OC’s School of Education to introduce new technology for future teachers

OC students were introduced to Swivl, a newly developed educational tool used for teacher preparation.

September 22, 2020

Oklahoma Christian University’s newest technological advancement can be found within the School of Education and its new use of the Swivl. Recently, OC purchased 13 Swivl machines, allowing student teachers to not only get into the practice of using advanced teaching tools, but also to better prepare students for their state certification exams. 

Professor of Education Darin Martin explained the benefits of providing the technology to current faculty members and future student teachers, specifically in regard to state certification testing.

“The Swivl provides students with the ability to video themselves,” Martin said. “The Praxis Performance Assessment for Teachers test requires a video that is uploaded to the PPAT website where professional, trained graders will then look at the video.”

Teachers set their phones on the docking station after downloading the Swivl app on the phone. They then place the “marker,” a tracker and microphone attached to a lanyard, around their neck and begin recording. The app allows teachers to move around as the Swivl follows the marker, providing teachers the ability to move on camera while still being able to teach hands-free. Once teachers are finished recording, the Swivl automatically uploads the video to the cloud, where teachers can then use software to edit and export the lecture. 

Swivls will be especially useful for future students preparing for their state certification, as current 2020 education seniors still have the opportunity to take an alternative test rather than the PPAT. 

The OC Women’s Association contributed a majority of the funding with private donors to the School of Education. With this help, OC has been able to provide students and future teachers with the tools they will need to better succeed.

When asked how the technology lives up to expectations, Martin reacted positively. 

“Many schools have used it and gave positive feedback,” Martin said. “I have been impressed with their customer support. They actually check in on us quite frequently.”