Portfolios, Digital Media, and Student Assessment with @Seesaw and @AdobeExpress #AdobeEduCreative

One of the things that is always tough, is getting a clear picture of what a student has actually learned. The days of just throwing a multiple choice test to gauge learning are past. While some students are able to use those forms of assessments to showcase their learning, others do not perform well with those mediums and others know enough to game the system. At the end of the day, those assessments do not show enough of what a student knows. I've really leaned into portfolios as a way for students to showcase their work and truly demonstrate what they have learned. By adding the use of Adobe Express to the use of Seesaw, I have created a workflow that has students completing projects and then creating media to showcase their projects and then posting it all on Seesaw for me to assess and for their parents to see as well. Here is an example of the workflow I mentioned. 

Step 1: Seesaw

We use Seesaw as our LMS in the Middle and Elementary School. Every students has their Seesaw account and teachers create their class for students to join. From there, a teacher posts an Activity that outlines what the assignment is going to be. You can set a due date, add images, videos, templates, etc. to help break down the Activity is a way that helps students understand the assignment and how to complete it. Here is an example, 

I break down the different parts of the assignment and then I make sure to be very clear on what that project needs to have at the end. This really helps all students, but particularly neurodivergent students who can get lost in the text at times. 

Once the students have completed the assignment, they post it to Seesaw and it will appear like the image below. 

I can like the post to let the student know I have seen it and I can leave a comment. I leave a short comment here and then we would have a 1:1 conversation to reflect on their work. It does take time, but that feedback on their work is so helpful when they tackle the next project. With the correct settings in place, parents could like and comment on the video as well. With even more settings turned on, students from the class can see other student work as well. Since I use this as a 1:1 student/teacher portfolio, I leave this off so I can freely comment on student work without other students seeing what I have written about the project. 

Here is the video if you are itching to watch it,

The reason I am excited to showcase this on my website is the addition of Adobe Express and all of the upgrades that have taken place over the past few months. Generative AI features and Animate from Audio are just a couple of the reasons that Adobe Express has increased the level and quality of student work this year. I have students that are normally shy using the Animate from Audio feature to give a voice to their work through silly animated creatures. Parents have told me how much the of Express has given a creative outlet for their children in a way that used to be stifled because they did not feel they were "good enough" at art or design. Adobe Express is giving these students a chance to showcase what they have learned if fun and creative ways that make a different to how they feel about what they have created. With that, student engagement is higher and I am able to better assess what students do and do not understand. 

I understand that many schools use different LMS platforms for their classes and maybe they use other design software as well. The principles are still the same. By giving students a better way to make meaning and demonstrate understanding along with a system to aggregate their learning, educators can get a better sense of what learning looks like for that student. Over time, an entire portfolio of projects, writing, presentations, etc, can be collected and showcase the type of growth that can be hard to see month to month, but jumps out at everyone when we pull back and see that growth over a greater period of time.

Seesaw and Adobe Express works for me and many other teachers in my school and across the country. At a minimum, I hope you will consider how a portfolio approach to student assessment that includes media creation could support all of the diverse learners in your classroom and school. 

Hugs and High Fives, 

NP  

Digital Portfolios and Presentations with @AdobeExpress #AdobeEduCreative @RebeccaLouHare

As we gear up for another exciting school year, it's time to dive headfirst into new strategies and tools that will make our classrooms even more epic. Today, I want to talk about something that will not only showcase your students' work, but also take their creativity to new heights. Enter Adobe Express, the secret weapon for digital portfolios and presentations that will leave you and your students in awe! 

Before rolling this out with your students, it is important to check out for yourself. It is free for everyone and uses single sign in with Google as well. You might already have access if your school has an Adobe account. Talk to your IT team to see if they can get you set up. Here three quick lessons across the grades and content areas that can change up your classroom. 

Slideshows that Wow, Grades 3-5

Imagine your students beaming with pride as they showcase their hard work using engaging slideshows. With Adobe Express, creating stunning presentations becomes a breeze. Its intuitive interface and powerful features allow even our youngest learners to craft eye-catching slideshows that are bound to impress.

Encourage students to explore the different themes and layouts available in Adobe Express. From colorful and playful to sleek and professional, there's something to match every project and personality. The photo grid feature lets them beautifully arrange and showcase their work, while text overlays provide the perfect opportunity for self-reflection and project summaries.

Students could even explore the website design feature and create own year long portfolio that showcases their work. Being able to take images, create posters, and store them in a digital space that can be shared with family is a wonderful tool to have access to in the classroom. 

Data-driven Insights, Grades 6-8

Middle school is a prime time for students to explore the power of data analysis and visualization. With Adobe Express, students can transform dry data sets into engaging presentations that bring numbers to life. 

Encourage students to use Adobe Express to create interactive infographics and visualizations. They can import data from various sources, such as surveys or experiments, and use the software's tools to create charts, graphs, and custom data representations. Encourage them to think critically about the story behind the numbers and present their insights in an informative and visually compelling way.

I think it is always important to try and present traditional content in different ways. There are many neurodivergent students that do not "see" data the same way as their peers. Use multimedia to help showcase their understanding of math concepts is a great way to differentiate for the classroom. 

Showcasing Mastery in High School, Grades 9-12

In high school, it's all about showcasing mastery and preparing for the next chapter. Digital portfolios become an essential tool for students to present their accomplishments and aspirations to colleges, potential employers, and even themselves.

With Adobe Express, students can create professional-looking portfolios that truly stand out. The software's advanced features, such as customizable slideshows, animated transitions, and embedded multimedia elements, allow students to craft impactful presentations that demonstrate their skills and achievements effectively. Whether they're showcasing their STEM projects, literary analyses, or entrepreneurial ventures, Adobe Express offers the tools they need to make a lasting impression.

Over the course of a single semester, it would be wonderful for students to be able to share the story of their growth through visual media. Being able to tell the story of their learning is something that I think students need more experience doing. The narrative is key in showcasing what they know, who they were, and who they have become on their learning journey. 

Remember, trying something new might seem daunting at first, but the rewards are well worth it. Embrace the power of Adobe Express, and watch your students' work come alive in ways you never thought possible. Get ready for a year full of creativity, growth, and jaw-dropping presentations that will make your classroom the talk of the school!

Hugs and high fives, 

NP

- Art generated by Adobe Firefly

Portfolios and Family Conferences #EdChat

One of the things that I have done to focus more on student work than on grades is the implementation of a portfolio system. This is a not a new idea I came up with, but something that has been done in many places and I wanted to share how I do it and why it is wonderfully helpful when it comes to conferences. 

Process

One of the things that I do is leverage Adobe Express for most of my student projects. When a student creates something physical or digital, I have them create something in Express to showcase the work. Sometimes it is an advertisement for the item they have created or a feature image that highlights parts of their work. I do this because I want student to have experience creating with digital tools on a regular basis. Here are some examples of student work after they designed and made their own clocks. 

Pokemon Clock

Dancer Clock

Once students have created their digital artifact, they share them to Seesaw. Seesaw is a wonderful tool that allows students to showcase their work in an organized fashion under the specific assignment. I just have to click on the clock assignment and I can see all the clock ads the students have submitted. I can also click on the student and see all of their submissions for all of the assignments. This is why it is so helpful for conferences. 

Family Conferences 

Family conference time can be stressful for teachers. Trying to remember all of the work the student has done since the start of the year can be tough. A portfolio allows the teacher and the family to see artifacts of student learning and can help refresh the teacher's memory. A digital portfolio, that families can access all year round, are helpful when sitting down for conferences. I love being able to pull up a specific project and share it with the parents if they have not seen it. Showcasing the physical and digital work gives the family a better understanding of what has been happening in class. If there are some blanks in the portfolio, those will be noticeable and that can help the conversations as well. 

Saving other things in Seesaw for the portfolio is possible as well! Math teachers will often have students record themselves solving problems as they explain the steps to get the correct answer. ELA teachers have student post their writing and, over time, families can see their growth from the start of the year. Portfolios are ultimately about showcasing growth over time. Family Conferences are about checking in with families to share how students are doing. Having a portfolio that has all of the work completed up to that point in one spot saves the teacher time and energy. 

Whether you use a folder or a digital tool like Seesaw, I highly recommend using a portfolio system for organizing student work to make conference seasons much easier and more informative for everyone. 

Let me know if you have other tips for conferences. 

NP

Visualizing Growth with @Seesaw and @AdobeSpark #PBL #AdobeEduCreative

One of the things that I have advocated for when talking to people about Project Based Learning is the need to reconsider how we assess growth. As an ELA teacher, one of the most common practices was the manila folder where students would keep their assessed writing. The idea was that they could go back and see how they have grown from one essay to the next. Another traditional format is asking students to keep a binder of everything they have done in class and hope their water bottle doesn't explode in their bag or lose it completely. 

Those are traditional examples of portfolios that many of us have used for years, but maybe never actually called a portfolio. As I shifted more to project based learning and created my design classes for 6th-8th grade, I needed a way to assess student work that also allowed them to hold on to it and see their own growth over time. Adobe Spark and Seesaw have been two apps that have really helped me accomplish both of those objectives. 

As a school, we use Seesaw as out main portfolio tool in the Middle School. I like it so much, that I also use it with my high school Mechanical Engineering class. It allows for teachers to create classes, create activities in those classes, and it allows for students to post their work to those activities to demonstrate their understanding of the material covered in the activity. What is really nice about Seesaw is that is allows for video uploads, image uploads, and recorded annotation. Students can spend multiple classes creating a project and then upload images of their work to the Seesaw with a provided narration that explains what they did and how that demonstrates their understanding. I have found that by adding Adobe Spark to the mix, you can take the portfolio to the next level. 

Adobe Spark is free to all students and allows for the creation of images, slideshows, and websites. All of it is hosted and stored on their account. They can download their content and use it as needed. What I love about Adobe Spark is that it gives students access to amazing creation tools that have normally been reserved for art departments or design departments. I have students that love to use Adobe Spark to create different templates and styles to showcase their work and then they upload it to Seesaw. Some have used websites to store all of their work as they progress through the trimester and share the link on Seesaw. Adobe Spark adds an element of versatility to the use of portfolios in the classroom. 

Due to privacy issues, I cannot share any of the work that students have created with all of you, but here is some of the work I have done using Adobe Spark to give you a sense of what it looks like. This is template I created in Adobe Spark that students could use if they wanted to showcase their work at the end of the marking period. You can make your own copy of this template by following this link to my library of templates. 

What I think is most important is helping students understand the value of looking at growth over time. Where have they started and where are they now. It is so important to remind students that everyone is on their own learning journey and are at different points than their peers. Having a portfolio that allows students to truly see their growth is a wonderful way to keep the hopes up for those students who might feel like they are not where they should be in class. Using Seesaw and Adobe Spark has really allowed for some great conversations with students about growth. I will continue to be an advocate for project based learning in the classroom because I have seen how it impacts student learning. Seesaw and Adobe Spark are just more resources that showcase how important PBL can be. 

If you have any questions about Seesaw, Adobe Spark, or Project Based Learning, please reach out on my social channels. 

Hugs and High Fives, 

NP

I am an ACE Rewards Program member with Adobe.