edutecher.net

Well I hope a few of you had time to visit the edutecher.net/totmd site that I listed in the email. I visited the site this morning and found an iPhone app. I don't have an iPhone but I do have a WIFI iPad that I received as a graduation present (even late bloomers get graduation presents) and an iTouch that I won in a raffle at work. Back to the point, the iPhone app works on the iPad very nicely and presents Web 2.0 tools that have been revued with a links button and if you select the more button you can search for links by category. Edutechertv has a number of short videos about different software that Edutech has reviewed such as Qwiki, Wolfram Tones, Todays Meet, and many more. This information is also available at the website for use with a pc or mac.

If on the PC or Mac check out the conference area. The webinar that I watched last night is here along with a number of other signicant webinars.

I also want to share that I think the program Dropbox is great for working collaboratively on a document or sharing pictures. I'll talk more about Dropbox in another post.

I want to let Lisa know that I am suggesting Voxopop to foreign language teachers who are using the lab.

Wordle

I researched several sites and a really neat one that I found is called Wordle. Wordle is a site that allows you to create what they call "Word Clouds". In my opinion, it's more of creating a word collage about important content learned. It is a really creative and fun way to display important concepts and ideas!

Wordle allows you to create a word cloud and totally create it the way you want. You can tweak the font of the words, the layout color, the shape of the words, and the angle of the words, etc. It really is amazing. Also, the site allows you to print your work or publish to the gallery so it can be shared. It could be used in so many ways in the classroom. The possibilities are endless.

On the site there is also a forum where you can post questions or just comments. I noticed several teachers on the forum discussing ways they used Wordle in their classroom. What a great resource for ideas!

Here is a Wordle on Web 2.0 tools that I made using the site:




Here is another one that I found that was great:




As a teacher, I can definitely see myself using this tool as a great collaborative learning tool as well as for individuals. I think it's fantastic. The only down side I found with this website is that all work is shared on the internet- it cannot be saved privately (that I could find). When I went on the gallery to search for my Wordle after I made it, I saw Wordles that people had created that used profanity. So if this was used in the classroom, it would have to be really monitored well. I would probably have to not allow my students to go in the gallery (they're only in 2nd grade) and just have them print their Wordle out and share among themselves.

I tried Penzu

After Eldon's first post about Penzu I tried it. I found it easy to use and not having written much into a journal before it may be a bit of a challenge to keep it going. So I say I'll give the good old college effort and maybe learn a thing or two about myself.

I have yet to try Lisa's Voxopos or Daniel's Cool Tools but expect to visit them this week.

Eldon if we need to submit something for class, I think it should be on Penzu at this point. Your post was through and well written.

Dennis

Penzu.com : An Awesome Online Journal

Good Afternoon!   Our assignment for ETC 567 involves checking out Web 2.0 Tools.  These tools seem to be free, online materials that anyone with internet access can use.  They can help manage day to day life, like the Apps on a cell phone, and can also be used in the schools.  I will be reviewing the tools that can be used in the classroom, for obvious reasons.
Online journals are great ways to communicate with a large variety of people.  Friends, family, teachers, and others can jump into your journal, depending on the password protection, and catch up on what is going on in your life.  It is very similar to blogging and tweeting, but a little more involved and personal.  This online blogger, at penzu.com, is very impressive and easy to set-up.  Students could do this, with district/parent permission, in no more than 15 minutes.
One attribute that I am already loving is the lined paper look.  It is very student and teacher friendly, as it appears to be in a homework style from beginning to end.  I also like the extra features, like the word count in the upper right hand corner, the autosave that continues to happen as I type, and the automatic date placed in the upper right.
Typing is really simple as well.  All of the quick buttons work, like the undo/redo buttons.  I'm sure if I tried to copy and paste it would work as well.  One part of the typing that I do not appreciate is the tab.  When you press tab, it indents the first paragraph, not the line you are on.  This is a strange feature.
At the top of an entry you find black buttons that allow you to do several things.  The one that I would use most is the SHARE tab, as it would allow students to send you their information through email.  Because it is over the internet, students can work on it at school and finish at home, another nice characteristic of Penzu.
So, besides the Tab button, I believe that this is a great tool!  I could use it in my classroom for continuous journal entries in writing, assignments and summaries that need to be turned in, and online dialog between my class/classes.  When I come across bigger issues, I will share them.

Web 2.0 Teaching Tools

I was amazed by the site http://www.web2teachingtools.com/. I found this site with Google Search, searching for "web 2.0 teaching tools". Web 2.0 Teaching Tools is easy to navigate and provides links, tool recommendations and how to use the tools in the classroom. The site focuses on developing effective communication skills, building strong team collaboration skills, recognizing the importance of creativity, developing critical thinking skills and developing information literacy skills with Web 2.0 tools. Tools recommended for communication are found at www.mixbook.com/, http://piclits.com/, and http://slideshare.net/. Collaboration skills are enhanced with Diigo found at http://diigo.com/. Creativity tools discussed are http://animoto.com/, http://bubbl.us/, http://glogster.com/, http://smilebox.com/, and http://wordle.net/. The website refines the teachers use of Web 2.0 tools to develop critical thinking skills at http://edorigami.wikispaces.com/Bloom, and uses Intel Visual Ranking tool, http://educate.intel.com/en/ThinkingTools/VisualRanking, to help develop critical thinking and brainstorming in students. Finally developing information literacy skills are discussed at the Wikipedia site http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPC-bNX9O_E, and tools for students are found at http://www.askkids.com/, and http://www.pebblego.com./.

I found the Intel site, VisualRanking, useable for students of many different ages, whereas some of the other web tools are more age specific.

Cool Tools for Schools!!!

This link to "Cool Tools for Schools" wikispaces has a collection of Web 2.0 tools. Is divided into the following categories: presentation tools, collaborative tools, research tools, video tools, slideshow tools, audtio tools, image tools, drawing tools, writing tools, music tools, organising tools, converting tools, mapping tools, quiz and poll tools, graphing tools, creativity tools, widgets, file storage and web pages and other helpful sites.

Check it out!!!

http://cooltoolsforschools.wikispaces.com/

Web 2.0 Tools Revolution Movement!!

Peters, L. (2009). Global education: Using technology to bring the world to your students. ISTE. ISBN: 978-1-56484-258-9.

According to Laurence Peters the web 2.0 tools help students create a personal connection when they use the applications. For example, ePals can connect them to finding their own culture. Video and audioconferencing is another way to make connections with students around the world.

Peters shares some incredible statistics:

· More than one in four of California’s resident was born outside the United States.

· Students in California speak more than 60 languages, and yet most of the these classrooms, like classrooms throughout the country, remain monocultural.

· New York City is home to students representing every country in the world.

· Between 1960-200 the US percentage of foreign-born residents rose 9.7% to 28.4%. (Page 1)

The U.S. schools need to change the monocultural approach when it comes to teaching and learning. Instead of learning about the world through textbooks, they can easily use the Internet. Peters says:

Through the application of web 2.0 technologies, students can come closer to grasping the relevance of the “traditional curriculum” to today’s global challengers by directly connecting with students who are facing the same issues through a different cultural lens. (Page 6)

Andy Carvin is National Public Radio's senior product manager for online communities says, “We can no longer see the classroom as isolated by four walls or by borders. There is too much opportunity out there.” Also he says “… teachers today feel so many pressures from other forces, whether it’s educational requirements to teach and prepare students for certain standardized tests…” (Page 20)

bubbl.us

Is an easy to use Web 2.0 tool. Teachers and students will find it very easy to use. They can create colorful conceptual maps/brainstorm maps/mind maps/organizational maps. You can email, print or save your map in different types of formats. One is also able to change the fonts and colors of text and bubbles or boxes as well. These tool can be used in all levels of education. Below is an example of what one is able to do.

Voxopop!

Voxopop.com is an excellent Web 2.0 tool, especially for teachers and students concerned with second language learners! It is basically like a regular threaded discussion area, except it is all voice recordings. Individuals can record ideas and listen to others. The only drawback I see is the time needed to set up individual accounts for all students; however, the benefits for oral language development strongly outweigh the barrier!

Excellent Informational Tool on 2.0

I found this site, and wanted to share it with you.  It was fairly simple to find, I just googled Web 2.0 Tools for Teachers, and there it was.  I'm going to start looking at penzu.com, an online journal.  I'll evaluate it and let you know what I think.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/19576895/Web-20-Tools-for-Teachers
http://www.penzu.com/

As noted in the 2005 article, What is Web 2.0 Anyway? Indispensable tools your nonprofit should know about, "The technologies encompassed by Web 2.0 include, but are by no means limited to, blogs, tags, RSS, social bookmarking, and AJAX. The philosophy focuses on the idea that the people who consume media, access the Internet, and use the Web shouldn't passively absorb what's available -- rather, they should be active contributors, helping customize media and technology for their own purposes, as well as those of their communities" (Krasne).

A great place for us to start might be to search GO2WEB20.net. It provides a substantive list of Web 2.0 tools. Perhaps we can pick one a day or a few for the week and note some highlights, drawbacks, etc of the tools?

Hi there!

I am looking forward to the interaction we will have in the future. Eldon and Daniel with their field experience and the chance to work with Lisa.

I hope that as we progress we can address issues that involve using tools and apps for the iPad, the paperless classroom, technology in multicultural education environment and how teaching technology will differ between pedagogy and andragogy. (Did I write that correctly?)

Blog Team Members

Hello All!

I'm looking forward to working with all of you on this blog.  The conversations should be legen...wait for it...dary!  If you have any questions, go ahead and leave a comment on this post.  Talk to you soon!