Using Seesaw for accountability

Maker Friends, if you have not yet heard about Seesaw, it is time!!  We were introduced to Seesaw last year by Todd Burleson when he visited our space.  It is an online portfolio that is the answer to a lot of our questions: how to document student work, how to "preserve" projects that used non-consumable parts and needed to be dis-assembled at the end, how to share video or tech projects, and how to show parents what we do in the makerspace.  We set up classes for Seesaw and each student had a "page" within their class.  They can access their Seesaw account from any device, via the Seesaw app or the webpage.  They just needed to scan a QR code, or type in a temporary text code that I could generate for them as one of the designated teachers in their Seesaw class.  Seesaw allows them to upload photos, video, sound files, web-links, document files, or to create drawings, notes, or blog entries.  There is then a subscriber option for parents, where they can use a unique QR code to access their child's portfolio and set up notifications so they get updates whenever something new is added, write comments, download files, and communicate back and forth with the teachers.  We used Seesaw throughout the first half of the year in just this way.  I had also started using Seesaw to have them document their weekly progress, so that their parents and teachers could see the project from start to finish.

Then, during my mid-year evaluation pre-conference with my administrator, I mentioned that one of the things I was struggling with was managing 20 different projects in the room at the same time, and what to do with those kids that are likely to slide under the radar and fall behind.  How do I ensure accountability and keep kids focused if I can't be spending one-to-one time with every group every week?  He showed me that I already had the tools to use in place.  By having them document their weekly progress, I was giving myself an extra pair of eyes to monitor their work.  By reviewing their uploads each week, I could see who needed help, who needed a check-in at the beginning of the next class, who was falling behind, who was straying off path.  Not only was Seesaw keeping them aware of their weekly progress, but it was allowing me to stay on top of it, too.

We are looking into expanding into Seesaw for schools next year, which will allow for multi-year portfolios.  How amazing it will be to have students follow their progress from year to year!