As educators, we constantly look for new ways to present content to our students. Finding great, engaging ways to do this can be a challenge. For those willing to dig, explore, and/or create, there are some hidden gems out there. EDpuzzle is one of those gems.

EDpuzzle is a tool we first heard about at a tech conference a couple of years ago. It was, to be honest, during a session that was less than engaging (ironic). The presenter made a quick mention of EDpuzzle, and moved on. We were looking at EDpuzzle the rest of the session. We initially used it for teaching poetry.

So, what is EDpuzzle? EDpuzzle is a way to use video to present lessons. It allows you to insert questions into the video. You can snip out pieces of video to use. You can even record your own voice into parts of the video. Best of all, EDpuzzle integrates with Google Classroom, so your rosters are a snap to import.

EDpuzzle has a wealth of resources for videos to choose from. You can grab videos from YouTube, Khan Academy, and more with the click of an icon.

It is a simple process to search for videos, the only problem comes from sorting through the results. One of the few issues I have with EDpuzzle is that when a teacher uses a video that another teacher created, it often gets re-shared to the community. This results in you getting 10,235 hits that are all the same. (ok, that number may be a slight exaggeration)  Be aware, the vast majority of videos seemed to have questioning at the DOK 1 and sometimes DOK 2 level. Be sure to go through yours and up the difficulty of questioning.

Inserting questions into your videos is easy as well. EDpuzzle does a great job explaining how. Just click the “show me how” link off to the side.

Once you have found or created your great lesson, sending it to your students is just as simple.

EDpuzzle is truly a simple to use tool that gives educators a great way to deliver content. If you are looking for a way to flip your classroom, this is a great way to do it. You can present content, insert your own questions, and have students ready for learning activities when they arrive in class.

EDpuzzle has videos on their YouTube channel to help you, so be sure to take a look at that and subscribe for updates.

There are several tools out there. Some of them are better fits for your classroom than others. If you have the devices/bandwidth, EDpuzzle is a great one to look at. Remember though, EdTech is supposed to enhance learning. Not simply take the place of a worksheet. Instruction should always start with a clear learning goal/standard, and the technology should be a seamless integration with that objective. Remember the SAMR model every time to make use of technology in the classroom.