Peer Review

InsertLearning

Material Detail page

Reviewed:: Jan 29, 2020 by Teacher Education

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Ratings

Overall Rating:

Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:

Insert instructional content into any web page and turn it into a lesson. InsertLearning, formerly called DocentEDU, is an extension you add to your Chrome browser. Once it’s there, turning any web page into a lesson can be done in minutes. You start with a web page of any kind, then highlight text, add notes, and embed your own questions—either multiple-choice or open-ended—that students answer right on the page. You can also embed other content like YouTube videos, ThingLink images, flashcards from Quizlet, mind maps from Coggle, even videos you record straight from your webcam. Users can create up to 5 free lessons for unlimited numbers of students with access to all features. for $40 a year individual teachers can create an unlimited number of lessons. And there is pricing for schools as well.

Type of Material:

Development Tool

Recommended Uses:

Insert Learning can be used to create assignments for use in class individually or in teams, or for homework or lecture material.

Technical Requirements:

InsertLearning operates via a Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox extension so Google Chrome or Firefox must be used for it to work.

Identify Major Learning Goals:

With this tool, a teacher can insert instructional content on any web page.including questions, discussions, and insight. When students go to that website, they can respond to those questions and discussions, see that insight, and take their own notes creating an interactive learning experience on any webpage.

As stated on the Insert Learning website there are five major goals

Differentiate for Every Student
Easily scaffold text with questions and media that help all of your students be more successful learners.
Authentic Sources to Build Lifelong Learners
Utilize primary sources and supplement current curriculum with high interest content that your students can connect with.
All Students Have A Voice
Embedded discussions help all student share their ideas while reading. Students can annotate any web page and share what they think is important.
Engage All Readers
Keep students engaged and active learners with interactive questions, discussions, videos, live annotations, and a collection of tools you can embed in lessons.
Real-Time Assessment and Intervention
Monitor student responses and annotations during class. In a blended or flipped classroom, you can respond when students need help the most.

Target Student Population:

Middle School, High School, College General Ed, College Lower Division, College Upper Division, Graduate School

Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:

Basic computer and browser skills are needed.
Students will need to add the extention and although it is seemless, they will be presented with the information that the tool can "use and change any information" which may cause concern.
Also teachers and students will need Google accounts.

Content Quality

Rating:
Strengths:: This tool can be used across disciplines with the validity and significance of the lesson depending only upon the choice of materials and questions asked of the students. This tool compares almost exactly to a hard copy handed to a student or group of students only this one is in the cloud accessed by a link provided by the teacher.
Concerns:: The tool is of good quality.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:
Strengths:: User able to create up to 5 lessons, unlimited number of students and has access to all features using the free option. Features include but are not limited to:ability to add comments, questions, assessment about content focus to web page, insert added items such as videos to help learners, have students add comments and/or conduct a discussion about web material. There are a list of other tools that can also be used with this application. Insert Learning can be used at any time in the learning cycle and should help students to learn the material because they are engaged with the content.
Concerns:: This tool could be very effective if the lesson is properly designed.

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:

Strengths:

This tool is originally designed to be used with Google Classroom so the user can expect a high level of usability. The extension, once added, will appear on the user's toolbar and when clicked a short tool bar with a few tools will appear to the left side of the webpage. Pointing to these tools allows the user to create or edit a question, ask a question, make a comment or summarize the content, etc.

Also on this menu is a link to Help & Support the user can get advice and answers from the InsertLearning Team. Users can also expect to daily emails with links to various help items and ideas for using the tool.

Concerns:

If used within Google Classroom students within the classroom would automatically have an account, however, the tool can be implemented by users outside the classroom with some modifications such as setting up a Google account and how lessons are shared. Once these logistics are accounted for, the user should manage just fine.

Other Issues and Comments:: Includes privacy policy and FERPA statement. Training supported only through school subscription. Need to make sure school IT allows for Chrome extensions if adding to school devices.
Creative Commons: