As of the time of this writing, Covid-19 has closed many school systems down for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year and state and local leaders are deciding how best to prepare for an increasingly uncertain return to the classroom in Fall 2020. In a sense, this recent shift in thinking, leadership, and innovation sparke...

Professional development for teachers needs to be at the forefront of administration’s minds once the dust settles from Covid-19. Developing and coaching teachers on ways to create material in remote learning needed to start yesterday. Traditional methodologies of teaching in a typical classroom are not going to be needed, ...

Last week my children completed their first full week of remote learning. My son received this message from one of his teachers, Robert Lawrence of Hillview Middle School, “I know I run a tight ship and have very high expectations of my students, but you have exceeded the high bar that I set for us. My pride is insurmountab...

What is a Flipped Classroom Anyway?! Flipped Classroom can actually mean a lot of different things depending on who you ask. Wikipedia offers this definition: "Flipped classroom" is an instructional strategy and a type of blended learning focused on student engagement and active learning, giving the instructor a better opport...

It's early 2020, and many school leaders, parents, and students look to the near future with uncertainty due to mounting pressure that the Covid-19 virus will close down schools around the globe. Hong Kong International School, already affected by closures, was ready to step up to the plate and devise a completely virtual pro...

If the instructional coaching model in your district needs a boost, maybe 2020 is the year to introduce Swivl to support video-enhanced instructional coaching and personal educator reflection. Let’s be clear: instructional coaching does not just magically take root in a school. Nurturing a successful coaching model takes vi...

With so many endless inclusive possibilities to use Swivl, why wouldn’t you want to get your students involved? Their buy-in for using video in class should be as important as their parental consent. Swivl's platform is FERPA/COPPA compliant and while we don't allow students to create a Swivl account unless they are 14 year...

With Swivl, you can make sure that the one-size-fits-all model of Professional Development is a thing of the past. For example, try using Swivl Live Streaming and Zoom to create virtual PLCs. The combination makes it possible for participants to engage in collaborative working groups wherever they are, saving both time and mo...

You need a plan. Buying a Swivl was the easy part. For a video plan to work it needs strategic and meaningful goals. Implementing a video program requires leadership and vision, so ask yourself: What are my organization’s goals? Who is part of your video collaboration program? How do I increase buy-in? How do I set this up?...

We get it. Recording videos in the classroom can be stressful for students, teachers and parents alike. Swivl is here to help everyone become comfortable with video by offering some suggestions for creating positive recording environments Recruit Willing Teachers and Observers Start your video program small by only asking ...