By Lovelyn M. Almario, Teacher III, Bartolome R. Sangalang NHS
It is an undeniable truth that schools throughout the world were shut down for the longest time because of the
pandemic. Most countries have opened segments of their schools to students, while a minority are still struggling
with opening them due to health concerns. As a result, a massive change in education has become inevitable,
dramatically altering the educational landscape to adapt and transition into online learning.
The teaching-learning process is done remotely through different digital platforms. But even before the
coronavirus disease or Covid-19 affected the lives of people globally, there was already a utilization and
adaptation of technology in education. Some investments have been established to improve the employment of
technology in learning even before the pandemic took place, whether it be virtual tutoring, online learning
software or video conferencing tools. But due to the sudden shift of classroom learning setting, many online
learning platforms have offered free access to their services, including the online platform tool EDpuzzle, a free
formative assessment tool which can be utilized to increase engagement with students, while allowing teachers to
efficiently tract the learning progress of students. This online platform gives opportunity for both students and
teachers to fully utilize the use of technology through the Internet.
Some may ask what is EDpuzzle all about? What are the features of the tool? How does it work? Is it even
helpful for both students and teachers?
Edpuzzle is a free formative assessment tool that uses videos to engage students, while teachers gain the
capability to properly monitor each student’s learning progress. It allows teachers and students to design their
own interactive videos and use web-based videos in YouTube, TED, and VIMEO. While editing the video,
teachers can add voice overs to create a more personalize learning experience for the students. Instructors can also
send comments on videos or embedded assessment questions, whether they may be open-ended or multiple
choices. It also helps give teachers a thorough but concise overview on how students engage with the content of
the video. Aside from designing their own videos, teachers can also find massive volumes of ready-made projects
that can be used and edited.
Now, what are the edge of EDpuzzle that makes the platform significantly better than others? You’ll be
surprised by the array of offerings provided within the platform. First, after publishing the videos on the website,
you will be eligible to gain support from the google classroom. It is very easy to embed the ready-made or
self-made videos to your google classroom, as it is already a widely used online learning platform today.
Second, it can prevent students from skipping the videos, ascertaining a proper step-by-step learning
process. Through this, teachers are assured that students watch the content in order, enabling students to work on
each topic and answer the embedded questions as prescribed by the lesson. This properly engages the students on
the activities, while empowering themselves to assess their own understanding and comprehension on the lesson
through the help of assessment questions embedded on the video. Another positive trait of the tool is that when the
student opens a new tab and tries to play the video as a background, the video automatically stops, compelling the
student to watch the entire video, thus eliminating the possibility of dodging the learning process.
Lastly, EDpuzzle allows teachers to not just embed assessment questions but also add background voices,
facilitating a personalized learning environment. Many significant studies have proved that a familiar voice is a
powerful tool to get a learner’s attention, which can lead to higher level of learning through engagement. In
addition to this, based on the research in psychological science, a journal of the Association for Psychological
Science, said that familiar voices are easier to understand and comprehend especially when it comes to the one
you are acquainted, even if you don’t able to recognize them physically but because of how their voices resonance
once it manipulated.
Are you still perplexed with how EDpuzzle work? Don’t fret, you only need to first set up your own
account by signing up as a teacher. Once registered, return to EDpuzzzle and login. You can then create a class,
invite your students, and select or choose a video on the channels offered on the left side of the screen such as
Youtube, Vimeo, and so on. After which, you will gain access to edit, design, or film your own project using the
different features offered by learning tool. Finally, select a video that you edited and assign it to your students in
your class. Simple and very convenient.
Due to unavoidable changes brought by the effects of the pandemic, which has resulted to adjustments
both in teaching and the learning process, the use of online learning platforms like EDpuzzle, is a humungous help
for teachers and students to cope up and adapt to the new learning environment. EDpuzzle is one of the best
options in the market today for technology-based education. It has a potential in increasing students’ learning
engagement, boosting their confidence, and leading them to better learning and comprehension because of the
embedded assessment questions.
No one can deny the fact that technology has already transpired as a global necessity, where young people
have adapted to it faster than any other generation. Students are raised and are living in a forever-expanding
digital world. It is impossible to not use technology nowadays, especially in the field of teaching, where teachers
must be able to tailor themselves with the technological advancements affecting the youth. An effective teacher
should know how to conform with rapid modernization, especially through different innovative digital tools such
as EDpuzzle. The traditional teaching methods are in an endless progressive alteration to adapt to the demand of
21st century learners, and educators must be in unison with this inevitable onrush, as to build strengthened
teaching and learning skills that would foster maximized learning and exploration for both teachers and students.