LessonUp Learning Reflection:

For my Interactive Lesson I chose LessonUp. At first glance this tool is not the most attractive of slideshow creators, but after playing with it a bit I ended up really loving it. Since it is so similar to the layout of PowerPoint it is really easy to get started if you’ve made slideshows in the past. The design options are less dynamic than those of PowerPoint or Prezi, but the interactivity and ease of use far outweigh this negative. The biggest positive of this tool, and the reason I chose it over the others, is the sheer number of interactive components that can be dropped in. Quizzes can be added between slides or into videos, mindmaps or drag and drop activities can be integrated for formative assessment or knowledge checks, and polls can check student engagement.

I learned a lot about this tool from this assignment. I knew this tool was easy, but I was still surprised by how simple it was to put together a relatively attractive presentation that highlights LessonUp’s features and record/upload/integrate a video. It would have been even easier if not for the fact that I made my entire presentation in the Beta version of the tool before realizing you cannot share those presentations! I also learned you can import PowerPoints or even add them as a subset of your LessonUp presentation. I definitely plan to use this tool in the future. Whether I teach middle school, high school, or post-secondary education, the engagement that this tool offers is so much better than what I have been able to get out of other slideshow tools. With the inclusion of videos I could see this replacing a lot of lecture components, either with videos I record and upload myself, or with educational content from YouTube like the Crash Course series by John Green. Since LessonUp lets you drop quizzes or long-form answers in at specific times of a video, you could also reinforce key points. 

Use the button below to access the presentation! Don't forget to scan the QR code or use the link for the interactive features, when prompted, so you can interact with the features from a student perspective!