Educators around the world came to know and love Flipgrid. The video recording platform let students submit classwork with their voices and faces, becoming a creative outlet AND a discussion hub.
Big news in 2018: Microsoft bought Flipgrid and changed the name to Microsoft Flip.
Sad news in 2024: Microsoft ended the web and mobile version of Flip that many educators and students used. They moved Flip inside of Microsoft Teams, making Flip inaccessible to many educators that don’t use Microsoft Teams for Education.
The news sent a shockwave through the edtech community and it’s safe to say there are very few people who are pleased with this recent move.
Many have been left scrambling to find a replacement tool for Microsoft Flip.
LOTS of tools will try to fill the void that Microsoft Flip left in the edtech space. Flipgrid served as a valuable tool for both learning activities and assessments. It was loved by both educators and students alike.
Now more than ever, it’s crucial to reflect on the specific needs it met in our classrooms.
As you consider new tools, think about this:
- What did you use Flipgrid for?
- What was the learning outcome you envisioned?
- What was your favorite reason for creating that Grid (or topic)?
- What did your students love most about using Flipgrid?
- What did you love most about it?
- How did it, or how could it, make your teaching life easier?
Once you have answered, or at least thought about those questions, you can use the greatest tool in your toolbox, your expertise, to find a good option that works best for you.
6 Alternatives to Flipgrid/Microsoft Flip
Below are 5 tools that I think are truly viable options for teaching and learning through video response. Some are some are free for educators and some have a freemium plan. I believe that as the summer goes on, and the hole that Flipgrid has left starts to fill, there might be even more options to either extend these tool’s license or get a promotion for the upcoming year.
While the retirement of Microsoft Flip/Flipgrid has left a void in the edtech space, it presents an opportunity for educators to leverage their pedagogical expertise and find alternative tools that align with their teaching strategies and learning objectives.
These alternatives — Mirror, Gravity, Padlet, Screencastify Submit, and the combination of Vimeo and FigJam — offer diverse features and functionalities to facilitate video-based learning activities and assessments.
By carefully evaluating their needs and exploring these options, educators can continue to foster engaging and meaningful learning experiences for their students, while also seamlessly integrating video response capabilities into their classrooms.
