Have you thought about using Flipgrid to teach? Whether teaching remotely, in a classroom, or with a flipped classroom, it is an AMAZING educational tool. When introducing any new form of technology in the classroom, it can be scary and overwhelming. So, I’m going to break down everything you need to know for getting started with Flipgrid. In this post, you’ll find Flipgrid tutorials and instructions that show how to:
- set up Flipgrid
- share your grid with students
- create a topic (assignment)
- allow students to respond to your topic
By following each step in this post, you’ll be creating assignments in Flipgrid in no time! And, if you’re looking for even more tips and resources for using technology to teach, be sure to download my free guide all about using technology in the classroom the right way.
Setting Up Flipgrid
When getting started with Flipgrid, the first thing you have
to do is set up your grid. Setting up your grid is Flipgrid terminology for
setting up your class. You can create as many grids as needed. If you want to
create a grid for each subject you teach, you can easily do that. Also, if you
are departmentalized, you can create grids for each of your classes.
In the following Flipgrid tutorial, I’ll walk you step-by-step
through:
- the settings for a grid (1:07)
- an additional security feature to protect your
grid (2:10) - how to customize your grid (3:42)
- how to give other teachers access to your grid (5:57)
Sharing Flipgrid with Students
You just spent time setting up your grid and customizing it
so that it will catch students’ attention. The second step when you’re getting
started with Fipgrid is sharing the grid with your students. Students need to
be able to access the grid so that they can view your assignments and submit
their responses.
Sharing your grid with students only takes a few seconds. There
are two main ways to share. I’ll walk you through both options in the following
Flipgrid tutorial.
- Option 1 (0:49)
- Option 2 (1:37)
Creating a Flipgrid Topic
This is where things start to get fun! After you’ve created
a grid and shared it with your class, the next step is creating your first
topic. You may have noticed that Flipgrid has its own terminology. “Create a
topic” means the same thing as “create an assignment.” Keep in mind that
students will respond to the assignment by creating a video. So, be sure to
create a topic that will allow students to respond in a fun way using that form
of media.
It may seem like there are a lot of steps involved when it
comes to creating your topic. But, it gets much easier and faster with
practice. After you’ve created one topic, creating more topics will be simple.
In this Flipgrid tutorial, I’ll walk you step-by-step through the process of
creating your first topic. I’ll show you:
- how to add Youtube videos and other media to
your topic (2:03) - how to record a video of yourself and use video
features (2:18) - additional options and features for a topic
(4:09)
Creating Student Responses in Flipgrid
The final step when getting started with Flipgrid is for students to upload their responses. One of the reasons why students love Flipgrid is because they can upload video responses similar to the way they upload videos to social media sites. They will record a short video of themselves answering the prompt or completing the assignment you posted. Then, they can add stickers, text, and other fun elements to their video responses. I encourage students to be creative, but always remind them that it is most important that they show their understanding of the assignment in a meaningful way.
In this final Flipgrid tutorial, I’ll show you how students
can respond to a topic. You can share this video with your class or use the
information to model how assignments should be completed.
Conclusion
Of all the technological tools I have used to teach, getting started with Flipgrid has been the easiest. It is also one of the most secure and is among my students’ favorite resources. No matter what grade level or subject you teach, I think you’ll find Flipgrid to be one of the simplest and most fun tools for both you and your students!
If you are looking for more ways to integrate technology into your classroom, check out my free guide all about using technology to teach. You can also find more information about digital classroom tools such as Zoom, Google Classroom, and Google Apps on my YouTube channel.
