What is FigJam? 9 Figma Whiteboard Features and Tools

FigJam is an innovative online whiteboard tool designed to enhance collaboration in the classroom. With its user-friendly interface and a variety of powerful features, FigJam is an excellent resource for educators looking to foster creativity, teamwork, and critical thinking in their students. Here’s how FigJam works, its benefits, and how it helps students thrive.

Step into my series as I unveil an array of cutting-edge educational technology tools suitable for the classroom. This collection features tools that bring you a mix of the classics you love and some cool hidden gems – because we all know the best tools aren’t always the ones in the spotlight.

What is FigJam?

FigJam is an interactive whiteboard tool designed by the same team behind Figma, making it an ideal solution for visual collaboration. It’s not just limited to digital designers—its versatility makes it perfect for classroom use, where brainstorming, planning, and teamwork are essential for student success. The tool allows teachers and students to collaborate in real time, with each participant able to contribute ideas, make notes, and provide feedback all within a shared space.

This enables more dynamic and engaging classroom discussions, as students are encouraged to share their thoughts and ideas on sticky notes, move around different parts of the board, and experiment with new concepts in a hands-on way.

What sets FigJam apart from other digital whiteboards is its seamless integration with Figma, a powerful design software that enhances its capabilities, especially for creative projects. Students can transition from brainstorming in FigJam to creating interactive prototypes in Figma, providing them with a comprehensive learning experience.

Features like cursor chat and audio conversation allow students to communicate and collaborate easily, even in remote or hybrid learning environments. With its intuitive interface and ability to support AI-powered features, FigJam makes the learning process more interactive and fun, helping students thrive through innovative and collaborative learning approaches.

Key Features of FigJam:

Here are some of the key features of FigJam that make it an invaluable tool for fostering creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving in the classroom.

1. Sticky Notes: The sticky notes feature allows students and teachers to jot down great ideas during brainstorming sessions or lessons. This helps keep track of different thoughts, which can be revisited during the collaboration process.
2. FigJam Files: These are easy to save and share. Teachers can create, save, and organize lessons or project plans, while students can save their work or group assignments for future use.
3. Real-Time Collaboration: The real-time collaboration feature is one of the highlights of FigJam. Students can work together simultaneously, seeing each other’s contributions, moving sticky notes, and drawing on the digital whiteboards. Teachers can use the observation mode to monitor progress, guide students, and step in when needed.
4. FigJam AI: FigJam AI helps simplify tasks, providing intelligent suggestions that can aid in the brainstorming process or offer potential solutions during group discussions. This feature helps streamline the thinking process and gets students to innovative conclusions faster.
5. Dev Mode & Design Process: FigJam supports Dev Mode for coding projects, allowing students to explore design software as part of their learning experience. This integration with the design process provides a seamless transition between brainstorming ideas and building interactive prototypes.
6. Cursor Chat & Audio Conversation: Students can chat with their peers using the cursor chat feature or engage in audio conversations without leaving the FigJam file. This facilitates both structured and unstructured communication during collaborative projects.

Benefits for Teachers and Students:

FigJam offers numerous benefits for both students and teachers, enhancing the learning experience by promoting active participation, creative thinking, and seamless collaboration.

• Engaging Brainstorming Sessions: FigJam transforms traditional lessons into interactive and collaborative spaces. Students engage through sticky notes, voting sessions, and real-time collaboration, encouraging deeper thinking and discussion.
• Encouraging Creative Solutions: FigJam offers different ways to organize ideas and explore innovative projects. Students can brainstorm with their team members, use AI features, and collaborate with classmates using digital whiteboards, encouraging a more user experience-oriented approach to problem-solving.
• Interactive Prototypes: With FigJam’s integration with Figma, students can create interactive prototypes that connect their ideas to real-world applications. This brings a hands-on approach to learning where students see the results of their ideas and creativity.
• Fostering Teamwork: Students thrive in FigJam’s collaborative environment. Whether they are working on innovation projects, exploring new product designs, or conducting a voting session, they develop essential skills such as communication, collaboration, and critical thinking.

How Teachers Can Start Using FigJam

Teachers can easily get started with FigJam by creating a Figma account, allowing them to access both FigJam and Figma’s design tools. With single sign-on, it’s easy for entire classes to log in without hassle. Teachers can guide students through the FigJam interface, showcasing best practices for brainstorming, organizing thoughts with sticky notes, and facilitating discussions through audio conversations or cursor chat.

FigJam is intuitive for new users, making it easy for students and teachers alike to get started. At the same time, professional designers can leverage FigJam’s more advanced features, such as Dev Mode, for complex projects. With the enterprise plan, schools can easily scale FigJam use across the entire team of teachers and students.

Use Cases in the Classroom

• Group Projects: FigJam allows students to work in teams on group projects. They can collaborate on FigJam files, share their ideas, and present them in an organized way. This method also encourages creative thinking, as students can build on each other’s ideas in real time.
• Design Thinking Lessons: Teachers can integrate FigJam into design thinking projects, giving students the tools to brainstorm, prototype, and test solutions. The combination of brainstorming on FigJam and building interactive prototypes using Figma provides students with a comprehensive look at the entire design process.
• Feedback and Assessment: Teachers can provide feedback directly on FigJam files, ensuring students understand key concepts and how they can improve. This continuous feedback loop helps students stay engaged and encourages a growth mindset.

Why FigJam is a Game-Changer

CEO Dylan Field envisioned FigJam as a revolutionary tool that allows people to collaborate and design together in entirely new ways. By integrating FigJam into the classroom, students are not only absorbing the subject matter but also developing essential skills such as team collaboration, creative problem-solving, critical thinking, and digital literacy, which are crucial for success in today’s digital world.

FigJam creates an innovative space for educators to guide students toward crafting their own unique paths to success. Whether through interactive brainstorming sessions, innovation projects, or hands-on group work, students are empowered to communicate their ideas freely, collaborate with their peers, and witness the real-time impact and value of their contributions as they engage in collaborative, creative processes.

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Are you struggling with student engagement, apathy, or keeping your class on track? 

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This free teacher workshop offers educators a valuable opportunity to explore and address student apathy. By examining its causes and discussing strategies, participants will learn how to make meaningful changes in their teaching methods that are actually working. The sessions are engaging and collaborative, allowing educators to share experiences and develop a collective approach to improving student engagement.

Highlights include:

• Understanding the roots of student apathy and its impact.
• Strategies for enhancing classroom dynamics.
• The importance of educator-student relationships.
• Innovative teaching approaches for today’s students.

By the end of the workshop, you will not only understand what you need to accomplish to stabilize the 4 pillars of your classroom, but you will also walk away with 5 tangible ideas to try in the classroom the very next day.

Join today to be part of the solution to reigniting student enthusiasm and engagement.

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