interactive games. I found that these collaborative activities not only encouraged teamwork but also helped students develop important communication and problem-solving skills.

Assessing understanding: using "Genially" for Formative Assessment

2. Assessing student understanding is an essential aspect of teaching, and "Genially" provides several tools to support formative assessment. From interactive quizzes to exit tickets, Genially allows educators to gauge student comprehension in real-time and adjust instruction accordingly. 

While Genially offers a wide range of features, integrating it into blended teaching practices may come with some challenges. From mastering the platform's tools to ensuring accessibility for all students, there is a learning curve associated with using "Genially" effectively. 

While Genially offers many benefits for educators, there are some shortcomings or limitations to consider:

1. Learning problems: the interface of "Genially's", although user-friendly, remains challenging to learn for teachers who are not familiar with the platform. It may take some time for teachers to become proficient in using all of Genially's features effectively.

2. Limited customization features: While "Genially" provides a variety of templates and design options, some users may find the customization options somewhat limited compared to other design tools. This could be a drawback for teachers who require highly customized content for their lessons. Here's an example of the video created by my classmates using "Simpleshow"

3. Offline access: "Genially" is primarily a web-based platform, which means that users need to be connected to the internet in order to access and create content. This could be a limitation for teachers working in areas with unreliable internet access or for students who do not have consistent access to the internet outside of school.

4. Technical issues: Like any online platform, "Genially" may from time to time experience technical issues such as server failures or software errors. These issues could disrupt teaching and learning activities if they occur during a lesson or assignment.

While these shortcomings should be considered, they do not negate the many benefits that Genially can offer educators in enhancing the blended teaching experience. With careful planning and consideration, educators can leverage Genially's strengths while mitigating its limitations.

In conclusion, "Genially" has the potential to transform the way educators approach blended teaching. By creating interactive and visually appealing content, fostering collaboration among students, and supporting formative assessment, Genially can enhance the learning experience for students and educators alike. While there may be challenges along the way, the dynamic possibilities of "Genially" make it a valuable tool for any teacher looking to innovate in the classroom.