A closer look at Parlay

I love learning about new tools; however, it can be very frustrating to spend valuable time digging into something new only to find out that its limitations don’t make it a viable option for use. With that in mind, what a great opportunity to dive deeper into one tool and then have the ability to see valued critiques of many other tools and platforms from the rest of the class. Learning from each other…what an awesome concept!

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I chose to look at Parlay mostly because I had never heard of it before and I have been searching for a better way for students to participate in meaningful discussion outside of a traditional face to face or virtual teacher led group discussion. Many discussions are dominated by a few students and I always wondered if there were a better way to take discussions to the next level and allow all students to safely give their thoughts and opinions in an engaging and educational way. Parlay appears to be a well built tool that can serve this purpose in the classroom and in an blended learning environment. I also see the benefits of using this with my staff as a way to discuss important topics in the same manner to give everyone a place to safely speak their voice.

Overview

Parlay is a comprehensive discussion platform that allows students to interact with each other and their teacher, both virtually and in person. It is a subscription based service; however, there is a free teacher trial that was quite simple to sign up for and allow for exploration of the product. The platform involves RoundTable topics (diverse academic and nonacademic subject areas) that can be selected from the Parlay Universe or teacher created.

RoundTable topics usually include an essential discussion question and include some form of multimedia content to guide the discussion. Once a RoundTable has been assigned to a class or individual students, students review and respond to the prompt, engage in peer feedback via comments, and then join “live” discussion. “Live” discussion involves a virtual discussion circle that allows students to provided a new idea, challenge others thoughts, build on others comments and provide questions all from their devices.

Parlay also includes assessment capabilities that allow teachers to track, score, and respond to written responses and participation in discussion.

Check out Parlay in 60 seconds or Parlay (student guide) for more information

Strengths

Free trial (no time limit)
Easy sign in with Google or Microsoft accounts. Can also sign up with a parlay account
Students can sign in with a class code or any of the above mentioned accounts
Seamlessly links with Microsoft Teams and Google Classroom
Wide range of RoundTable discussions already accessible with built in literacy and media content
Can work well in a face to face setting as well as online. Excellent for blended learning opportunities
Looks to be an excellent tool to hear the opinions and ideas of those who are uncomfortable speaking up in a large group.
Open ended prompts allow for individual student thought and creativity
Looks to suit about grade 6-12

Weaknesses

After free trial it is expensive to continue ($160/year USD)
Would be difficult for students under grade 6
Requires a significant investment in teaching digital citizenship and ethics to promote proper interaction online
1:1 student to device ratio is required for best use
web based only

Content Creation

As mentioned in the strengths there are endless amounts of pre-loaded content found in the Parlay universe. All content is accessible and can be edited to meet the needs of your students. This includes the options to add different forms of media for pre discussion viewing. Video content can be self-created to help humanize the learning experience for the students. RoundTable topics can also be created from scratch with the option to allow others to access your own content if desired.

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Review

I really liked what I saw through my exploration and research. I teach mostly in a grade 6 classroom and I will be testing this out. Although I do believe they will do well with it, it does give the vibe of a platform for older learners. I give a rating of 4/5 because of its functionality, flexibility for content access and creation, and the ability to get the most voice out of all students. As mentioned earlier I can also see Parlay as a useful tool for staff interactions. The only knock is the expensive price tag and no current app developed for mobile device use.

Has anyone else taken a look at Parlay or used it before? What did you think?

Posted on February 4, 2021 by daspinall8
Categories: EC&I 834

4 Responses

Dylan says:

February 5, 2021 at 2:38 pm

I really like this theory of healthy debate and discussion in the classroom and feel like an online tool would help students get involved that may not otherwise! Learning about perspectives and gathering information in our democratic society is a critical skill, and discussing your ideas usually helps one to develop and test their validity. Thanks for your review and analysis.

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Jamie Mayoh-Bauche says:

February 6, 2021 at 11:02 pm

I quickly looked at Parlay when preparing for this assignment. My question is whether or not it adds value beyond that of other discussion tools, like a built in discussion board in an online class. You note the pre-loaded content which could certainly be beneficial if there is content relevant to your course. Otherwise, though it seems to me that this may be a fairly expensive tool that does one aspect of what many other free tools do.

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Kelly Z says:

February 7, 2021 at 2:28 am

This seems like a cool tool to get students engaged. Like Dylan mentioned, it would be a good tool to use for students who are apprehensive to engage in face-to-face conversation, as it gives them a bit of a cushion to present their ideas. I do agree that the price isn’t ideal for teachers using this in their classrooms without division funding, and it could be tricky with the technology restrictions that are in place in many divisions.

However, like Jamie mentioned, I also wonder about the tool being useful beyond discussions. Do you think that it would be useful beyond holding discussions? I also wonder if the price is in USD, is it also American content? If so, many of the preloaded items may be obsolete.

Thanks for doing the research on this. It seems interesting, but there are definitely some troubling aspects. Thanks again for doing the background work and informing us. I do appreciate it!

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Jennifer Owens says:

February 8, 2021 at 2:47 am

I enjoyed reading your post. I also chose to explore Parlay this week. Just like you, I really liked it. Often with class discussions, the students have troubles digging deep into the topics. But I thought this platform would help scaffold conversations and guide students to deeper thinking. Honestly, I would have loved to include this in my blended course because I see the relevance in getting kids to have facilitated class discussions that promote complex thinking. However, the cost was a deal-breaker for me. I like when a platform offers a basic option where teachers are maybe limited to 1 or 2 topics at a time. I was disappointed to see that after 12 roundtables, my trial would end.
I like your suggestion of using it to lead staff discussions. That could be a great way to get everyone to share their thoughts and perspectives, even if they aren’t the ones who speak up easily in a big group setting. I could see a teacher choosing to paying for an annual license, especially in a language or social studies class, where you want to promote student discussions and debates.

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