During this uncertain time, we need to turn to online educational tools that offer us versatility, ease of use, and accessibility for all students. Buncee fits the bill! This tool might be just what teachers need given the recent transition of learning to online platforms. Buncee is offering free classroom accounts to schools and teachers who are turning to distance learning due to COVID-19. You can learn more about how Buncee supports remote learning here.
Buncee is a tool that works double duty. As a teacher, you can use it to create and share content, and engage students in learning. Buncee can be used across a variety of teaching methods – large group, small group, and station rotations. In addition, students can use Buncee to show what they know in a unique way. We can use Buncee to reach students by incorporating audio, text, links, animations, and images. And it is a tool that you can implement across the grade levels and subject areas.
Students can create and share their learning together through Buncee, despite the distance we’re all experiencing. The list below features lesson/activity ideas for both teachers AND students:
- Review vocabulary and definitions
- Create a newsletter to send to your students
- Create a digital book report
- For our friends going “gradeless”, students can create portfolio assessments
- Create graphic organizers for students
- Share research on a person or topic
One of our favorite features of Buncee is that they have partnered with Microsoft to incorporate Immersive Reader, an amazing accessibility tool. Immersive Reader takes the text you create in Buncee and reads it aloud to the student. The student can also adjust the text preferences to suit their needs, with options to make the font larger, increase spacing between lines of text and characters, and adjust the contrast of the background to the text on the page, to name a few.
Immersive Reader also allows students to focus in on each line at a time as it highlights and reads the text aloud. In addition, if that isn’t enough – Immersive Reader can translate both individual words and the entire text! And did we mention that this is comes standard with Buncee? To learn more about how Immersive Reader and Buncee work together, check out this Buncee. Teachers should be encouraged to take advantage of accessible tools like Buncee during these times to create a positive and engaging learning environment online for all students!
About Dr. Samantha Fecich
Hi, I’m Dr. Sam Fecich and I am here to tell you that teaching doesn’t begin when you walk across the stage at graduation, but instead teaching begins during your first college class at 8:00 AM. I have been a professor of education for over 6 years. Each week I give you tangible tips, strategies, and encouragement to guide you along your teaching journey. I’m the author of Edumagic: A Guide for Preservice Teachers, co-author of Edumagic, Shine On: A Guide for New Teachers, and host of the Edumagic Podcast. Let’s connect over on Twitter or Instagram @SFecich.
About Jordyn Pistilli
Ms. Jordyn Pistilli is a soon-to-be graduate of Grove City College where she is majoring in History & Social Studies Secondary Education. Jordyn is passionate about bringing history to life through technology and making learning accessible for all students. She is from Northern Virginia and in her free time, Jordyn likes watching Marvel movies! Connect with Jordyn on Twitter @jordyn_pistilli!
