Robot Archives - Swivl https://www.swivl.com/tag/robot/ Wed, 26 Jun 2024 14:55:52 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.5 97173492 How Dodge City Schools Transformed Their Coaching Program to Support ELL Achievement https://www.swivl.com/2022/06/07/how-dodge-city-schools-transformed-their-coaching-program-to-support-ell-achievement/ Tue, 07 Jun 2022 16:05:59 +0000 https://www.swivl.com/?p=69828 This blog is focused on the use of Swivl Teams. Teams is now Reflectivity – learn why we changed our name → When administrators in Dodge City, KS, reviewed their student data in 2019, it was clear that literacy, specifically for their English Language Learners (ELLs), needed to be a top priority. With 80% of […]

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This blog is focused on the use of Swivl Teams. Teams is now Reflectivity – learn why we changed our name

Hit the play button to listen to this article.

When administrators in Dodge City, KS, reviewed their student data in 2019, it was clear that literacy, specifically for their English Language Learners (ELLs), needed to be a top priority.

With 80% of the district’s 7,000 students identifying as Hispanic/Latino, this was already an area of focus. After receiving funding from a state grant, though, the district was ready to take a new approach.

Instead of focusing on top-down PD, Dodge City leaders invested in teacher coaching and self-reflection as a path to student literacy growth. 

To better support ELLs, Dodge City needed to remake their tools and systems for coaching

According to Kelley Clark, Literacy Project Manager and Professional Development Coordinator, this was a research-informed decision.

“We had seen a body of evidence saying that PD sessions alone won’t give us the return we wanted,” Kelley said. “We needed to support what we were doing with instructional coaching.”

In the past, Dodge City had had versions of instructional coaching, and even used classroom video in support of it. But they had identified several challenges to address.

“Coaching looked different across buildings and between individuals. Coaches often did ‘other duties as assigned’ instead of true coaching,” Kelley said.

Their old method of capturing classroom video was also a challenge to address.

“Lots of teachers found coaches visiting classrooms and using iPads to record them intimidating. The teachers had questions: What’s going on with the video? Whose video is it?” Kelley said.

With a clear goal and challenges to address, Dodge City was ready to get to work.

Leaders replaced classroom visits with Swivl Robots to create a more teacher-centered coaching program

Dodge City systematized and focused their coaching efforts by adopting Jim Knight’s Impact Cycle. While coaches used to visit classrooms to record lessons with an iPad, teachers now recorded their own lessons with Swivl Robots. 

Kelley was unsure how teachers would feel about recording themselves with Swivl Robots.

“The teachers actually preferred using the Robots to record themselves over having their coach record them with an iPad,” Kelley said.

At the same time, administrators and coaches audited coaches’ time. This clarified the job’s responsibilities and opened new ways for coaches to offer teacher support.

“Coaches began to leverage video captured by Swivl Robots at multiple points of the coaching cycle,” Kelley said. 

This included:

  • Capturing video before coaching to capture the current reality
  • Coaches sharing model lessons for teachers to refer to during the coaching cycle
  • Recording lessons during the cycle for reflection and richer coaching conversations

Additionally, Dodge City started using Swivl Robots to empower curriculum implementations. When ELA and Math teachers wanted to see a new curriculum taught in a lesson, coaches recorded and shared model lessons. These acted as concrete examples of instructional expectations teachers could revisit and share with others.

“We invested in teachers, focusing on collective efficacy,” Kelley said of the changes Dodge City made to support ELL achievement.

Teachers are empowered to reflect with classroom video, and ELLs show growth in crucial skills

“Change takes time. But we are seeing teacher practice shift,” Kelley said. 

This shift in practice has led to concrete results related to Dodge City’s goal to support ELLs. Recently, the Dodge City ESOL and Diversity Director shared assessment data showing growth in speaking, listening, and reading skills for ELL students.

“It’s steady, incremental growth, which is what we want to see,” Kelley said.

Kelley believes that giving teachers tools to engage in meaningful self-reflection and coaching is a key piece of that growth.

“When the Swivl Robot is in the classroom, it’s an objective observer,” Kelley said. “Teachers look at what they’re doing, and how their kids are responding. That’s more powerful than anyone coming in and saying ‘you should be doing this or that.’”

Kelley looks forward to expanded use of Teams by Swivl (now Reflectivity) for asynchronous discussion through time-stamped commenting, as a way to enrich face to face conversations with teachers.

During a recent coaching session, Kelley observed the power of giving teachers tools to reflect on classroom video.  While watching a video, the teacher saw how often she laughed with students and had fun moments with them during class. 

“She was laughing and having a good time, but she wasn’t conscious of it,” Kelley said. “It’s not always about identifying negative things. There are so many positives to discover.”

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From Florida to Arizona, Districts Have Reimagined Teacher Support https://www.swivl.com/2022/03/15/from-florida-to-arizona-districts-have-reimagined-teacher-support/ Tue, 15 Mar 2022 14:30:56 +0000 https://www.swivl.com/?p=68594 This blog is focused on the use of Swivl Teams. Teams is now Reflectivity – learn why we changed our name → By June 2021, half of American schools were using a hybrid learning model.  Since then, schools have invested in hardware and software. Teachers have expanded their tech skills.  It’s been a crash course […]

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This blog is focused on the use of Swivl Teams. Teams is now Reflectivity – learn why we changed our name

By June 2021, half of American schools were using a hybrid learning model. 

Since then, schools have invested in hardware and software. Teachers have expanded their tech skills.  It’s been a crash course in using tools and talents to stay connected and solve problems, even when apart.

Now, administrators are applying the same tools and talents to one of the most urgent issues in education: teacher support

Let’s look at how two innovative districts re-imagined teacher support using classroom video to build relationships and maximize educator growth.

But first, let’s review current teacher support practices, and why they’re inadequate for helping teachers with the challenges of a return to in-person instruction.

New tools can help improve old teacher support models

Student behavior issues and academic skills gaps make today’s classroom challenges uniquely acute.

Traditional teacher support practices, including new teacher mentoring, observations, one-size-fits-all PD, and walk-throughs, are inadequate to address current instructional challenges because feedback happens too slowly and too infrequently. For most teachers, support drops significantly after year one. 

Some districts have invested in instructional coaching, formal peer collaboration like professional learning communities (PLCs), and personalized professional learning paths. 

Traditional teacher support practices are inadequate to address current challenges because feedback happens too slowly and too infrequently.

While these structures are an improvement, they also bring challenges. Substitute shortages and other stressors on personnel make it impractical to get coverage to observe a colleague’s class. Travel across district makes coaching time- and resource-intensive.

Without a common place for capturing instruction, reflecting, discussing, and planning next steps, support efforts can feel wasted or one-off. 

The perfect storm has emerged, where teachers need more support than ever, and districts need support to be more efficient than ever. The good news? Many districts have already discovered tools and systems that can help make it happen.

Here are two examples. 

How an Arizona district leverages classroom video to support early-career and “singleton” teachers

Littleton Elementary, a district of seven physical and one virtual schools in Avondale, Arizona, was first introduced to Swivl Robots to support remote instruction. 

“Then, we realized the power of video and streaming,” Director of Instructional Technology Jim Verrill said.

Jim and his team saw how Teams by Swivl paired with Robots would address the district’s challenges in supporting high-quality instruction for all students with many early-career teachers on staff.

Littleton has implemented a continuum of teacher support practices all based on classroom video:

  • Self-reflection: Principals encourage teachers to identify instructional challenges through self-reflection
  • Peer collaboration: Singleton teachers collaborate cross-district with colleagues teaching the same subject. Content or grade-level teams record, share and reflect on lessons to maintain curricular alignment.
  • Coaching: Coaches have increased their frequency and depth of feedback by having teachers share and discuss classroom video through Teams.
  • Admin support: Leaders assess school progress through remote walkthroughs, where they view and discuss short instructional videos around key themes. 

Through self-reflection, collaboration, coaching and admin support, Littleton has developed an efficient, effective way to build relationships and encourage educator growth.

These Florida coaches use video to expand teacher support and reduce distractions

While traditional coaching can be powerful for teacher support, it comes with the potential for distraction. 

“What we want teachers to do is maintain their power in the room,” St. Lucie Instructional Specialist Dana Miller said. “And we don’t want distraction for students.” St. Lucie Public Schools is a Florida district with 50 schools and over 40,000 students.

St. Lucie had a strong foundation of coaching pre-pandemic, and they used their Robots to help absent students stay up-to-speed with missed work.  They now leverage Swivl Robot + Teams with Jim Knight’s Coaching Framework to make their coaching more efficient and discreet. 

St. Lucie does not require teachers to record themselves, but offers Robots to teachers looking for support. After teachers self-reflect, coaches encourage teachers to identify where they may want to work with a coach. Because teachers have already captured video, teacher and coach can discuss without having to schedule a new observation. 

This year, St. Lucie coaches have pushed their work further using Robots for live-streamed lessons with in-ear coaching. 

“As a coach, we see a problem in the moment, and we can help the teacher make a fix right away,” Dana said. “We use as few words as possible so the feedback is quick, immediate, and not distracting to the teacher.”

In a time of uncertainty, the need for teacher support is clear

While much is uncertain for school and district leaders in the coming months, a few things are certain. 

Teachers will need support to overcome challenges and help students continue to make academic progress. These support interventions will need to be effective, but also time and resource efficient because of the circumstances districts face. 

As both Littleton and St. Lucie demonstrate, it’s time to repurpose the tools and talents adopted for hybrid and remote learning. It’s time to offer teachers a continuum of support options and pathways to get help. And it’s time to make classroom video the centerpiece of teacher growth.

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Regular reflection is the PD teachers deserve. Here’s why. https://www.swivl.com/2022/02/15/teacher-self-reflection/ Tue, 15 Feb 2022 16:51:00 +0000 https://www.swivl.com/?p=67556 This blog is focused on the use of Swivl Teams. Teams is now Reflectivity – learn why we changed our name → Littleton Elementary is a small but fast-growing rural district in Maricopa County, Arizona. It operates seven physical schools plus one virtual academy. The district is known for its high-quality education, which attracts students […]

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This blog is focused on the use of Swivl Teams. Teams is now Reflectivity – learn why we changed our name

Littleton Elementary is a small but fast-growing rural district in Maricopa County, Arizona. It operates seven physical schools plus one virtual academy. The district is known for its high-quality education, which attracts students of many income levels and backgrounds from around the area.

Facing a teacher shortage, the district has hired many new teachers from out of state. This means there is a high ratio of mentor teachers to early-career and new teachers.

How can a district maintain its high levels of instruction in these circumstances?  Littleton, like other districts nationwide, knows that the best teacher support is often in-house.  

The foundation of their support system is the use of reflection and video capture tools that offer an objective look at the classroom, so teachers can identify challenges away from the emotionally-charged day-to-day teaching.

In 2022, teacher support doesn’t mean sharing another slide deck about self-care.

Leaders can give teachers the support they deserve by helping them build a regular routine of reflection, and use video to go deeper when needed. 

Thousands spent on PD per teacher, but impact on day-to-day is unclear

A study by the New Teacher Project found that teachers spend 10% of their time on professional development activities, and districts spend about $18,000 per year per teacher on PD. Despite these large PD investments, teachers often lack adequate support in fundamentals like classroom management, which are more important than ever.

Consider these responses shared by a few of the 300K+ educators subscribed to our newsletter when we asked about how their training addressed classroom management:

“I don’t encounter classroom management issues that I can’t handle or address, but that’s not because of formal training I’ve had. That kind of training is not offered in teacher prep in college/university or professional learning once employed.”

“Nothing prepares you for classroom management. There was not even a course.”

“I have never received training on how to handle a student who refuses to sit down, take off their backpack, or complete any assignments.”

“I have taught for 23 years. There have only been three instances where I had no training to deal with student disruptions and behavior. Note: these have been in the last year.”

There were many comments echoing similar sentiments. A simple response to these circumstances might be, well, then train them! 

However, typical professional learning, theory-heavy and application-light, is the wrong response. Classroom management issues are highly context-specific to the personality of the teacher and students, the class size, the subject, and even the time of day of the class. 

Faced with urgent, unique challenges, teachers don’t need more nondescript, one size-fits-all style workshops. They don’t need more consultants or more observers in their classroom. 

Teachers need the tools and space to identify their specific issues. With an understanding of their challenges, they can start to address them objectively, and seek help they need from others. 

Helping teachers build a regular routine of reflection is the best way to do this at scale.

Reflection is more effective and convenient with Sessions

With Sessions by Swivl, administrators can give every teacher in a school or district the tools they need to begin a regular reflection routine.

Sessions guides teachers to reflect through several clearly-defined steps

  1. Set a Goal. Goals are the backbone of the reflection process. We recommend starting each week with a small goal, and as you gain more confidence and time, increase the rigor.
  2. (Optional) Incorporate Video Evidence. Remember this is optional! When you are ready to incorporate video evidence, you will always have the opportunity to do so after setting your goal. 
  3. Reflect. Explain what went well and what you’ll need to work on in the future to realize your goal or embark on a new one.
  4. (Optional) Ask for feedback. Reflection alone can only go so far in determining your next steps. Involving a partner will help you accelerate your thinking.

Even with teachers’ busy schedules, Sessions helps teachers reflect in a time-efficient way. Sessions helps teachers focus on specific aspects of their instruction as they reflect. 

Teacher preparation programs, the National Board certification process, and many state licensure programs all prioritize reflection as a tool for teacher growth. Why? Because it works.

Now, it’s time for all teachers to get the tools they need (and the time to use them), so they can realize the sustaining benefits of regular reflection.

Administrators: help your teachers build a regular routine of reflection

Remember Littleton School District in Arizona? 

Their Director of Instructional Technology Jim Verrill shared a recent story with us of a principal who was tasked with helping one of their teachers work through an instructional challenge. With all the professional learning options available, this principal encouraged the teacher to begin working through the challenges by recording their teaching and using Sessions to self-reflect. 

Then, through their robust system of teacher support, there are other actions teachers, coaches, or administrators can take to make sure the teachers get the help they need.

As Jim said, “Now, because principals have Swivl tools, they can help a teacher who needs support and have them work on reflection.”

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How an Elementary School District Uses Swivl Robot+Teams to Keep Students Connected and Engaged https://www.swivl.com/2021/09/24/littleton-elementary-school-swivl-teams-and-robot-video/ Fri, 24 Sep 2021 14:19:47 +0000 https://www.swivl.com/?p=64281 This blog is focused on the use of Swivl Teams. Teams is now Reflectivity – learn why we changed our name → We love seeing how our Swivl Community keeps connections and relationships at the forefront of all they’re doing this school year, while still offering robust teacher support. A great example of these efforts […]

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This blog is focused on the use of Swivl Teams. Teams is now Reflectivity – learn why we changed our name

We love seeing how our Swivl Community keeps connections and relationships at the forefront of all they’re doing this school year, while still offering robust teacher support. A great example of these efforts is Littleton Elementary School District #65 (LESD) in Arizona.

Teachers at LESD are incorporating the Swivl Robot+Teams (Teams is now Reflectivity) into their classrooms. By live streaming with Swivl Robot+Teams, teachers are able to broadcast their lessons to remote learners. Using these tools gives remote students a view of everything going on within the classroom, which helps them feel more connected.

In this video, Jim Verrill (Director of Instruction Technology/Integration) and Rio Stinger (Tres Rios Elementary Teacher) talk about their experience using Swivl Robot+Teams in their classrooms.

Littleton Elementary School District at a glance:

  • Location: Avondale, Arizona
  • # of teachers: 334 teachers
  • Grade level: K-8
  • Swivl products used: Teams+Robot
  • Started using Swivl Teams+Robot in 2021 

For more information about how educators around the world are using Swivl tools to build relationships with students, follow Swivl on social media.

Twitter | YouTube | Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

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How Fairmont’s Swivl Setup Gives Teachers and Students More Freedom in Hybrid Classrooms https://www.swivl.com/2021/01/19/how-fairmonts-swivl-setup-gives-teachers-and-students-more-freedom-in-hybrid-classrooms/ Tue, 19 Jan 2021 20:59:55 +0000 https://www.swivl.com/?p=58944 Throughout 2020, teachers began to adapt their teaching styles to remote or hybrid learning. Instructional strategies went into the experimentation phase, while teachers supported students’ academic and social-emotional needs during a time of crisis. Fairmont School leaders knew their teachers would be feeling the strain of this situation as they split up the student body […]

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Throughout 2020, teachers began to adapt their teaching styles to remote or hybrid learning. Instructional strategies went into the experimentation phase, while teachers supported students’ academic and social-emotional needs during a time of crisis.

Fairmont School leaders knew their teachers would be feeling the strain of this situation as they split up the student body into two groups, in-person and at-home, for hybrid learning. Classes were happening synchronously, on a regular school schedule, with teachers instructing both groups at once through interactive instruction.

After exploring a few options for engaging students at home and in-person, Fairmont leaders realized that most options would limit teacher mobility.

When teaching in person, teachers need the freedom to move around the room instead of sitting in front of a computer to address students in the classroom and at home.

Teachers are up and moving instead of “teaching at little squares”

Thanks to the school’s robust hardware set-up based on a daily use of Swivl, teachers are empowered to do more of what they love, even during this time of increased stress and responsibilities.

“No one got into teaching so they could teach at little squares on a screen for eight hours a day,” Fairmont Schools Director DJ Clovis said.

The teachers who have had the most success have committed to using Swivl every day as a way to “get their teacher legs back” as DJ described it.

Parents of Fairmont students who are engaged in remote learning this fall have shared positive feedback with DJ about the school’s use of Swivl to make class interactive for students in the classroom and at home.

Teacher helping student hybrid

“The parents say that the kids at home really feel like they’re part of the class for the whole school day,” DJ said. “They’re getting more of a real classroom experience.”

Importantly, DJ explained that by using Swivl to give students at home a portal into the in-person classroom, it encourages everyone in the Fairmont community to honestly address their health needs.

“The parents say that the kids at home really feel like they’re part of the class for the whole school day,” DJ said.

Because they know they can experience a live interactive class from home, students who don’t feel well can stay home without fear of missing something important. The same goes for teachers, who can broadcast classes from home, too.

DJ believes teachers are essential workers, and he is inspired by the way that Fairmont’s current Swivl set-ups empower them to meet their goal of giving all kids the best access to education that they possibly can.

“We respect our teachers so much, and they’re the real heroes for us,” DJ said.

Entire school community takes ownership of the system

Fairmont uses a solution in over 100 classrooms based on the use of Swivl robots and markers, an iPad, desktop computer, television and projector.

DJ notes that students have quickly adapted to their new environment, and teachers have empowered students to take part in running their hybrid classrooms.

The teachers who have had the most success have committed to using Swivl every day as a way to “get their teacher legs back.”

DJ recalled a story of one teacher who was recently absent. Throughout the year, she had marked and labeled all of the devices and had walked students through the routine of setting up for the day. With a teaching assistant, students set-up all of the audio/video needed for the class to continue in-person and for remote learning students, even with a substitute present.

“This is a teacher who invested in our system, and because of that, she has the kids invested in the system, too,” DJ said.

Not only does Swivl free up Fairmont teachers to engage students in a hybrid classroom in a way that feels natural to them, but it also affords them the opportunity to increase student agency and leadership at the same time.

Explore hybrid learning resources.

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We’re Updating App and Web Features this Fall https://www.swivl.com/2020/11/04/feature-update-fall-2020/ Thu, 05 Nov 2020 01:44:31 +0000 https://www.swivl.com/?p=57081 The complexity of hybrid learning has brought with it unique challenges. In particular, we are doing our very best to adapt our products to reflect the flexibility needed to teach both synchronously and asynchronously. Here is a full outline of the exciting updates you can expect to see in the Swivl app and Swivl Teams […]

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The complexity of hybrid learning has brought with it unique challenges. In particular, we are doing our very best to adapt our products to reflect the flexibility needed to teach both synchronously and asynchronously. Here is a full outline of the exciting updates you can expect to see in the Swivl app and Swivl Teams platform. 

A Mobile App for Any Use Case

Traditionally, the Swivl app was primarily used for recording video, even though we have supported live streaming for some time now. Hybrid learning has taught us that recording needs to share its spotlight with live streaming, and so we are redesigning our app to make it faster and easier to access the tools you need, whether you are live streaming synchronously or recording asynchronously.

For starters, we’ll be implementing a new and improved Home Menu with a split screen to choose your desired pathway for using Swivl: Live Streaming or Recording. It's also on the Home screen where we will provide you expanded information about your robot and marker battery life (so you never start either session on too little juice), as well as the connected external equipment you might be using for live streaming in the classroom: speakers, headset, USB-cable, or Swivl Link.

Next, we’re adding more tips and hints right in the app so it’s not only easier to get started, but easier to remain focused even if you forget a step in your setup. For example, did you know that you can’t connect speakers and a headset to the marker at the same time? If you didn’t, no need to remember this now; we’ll let you know if the configuration you’re about to use isn’t compatible so you can make the right decision and get started quickly.

Secondly, did you know that you can swap out any primary marker with a secondary marker in case you forgot to charge your primary marker the night before? Our app will begin to intelligently recognize when your battery life is too low for a typical streaming or recording session and show you know which markers can be used in the place of the primary. 

Finally - are you brand new to Swivl, live streaming, or recording? We’ve added our Customer Success and Training Teams' best practices right inside the app so you can quickly adopt some of the tips that will ensure you’re about to have the best video experience in the classroom ever - period.

Screen and Webcam Recording

Screen and Webcam Recording Swivl

In a typical classroom environment, students get the full package: your content and all of the personal touches that make learning from you an awesome experience. And for many visual learners, your facial expressions and hand mannerisms help students more thoroughly grasp the material. With this feature improvement, we are putting the “you” back into your video lessons.

We're improving our existing feature, Webcam Recording, to allow you to record your screen and your front-facing camera at the same time. Now you’ll always be in the frame with your content and you don't have to leave your computer to prop up a separate mobile device for a traditional Swivl Screencasting session (which is still a great option when you do want to be captured as you’re walking around the classroom, by the way). This enhancement gives you the flexibility to record from anywhere - your classroom, at home, or anywhere you can bring your laptop and connect to the internet.

Live Streaming Analytics and Device Management for Team Admins

Swivl Teams was built for collaboration among teachers, coaches, admins, preservice teachers and their professors, researchers and their participants - the list goes on. It’s also a powerful platform for team management, organization, and accessing video analytics. Now we’re expanding the Team Admin dashboard to include new metrics on live streaming. 

Team Owners and Admins will now be able to track how often live streaming is utilized and which live streaming apps were launched by the user (such as Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams). Ensure your organization is making the most of Swivl and your preferred live streaming application with this improvement.

And this is only the beginning. Also coming soon to the Team Administrator dashboard is the ability to view aggregate battery level analysis for robots and markers, as well as user session logs, so you’re never in the dark about the status of devices across your network. Check out a sneak peek below:

Register for our Weekly Webinars:

For tips, advice, and best practices from real Swivl users about how to use video for distance learning and traditional recording.

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Charge Mobile Devices with Swivl Updates https://www.swivl.com/2020/11/02/cx-series-announcement/ Mon, 02 Nov 2020 21:35:24 +0000 https://www.swivl.com/?p=57057 We have spent this summer and fall listening and observing as you've adapted your schools to a variety of learning models. In our effort to stay up-to-date with the evolving hybrid landscape, and in response to your feedback, we have implemented an update to Swivl that includes mobile charging. We are calling this update the […]

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We have spent this summer and fall listening and observing as you've adapted your schools to a variety of learning models. In our effort to stay up-to-date with the evolving hybrid landscape, and in response to your feedback, we have implemented an update to Swivl that includes mobile charging. We are calling this update the CX-Series to reflect this feature addition. It retains the compatibility with a multitude of iOS and Android devices, and introduces mobile device charging and adaptive LED markers. If you are a current C-Series user, we also have a solution for you - a new cable accessory called Boost. It will provide you the same mobile device charging capability and will be provided free of charge to your school. Read on for more details. 

Mobile Device Charging

For a long time, traditional recording in the classroom survived without mobile device charging because typically teachers recorded shorter video segments for observational purposes, and had time to charge their tablet or mobile phone in between sessions. And while teachers can keep their robots plugged in even today, once synchronous learning with live streaming became the new norm, it became obvious to us that we needed to rapidly adapt to allow the teacher’s mobile device to maintain its charge as well. 

Now, Swivl has got you and your mobile devices’ battery life covered. For iOS mobile devices with a lightning connector, or iOS and Android* mobile devices with a Type-C connector, your mobile device will be able to communicate with the Swivl robot and charge at the very same time. If you are a C-Series user, our engineers have also come up with a solution to enable mobile device charging and data transfer with our new custom Boost charging cable. 

Gone are the days of switching out the iPad or tablet for a phone, or simply sacrificing your Swivl tracking and microphone for the sake of enabling a midday charge for your mobile device. We know this will help you stay connected to students, and we’re glad to bring this enhancement into your hybrid learning environment.

C-Series users: we know you’ve been waiting for this improvement. We are giving away Boost cables - charging accessories we've created specifically for you - completely free of charge. Simply place an order here to request as many Boost cables as you need.

*Some Android devices’ Type C ports do not support charging and USB host mode at the same time (the latter is necessary to communicate with Swivl) The Lenovo M10 Tablet is one such device. Please check with your manufacturer to determine if your device’s Type C port supports this feature.

Marker LED Improvements

CX Robot-5 LED Markers

CX-Series markers also feature multicolor LEDs in place of marker stickers to easily adapt markers from unit to unit without needing to assign a new color sticker every time. The robot will automatically assign an LED color to markers each time they are paired with a new device, saving time and the hassle of assigning a new color sticker. 

Additionally, the Primary marker - arguably the most important marker in a session, as this is the one tracked by default - will always appear with a white LED (no color) to help keep it distinguishable from other markers. And any time you need to re-assign a Secondary marker and make it Primary, we automatically remove any other associated color so it’s always obvious which marker is being tracked. 

It's worth noting that markers will be compatible across both generations, C-Series and CX-Series, so you’re able to put your existing markers to  use even with the newer robots. The robot will intelligently assign colors to avoid duplication when combining C-Series and CX-Series markers.

Continuous Improvement

We continue to push the boundaries of our hardware and software to develop solutions for your evolving classroom. From expanding live streaming capabilities to supporting a wide range of streaming apps and audio setup methods, to integrating with services like Zoom to offer better video management and collaboration, the Swivl ecosystem is your trusted partner for hybrid learning and video professional development. 

While mobile device charging brings huge advantages to our products overall, our hardware engineers have only begun to scratch the surface of tapping into some immense capabilities for Swivl. Our passion for learning  and challenge pushes us to constantly change our products to meet the needs of the modern, tech-forward classroom. Keep an eye on the horizon for more intelligent tracking, automatic power-saving features, and teacher/student communication tools. We hope you plan for the future of your school with Swivl today.

 

 

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Do More than Just Live Stream with Swivl https://www.swivl.com/2020/08/14/hybrid-classroom-releases/ Sat, 15 Aug 2020 03:02:34 +0000 https://www.swivl.com/?p=54127 We strive to pave the future of hybrid learning, one Swivl feature at a time. We understand the necessity of having lots of options within one unified system which is why we have worked tirelessly over Summer 2020 to bring more live streaming options to Swivl than ever before. When our users told us they […]

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We strive to pave the future of hybrid learning, one Swivl feature at a time. We understand the necessity of having lots of options within one unified system which is why we have worked tirelessly over Summer 2020 to bring more live streaming options to Swivl than ever before.

When our users told us they needed to be able to see and hear remote students in their classrooms but also still wanted to deliver an authentic Swivl live stream experience to them, we developed integrated audio for PCs and smartboards. We did not stop there. 

Then when users shared that they loved integrated audio but really needed a wireless solution,  we took our expertise in developing wireless microphones to create Link. Link connects directly to your PC or laptop and wirelessly communicates with the Swivl robot to transfer audio and video to your device.

We also recognize that recording for asynchronous learning is still important to provide equity and access to all students so we beefed up some core Swivl recording capabilities, too such as Web Recording

To kickoff the school year, we are currently building three core features to make live streaming and recording with Swivl more seamless, interactive, and engaging for everyone: Zoom + Swivl Recording Integration, Marker Muting, and Rubrics with Scoring for Collaboration and Coaching.

Coming Soon!

Swivl & Zoom Integration

Zoom and Swivl Recording Integration

This is a long-time request that we’re really excited to introduce. Our compatibility with Zoom for live streaming has been cemented for years. Zoom has been and remains to be the most seamless option for Swivl users and can be utilized in any of our three major set up modes (Integrated, Standalone, and Traditional). 

For many, one of the most generous benefits of having a Swivl account (at any level, free or paid) is the unlimited storage we offer. Zoom Pro, while providing many advanced capabilities, still has a cap on the amount of video storage offered. 

Until now, in order to get your video from Zoom Cloud to Swivl Teams, you would first need to download it from Zoom to your desktop and re-upload it to Swivl Teams. Hybrid instruction is demanding enough, so we are saying goodbye to the middle man! Now, if you are a Zoom Pro user and you use the same email address to login to Zoom as you do with Swivl Teams, your video will be automatically transferred to your Swivl Teams library. Available for Swivl Pro, Swivl Team Pro, and Swivl Team Standard accounts.

This integration does require an initial configuration in our platform, but set it up once and you’re good to go forever. Now all of your live streamed lessons will be stored safely on Swivl Teams for further editing, collaboration, and sharing.

Swivl Marker Muting

Marker Muting

Swivl gives you a lot of audio options during live streaming. Currently, users can livestream with any live streaming application on the market in our Integrated Audio Setup mode. Not only can you see remote students through the smart board and hear them through your sound system or laptop/PC, but students at home can also see and hear you and everyone else in class (amplified by multiple markers deployed around the classroom). 

When remote students can see and hear everything going on in the classroom, classroom management can be tricky. That’s why we wanted to focus on muting the Primary and Secondary microphones to avoid any unnecessary disruptions heard by remote students.

The next time you need to have a private conversation with a student in class and are unable to physically get back to your computer to mute the live streaming session, simply double-click the ‘record’ button on your Primary marker. This will mute all of the microphones in the classroom and all markers will flash green during mute mode. Students at home won’t hear a peep! When you’re ready to get back to the lesson, simply double-click the ‘record’ button again. Instructions here

Rubric Scoring Swivl Teams

Rubric Scoring - Beta is now open!

PD is not dead, people! Swivl at its core has been used as a video collaboration platform and for good reasons. We have loads of essential collaboration features such as public and private time-stamped commenting with Rubrics, Bookmarking, and Group Sharing. Our latest feature is an enhancement requested by avid Rubric users on Swivl Teams and we could not be more excited that it’s finally here! 

Last year, we introduced the option for Swivl Teams users to create more than one Rubric for time-stamped commenting, giving you multiple opportunities to engage in video review for self-reflection, coaching, and peer observation. Now, add a score to any standards applied to the comments within the video.

Full stop while we address the elephant in the room: the “score” in Rubric Scoring. Scoring sounds scary because, well, it can be; however we also know scoring has many positive connotations in coaching and mentoring relationships. We’re confident the benefits of scoring far exceeds the apprehension we know sometimes comes along with the practice.

Feedback on video is helpful, but how do you track your personal and professional growth without some sort of scoring mechanism? Scoring doesn’t have to be numeric and it certainly should not be punitive. With our re-designed Rubric system, you will be able to create a custom scoring system (or borrow one of our snazzy new templates) that meets your needs and track growth in a positive and meaningful way. 

If you are interested in being a beta tester, please email: support@swivl.com and write “Rubrics Beta” in the subject line ASAP.

Coming Later this Fall

Web Recording with Front-Facing Camera

In the classroom, students get the full package: your content and all of the personal touches that make learning from you an awesome experience. And for many visual learners, your facial expressions and hand mannerisms help students more thoroughly grasp the material. With this feature improvement, we are putting the “you” back into ‘your’ lessons. 

We're improving our existing feature Web Recording to allow you to record your screen and your front-facing camera at the same time. Now you’ll always be in the frame with your content and you don't have to leave your computer to prop up a separate mobile device for a traditional Swivl Screencasting session. This enhancement gives you the flexibility to record from anywhere - your classroom, at home, or anywhere you can bring your laptop and connect to the internet.

Live Streaming Analytics for Swivl Teams

Swivl Teams is made for collaboration among teachers, coaches, admins, preservice teachers and their professors, researchers and their participants, the list goes on. It’s also a powerful platform for team management, organization, and accessing video analytics. Soon we’ll be expanding the Team Admin dashboard to include new metrics on live streaming. Team Owners and Admins will be able to see how often the robots are used, what types of projects are uploaded (when Swivl is in recording mode), how often live streaming is activated and which live streaming apps were launched by the user (such as Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams). Coming soon to a Team Administrator dashboard near you!

Screen and Webcam Recording Swivl

Hybrid Learning Resources:

Register for our Weekly Webinars:

For tips, advice, and best practices from real Swivl users about how to use video for distance learning and traditional recording.

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Swivl Will Be There for You, Regardless of the Challenge https://www.swivl.com/2020/08/07/swivl-commitment-fall2020/ Sat, 08 Aug 2020 00:29:46 +0000 https://www.swivl.com/?p=53593 Uncharted Waters Over the last few months, Swivl has watched the unfolding of a massive upheaval in the education system. Teachers and school leaders were thrown into the midst of an unpredictable situation, and with that came confusion and frustration. This is not to mention the impact the disruption was having on students. Swivl has […]

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Uncharted Waters

Over the last few months, Swivl has watched the unfolding of a massive upheaval in the education system. Teachers and school leaders were thrown into the midst of an unpredictable situation, and with that came confusion and frustration. This is not to mention the impact the disruption was having on students. Swivl has a unique position in the industry, in which we are dedicated to educator development and success. So, we asked ourselves: how can we help? The answer is in better support initiatives so that we have a solid structure to provide educators with comprehensive solutions. We started to make an investment in our resources in order to better serve a community now in transition. So whether you are a Swivl native, a super newbie, or have found yourself in completely uncharted territory here, we believe that we can help you find a path forward. 

We know that best practices and methods of the past are being abandoned for new and untested territory. And it can be really scary when you have trained for years to tackle problems in the classroom and then suddenly...you don’t really have a classroom. It is clear that teachers not only need support for the issues they are facing right now, but that the educational system is positioned for an overhaul that will shape the way schools are run far into the future. We want Swivl to be the bridge between now and tomorrow. 

Our Expansion

The first step we have taken is growing our Customer Success team to provide the most comprehensive journey through the Swivl universe. In addition to bringing on more Customer Success Managers, we are building a brand new Training & Implementation team. As part of a wider expansion of the Customer Success experience, this special training team is dedicated to helping educators succeed while teaching during a pandemic, and making sure they know how to expertly use Swivl as a part of it. They will ensure you have everything you need to start Swivling so no one ever has to feel like they are navigating on their own. 

Swivl's Customer Success and Training Teams on their weekly Zoom sync!

Furthermore, we are offering more flexible hours of support across multiple platforms. You should feel assured that no matter where you are, and what your problems might be, and what method of communication you choose, there is a way for you to connect with a member of the Swivl Support team. If you receive our emails or pay attention to our social media, you’ve probably noticed that our support webinars have returned, now with more frequency than ever before. Our support team is expanding in order to cover more hours for calls and online chats, and our webinars are now presented 8 times a week. Anyone can drop in on a webinar to listen and increase their understanding of using Swivl for hybrid learning, or to bring specific questions to the table. 

Inspiration from Others

The world is now seeing that Swivl solves some important problems, namely revolutionizing blended learning, preparing for any situation, and bringing the in-class experience to virtual students. Our CEO, Brian Lamb, even spoke to Inc. Magazine at the end of July, discussing Swivl’s role in making sure teachers are fully-equipped to lead in the 21st-century classroom. But this is just the start. With our research and best-in-class support system, we’re focusing on transforming hybrid learning from being a constraint, to becoming the leading instructional methodology. We have always loved seeing how educators and coaches are using our technology to create opportunities for growth in their classrooms; now, we look forward to taking tremendous strides towards providing a dynamic virtual education model for every school. If you are discovering Swivl for the first time, we hope you can find inspiration in seeing how other institutions are implementing our tools to create a more inclusive hybrid environment.

Throughout the tornado of abrupt change, uncertainty, and friction we have all experienced since March, the next steps for Swivl can be best expressed by Brian’s recent call to educators everywhere: "Since hybrid classrooms are a completely new application, we will need to partner with teachers closely, observe their challenges, and be ready to respond quickly to their emergent needs."  In some way, we were already doing this. Need Zoom support? We got you. Need tips on how to do assessment within a hybrid classroom in addition to instruction? We can help. Want to incorporate audio prompts and announcements in a way that students can respond from anywhere? We have a tool for that. Essentially, wherever you are, whatever you need, however you need it, we are there for you.

Just give us a call, send us an email, drop us a line on chat.

Call: 888-837-6209, option 3 for Support

Email: support@swivl.com

Chat: www.swivl.com/setup 

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Swivl for Teacher Prep Programs and edTPA Video Submissions https://www.swivl.com/2020/03/04/swivl-edtpa-video/ Wed, 04 Mar 2020 11:56:17 +0000 https://www.swivl.com/?p=45081 From micro-teaching to part-time field experience teaching in local K12 schools, video is an integral part of the teacher candidate’s experience. Swivl is the easy, effective, and sustainable solution you need to support, develop, and assess teaching candidates. How can Swivl improve the edTPA video submission process? The video submission for edTPA or PPAT can […]

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From micro-teaching to part-time field experience teaching in local K12 schools, video is an integral part of the teacher candidate’s experience. Swivl is the easy, effective, and sustainable solution you need to support, develop, and assess teaching candidates.

How can Swivl improve the edTPA video submission process?

The video submission for edTPA or PPAT can be challenging. There are many unexpected issues that students can encounter when recording. Swivl can help simplify the process.

Video Compression and Trimming

One of the requirements for edTPA and PPAT submissions is that the video needs to be a certain length, and in some cases a combination of different videos. With the Swivl Platform, you can trim your video immediately after your recording session, and merge videos together directly on our platform before downloading them for your use. You will also find that the video produced by the Swivl platform won’t exceed the 500mb limit because we handle the compression for you. 

Video trimming in Swivl Teams is fast and easy - trim on web or in the Swivl app

Poor Audio Quality

If you are using a tablet or phone to capture your video submission, audio quality will be poor, and in order for audio to be clear you have to maintain constant proximity to your device - which is simply not realistic in a typical classroom environment.. Even worse, the device may pick up a lot of unwanted background noise. With Swivl, you’ll obtain high quality audio with a personal microphone. You can also use multiple microphones to collect audio from your students as well!

Capturing Student Engagement and Classroom Environment

With a stationary recording device, you may have to place the camera at the back of the classroom, which won’t always provide reliable footage of you or your students. Using Swivl’s 360° tracking, you will be able to place your camera closer to your students, and not have to worry about missing anything in the classroom.

Not convinced? Listen to Shelby talk about Swivl, as well as her advice for creating a great edTPA video:

Colleges of Education Rely on Swivl

For professors and the university, Swivl reduces the need for in-person observations, saving time and fiscal resources. Use Swivl Teams to make your students’ edTPA preparation experience more efficient.

Leave Constructive Feedback on Student Videos

Video is holistic and unbiased and delivers authentic observations. Our online platform Swivl Teams allows professors to customize feedback from professors with time-stamped commenting and multiple Rubrics. Students and professors can even embed videos from Swivl into Canvas, Blackboard, or your preferred LMS.  

If you or your student teachers are recording for the first time, check out our positive video recording practices article for some tips on using video. 

rubric-time stamped commenting-Swivl Teams

Rubrics can be customized specifically to your feedback framework

Data and Analytics

Swivl Teams is a great option for preparing your students to submit their edTPA videos. Keep track of your students’ progress by using the Administrator Dashboard. The Admin Dashboard gives you access to data and analytics on each student’s video uploads, comments, shares, Swivl robot usage, and more.

Swivl-Data-Analytics

Swivl Teams Platform Administrator Dashboard

Colleges of Education Rely on Swivl

Organizing student teachers with user labels, creating unique sharing groups, and inviting multiple Administrative users for no additional cost make program management at even the largest Colleges of Education a non-issue. Colleges of Education all across the U.S. have chosen Swivl to build cost-effective and robust digitally mediated supervision programs that prepare student teachers for edTPA and their careers in education. Find Swivl in:

Texas Tech University, Louisiana Tech University, University of Texas at San Antonio, The College of New Jersey, Oklahoma State University, Towson University, Aquinas College, Georgia Southern University, University of Oregon, Purdue University, East Carolina State University, University of Miami and more! 

Contact us to learn more. 

Download the companion flyer

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