Gynzy is an interactive whiteboard tool that students can access online. Interactive whiteboards open up countless opportunities for students to take control of their own learning, while still providing the option of using the screen as a regular whiteboard. The site includes many tabs to customize your lesson building. On the "Tools" tab, you can search for lesson plans according to grades and subjects, and it even provides an "Extra" tab to embed activities and games corresponding with the material. You can save created lessons in the "My Lesson" and "Favorites" tabs. However, the most important feature is the "Board" tab, the location on the site where the magic happens. It provides options such as a drawing tool and the ability to insert text, images, and shapes. Unique items such as timers, name generators, and covers for words and images also set Gynzy apart in terms of design quality. By using this tool, students can explore the material, rather than simply listening to it.
Gynzy particularly helps with Domain 3 of the Danielson Framework: Instruction. This tool should primarily be used as a way to involve the students as they learn the content. For one thing, its multiple options for extra games, activities, and elements like timers adds excitement to the lesson, thereby engaging the learners (3c). Both visual and kinesthetic learners are satisfied with the ability to move things around and write on the screen. Even auditory learners benefit from the feature that allows teachers to input sounds and voice threads. Therefore, teachers can use Gynzy to communicate with all types of learners (3a). The game show and quiz options provide appropriate assessment through questioning techniques, and the sticky note option creates a discussion board (3b and 3d). Overall, this tool embodies Domain 3 and creates lively lessons for students.
This tool also ties into the ISTE Standards for Students by creating Empowered Learners. Students use it to customize their learning experiences, and they can build networks with others (1b). They must also be able to demonstrate their knowledge in a variety of ways (1c), which can be done by creating their own examples, completing assessments, and taking the content a step further using features on Gynzy. An Empowered Learner is a student who continually grows and expands his/her knowledge base, and Gynzy provides the avenue to do so. It also encourages Creative Communicators as students use it when collaborating with peers. they can communicate their ideas through visuals and models (6c), which is essentially the whole point of Gynzy being formatted like a whiteboard. Due to Gynzy's feature of allowing users to repurpose previous lessons and add elements, students can draw from previous lessons to demonstrate their own learning in new ways (6b), which builds better research skills. Students grow in their ability to learn effectively, and Gynzy allows this process to occur alongside fellow students to support the Four C's of Teaching and Learning. Its resources allow for better communication, since students have the freedom to write directly on the board to state any questions or problems. Additionally, students can collaborate by examining each other's work on the board and designing their learning plans together. By allowing students to view the content in new ways, it enhances both their critical thinking skills and their creativity as they start to imagine how they could teach the content.
Because of Gynzy's interactive approach to learning, I would absolutely use it in my classroom. I love how this tech tool provides all the resources you may need to teach a lesson in one place. When using it in my class, I could embed videos, create online worksheets, and assess my students while teaching the content. I especially love the Gynzy Game Show feature, which I can implement as a fun way to review the content either at the end of a lesson or at the end of a unit. Most importantly, I like how students can work at their own paces and truly demonstrate their creative ideas to me. Gynzy saves a lot of time during Instruction and makes content more accessible. I do wish that the Board provided more formatting options, but as it develops more, I am sure that the tool will continue to expand its resources. Overall, I highly recommend Gynzy in the classroom.
Feel free to view some pictures of this Figurative Language lesson that I found on Gynzy and adapted for my classroom!