Elizabeth Palumbo ‘19:
The National Dance Education Organization (NDEO) blog recently featured Cara Lavallee, Episcopal Academy Dance Director, as a guest author. She already participates in the NDEO as a member, but writing an article for the organization is a unique opportunity. In her entry, Lavallee explains the importance of the classroom-enhancing website Flipgrid, which allows students to film themselves, receive feedback, and view other students’ posts.
Lavallee discovered Flipgrid in the spring of 2017 after conducting research on the combination of technology and teaching. She explains, “I signed up to do what was called the Blended Learning Cohort. It was a group of faculty, and we basically picked independent projects that we wanted to try in our curriculum. We would discuss them with other faculty, talk about our plans for how to integrate them, and then once we did it we would talk about how it went.” One of the first technologies that the Blended Learning Cohort used was Flipgrid. Lavallee immediately took interest in the platform because it was accessible and simple to navigate. She states, “I could see what other people had written, and we could respond to each other. I thought it was really neat to be able to have a video of someone talking, so after I used it I thought, ‘Wow, I could really incorporate this into my classes.’”
Lavallee first used Flipgrid in her Intro to Dance and Movement for Athletes classes. Flipgrid is especially beneficial to a class of beginners because it allows them to choreograph their own dances outside of the pressure of a classroom setting. Lavallee says, “I liked that there was an ease with which students could access it, and that they could go back and see other students’ responses at a time that was convenient for them.” Flipgrid offers students the chance to refilm videos until they feel prepared to present their dance. Lavallee describes the context for these presentations as a “low stakes environment.” She states, “It was a way to give them feedback without putting them on the spot in front of everyone. I think that it helps with creating a level of trust, creating a safe environment.”
She also believes that Flipgrid gives students an equal opportunity to speak and elaborate on the terms and dance moves they know. Lavallee says, “You can hear how comfortable they are with the vocabulary that they need to use. It’s really insightful because I think that there are some students that are maybe a little more hesitant to speak up during class, maybe a little more shy or introverted. This is a way to hear from every student.”
Intro to Dance students Ashley Hewitt ‘20 and Cameron Buonocore ‘20 greatly appreciated Flipgrid and felt that it made their dance class more enjoyable. Buonocore especially liked that she was able to prepare her dances before presenting them. She says, “I think that there’s a lot of pressure if you’re dancing in front of people, so it’s kind of nice when you’re on your own because you can practice it. When you want to record it, you can show your best version.” Hewitt enjoyed Flipgrid’s collaborative aspect. She states, “It was a nice way to watch other people and see how creative they are.”
Flipgrid was a primary reason Hewitt and Buonocore loved their Intro to Dance class. Hewitt says, “It was kind of like a break during the school day, and the Flipgrids were fun. Even though they were for a grade, it was fun to make your own thing.” Buonocore agrees, “It’s not the stereotypical classroom setting.” They hope that other EA classes can include digital learning tools like Flipgrid in the future. Buoncorne says, “I feel like using technology gives us more independence, so that’s appreciated, especially with these longer blocks.”
Teachers at Episcopal have taken advantage of the Blended Learning program as well. Faculty members in the Lower School, such as Alicia Newman and Alexis Rineer, have incorporated technology into their lessons. Newman uses iPads in her classroom, and Rineer uses Twitter to allow Pre-K and Kindergarten students to connect with students outside of the Episcopal community.