What is Seesaw?
Seesaw is a online learning portfolio that families of students can access. Users can use Seesaw to upload a range of file types including images, videos, audio, and text. Teachers can also use Seesaw to set activities and collect assessment data on uploaded items, post class announcements, and message family members privately.
Is it a social networking tool?
Boyd & Ellison (as cited in Bower, 2017) lists three characteristics of social networking sites:
- Users can construct a public or semi-public profile
- Users can articulate a list of other users with whom they share a connection, and
- Users can view these connections and the connections of others in the system
Seesaw is designed for classroom use, and therefore student profiles are kept private and only visible to their teacher(s), family members who have connected to their Seesaw, and their peers (although this option can be turned off).
What are some of the benefits of Seesaw?
Home Communication
Families connected to their child’s Seesaw journal get a glimpse into their child’s day and in the case of assessment tasks, an understanding of how their child is progressing. It has also been used by speech pathologists to communicate to parents what skills children were working on and activities families can do to support them (Ray, 2017).
Developmentally appropriate for the early years
It can sometimes be a challenge for early childhood teachers to find technologies that are appropriate for younger children and that complement play-based learning approaches. Fantozzi, Johnson, & Scherfen (2018) found that Seesaw worked well with play-based pedagogies because teachers were able to caption photos to give families “a much more well-rounded look inside the classroom than the tangible products (like paintings) that were sent home” (pp. 91-92).
Below is a more comprehensive list of the benefits of seesaw:
What are some things to consider when using Seesaw?
Data and privacy
Some parents and educators have concerns about the privacy of Seesaw given that the data is stored in California and that educators are sharing images of minors on the platform. You can read the Privacy Evaluation on Seesaw published by Common Sense here.
Issues relating to parental access
Educators using Seesaw need to do so with consideration for their students’ family situations in mind. Comments on a child’s work sample by a family member can be viewed by other family members connected to the child’s journal, which may be an issue in some circumstances.
How do I use Seesaw?
As an early childhood educator, I use the audio and visual tools extensively over text tools. I also often use the ‘Activity’ function to set assessments for my students.
References
Bower, M. (2017). Design of technology-enhanced learning – Integrating research and practice. Bingley, UK: Emerald Publishing Group.
@Sylviaduckworth (2016, December 15). Sketchnote of “Top 10 Reasons to use Seesaw”. Retrieved from https://twitter.com/sylviaduckworth/status/809598470029971456?lang=en.
Fantozzi, V., Johnson, C., & Scherfen, A. (2018). Play and Technology: An Important Intersection for Developing Literacy. Young Children, 73(2), 88-93.
Ray, A. (2017). ‘Seesaw’ Between School and Home. ASHA Leader, 22(5), 1-2.
Seesaw Learning, Inc. (n.d.). Seesaw logo [image]. Retrieved from https://help.seesaw.me/hc/en-us/articles/203816959-Seesaw-icon-and-logo.
Kayla Chester EDCN865 