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Web 2.0 tools

9/30/2013

4 Comments

 
Web 2.0 Tool Blog

There are so many tools which I love to use not sure where to start.  Our school received two iPad carts this year and I have been lucky enough to have one of them in my room since the first of the year so I will start with Padlet.  I used this application on the first day of school with no real instructions needed with the students prior to use.  I created a Padlet using my log and I included a prompt for them to answer.  We had gone over my expectations of them and the prompt for the students to write about was, “What are your expectations for your teacher and your peers”.  I created a tinyurl and posted it on the board for the students to access the web page for this Padlet.  This made it easier and quicker for the students to access.  Since Padlet does not require a log in for students to contribute, there was not a lot of set up for myself.  In this original exercise, the task was as simple as students, bringing up the URL, double tapping to type their response.  Since the students did not have to log in, I had to ensure that included their name in the response. 

Since I started out with a small expectation and assignment with the student first using a new tool, I believe this alleviated any challenges the student might have had with the tool.  This allowed the experience to be stress free for myself and the students and was a simple integration with technology.  Padlet allows users to upload links, images or a file.  Since I gave the students a sync preview with just simple text our next use of tool we were able to build upon.  Many research studies have shown if integration of technology does not go right or has issues, teachers have greater tendencies not to what to use technology.  I know have students creating Padlets on various social studies topics.  Students were able to contribute to Padlets created on three of the three world’s religions.  Students were able to upload pictures or links which helped describe the beliefs.

While Padlet is my simple go to tool, I also love Voice Thread and Thing Link.  I have language arts teacher using Voice Thread in their classrooms by uploading a picture and students creating stories based upon the image.  Voice Thread does have challenges.  For students to use the actual voice piece, they must have a microphone and a quiet environment to record.  There is a cost to student license or you can use a generic log in which you could continually change the password.  My language arts teachers love it.  They assigned each of their classes a different genre to create the story to the picture.  The students individually added to the story one by one.  So they build upon each other’s narrative.

I know we were suppose to only talk about one or two, but there are so many great tools.  I have recently found Thing Link.  It can be used as opposites of Padlet or you can have students create your own.   Thing Link allows you to have links to various websites and uses various symbols.  I have used it a site using a tinyurl for my students to access when I want them to do research.  I set up a Thing Link, which just has the web sites which I approve for research.  This limits what the students are doing on the iPads and I can easily look and see they are on task.

In using specific tools and understanding the expectations of how we want them to work and what they can do, technology integration can be easy.  Using these tools allows greater controls of what our students are accessing on the internet.    

4 Comments
Michael Rewis
9/30/2013 02:05:24 pm

Christa,
I am jealous that your school has iPad carts! How wonderful! I created a Padlet this week with my students and they loved it. I wish that Padlet refreshed automatically as soon as post were made. I found myself going back and forth to the SmartBoard refreshing the screen to see my students’ comments. I like your idea of making a tinyurl for the padlet page; that makes it so much easier to access! I have never heard of Thing Link, but it sounds awesome! Thank you so much for providing this resource! I will be sure to share it with my colleagues who have iPad carts! Do you think that these type of web 2.0 tools you mentioned are allowing our students to be more engaged in our classroom thus 21st century thinkers and learners?

Reply
Emily
10/3/2013 07:01:52 am

I am also very jealous about your iPad cart! What possibilities! I love hearing about how your language arts teachers use Voice Thread. I recently created my first thread for students and have run into a few problems with accessibility. I also really enjoyed reading about padlet and even took an overview of their site. It does actually look very easy to use. This would be wonderful for my high school class. All of my students have smartphones and I could see them actually putting them to excellent use inside the classroom. I will have to try that out soon. Thing Link also sounds interesting. I like the idea of limiting where students can actually search for information, but couldn’t you do that on a wiki or website as well? I guess I’m a little confused about the differences. I browsed the site and even created an account, but I am still not understanding everything that Think Link does.

Reply
Christa Heath
10/3/2013 08:12:48 am

I believe this tools do engage our students because these types of formats is what our students are used to using in their recreational time. The time of our students using word or powerpoint for assignments has past.
Thing link can do the same as a Wiki or a webpage , however it has a different look with jewels, gems, and backgrounds which are more visuals to our students age.

Reply
Ashley Horne
10/5/2013 05:37:13 am

Christa,
I too am VERY jealous of the iPad carts. The only iPads we have available are for ELL students. Luckily I teach most of these and I can "play around" with theirs from time to time. I am very interested in learning more about this Thing Link. I have never heard of this tool. As an English/Language Arts/Reading teacher, I love that great minds think alike! I noticed that some of your teachers use the picture model with Voice Threads. I stated that we do this often. Sometimes we use Wordle to create a collage of words and then they try to infer what the topic is. Do you ever feel like with so much technology being available that the students get overwhelmed?

Reply



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    Author

    Christa Evans Heath
    Educator and Technology Specialist

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  • Home
  • Meet Christa
    • Centennial High School Learning Commons
    • Centennial High School Makerspace - The SPaCE
    • Contact
  • Resume
    • Education >
      • KSU Specialist Portfoilo >
        • Introduction
        • Video Reflection
        • Vision
        • Diversity
        • Capstone
        • Blog
        • Field Experiences
        • Standards >
          • Standard 1 >
            • 1.1 Shared Vision
            • 1.2 Strategic Planning
            • 1.3 Policies, Procedures, Programs & Funding
            • 1.4 Diffusion of Innovations & Change
          • Standard 2 >
            • 2.1 Content Standards & Student Tecnhology Standards
            • 2.2 Research-Based Learner-Centered Strategies
            • 2.3 Authentic Learning
            • 2.4 Higher Order Thinking Skills
            • 2.5 Differentiation
            • 2.6 Instructional Design
            • 2.7 Assessment
            • 2.8 Data Analysis
          • Standard 3 >
            • 3.1 Classroom Management & Collaborative Learning
            • 3.2 Managing Digital Tools and Resources
            • 3.3 Online & Blended Learning
            • 3.4 Adaptive and Assistive Technology
            • 3.5 Basic Troubleshooting
            • 3.6 Selecting and Evaluating Digital Tools & Resources
            • 3.7 Communication & Collaboration
          • Standard 4 >
            • 4.1 Digital Equity
            • 4.2 Safe, Heathly, Legal & Ethical Use
            • 4.3 Diversity, Cultural Understanding & Global Awareness
          • Standard 5 >
            • 5.1 Needs Assessment
            • 5.2 Professional Learning
            • 5.3 Program Evaluation
          • Standard 6 >
            • 6.1 Continuous Learning
            • 6.2 Reflection
            • 6.3 Field Experiences
      • Blog
  • Presentations
    • Freedom to Explore NCSS 2014
    • Gateway to Diplomacy NCSS 2013
    • Let’s Get Personal: Be the Champion of Your Student’s Personalized Learning Path - GAETC2016 >
      • Formative Assessments Presentation
      • Pre Assessment
      • Symbaloo Lesson Plans
      • Blendspace
      • iTunes U
      • PlayPosit
      • Post Assessment
      • Formative Resources
    • Let’s Get Personal: Use of Office 365 and Creation of Digital Student Portfolios >
      • Choice Boards
      • Sensory Figures
      • Collaboration Space
      • Portfoilo Resources
    • Pushing the Boundaries- ISTE 2016
  • Technology Lessons
  • Resources