Web 2.0 Applications outside the box

Last class we  briefly discussed how one can use web 2.0 tools in assessments or in other creative ways. There are plenty of word generators out there that can arrange text in customized ways or will locate the frequency of words from a URL. Tagcrowd can make clouds of personalized texts that students can incorporate into presentations or brain storming sessions, Wordle is one of my favs and aesthetically pleasing, and finally Tagxedo that I have shown below using my blog's URL.

Tagxedo

Wordle

Info graphic: Home-School Communications

For my infograph I wanted to create a visual representation that incorporated what I felt was important for school-home communication. After looking at many infographs, I noticed an array of options. I could create a detailed infograph that was very specific, like the email etiquette example in BB. I liked the infographs that had a more broad and general scope. The infograph I completed is one that would be used in collaboration with a presentation, that would give more detail to the points  in the info graph.

I arranged it with three I's: Inform, Involve, Include.
Inform: consists of incorporating communication between parents about their rights and NC's programs and core curriculum.
Involve: consists of web 2.0 tools to engage parent/teacher/student, as well as communication etiquette and positive feedback.
Include: I wanted to include ways to foster a multicultural environment that can assist the needs of ELLs, since I am in the ESL program at Meredith.

Sources: I used the sources available on blackboard: cyber safety documents, email etiquette documents on BB, FERPA, NC start, as well as a website I found about positive parent/teacher/student involvement.

Piktochart: The program I used was piktochart. It is a very useful tool and I loved that it's FREE! There are several templates to choose from. I didn't like any of the free ones personally, but I was able to use them with some practice. I consider myself "tech savvy" but it took a while to get the hang of the layout and options. It is one of those programs you must play with for a while to get the desired effect. One thing I did love is the ability to change the opacity of objects.

Also, I originally was going to go for a more "less graphics more text" look, but piktochart is a program that supports more visual objects less text. I think for this project it was fine, but for a more detailed text based infograph a different program would be needed.

Rubric: I used the one on BB, created by Kathy Shock.

Asynchronous Web Tools

Asynchronous web tools allows the "learner to use them when time and energy permit"(Bonk, 2009, p.207) and allow a setting where students are not "put on the spot"(Bonk, 2009, p.208). Tools such as voice thread are not in real time, but allow the learner to reflect and place input when time allows and when ready. Many students come from an array of cultures, and this allows some of the pressure that encompasses real time technology and responses.
I have used voice thread before, and like that it allows me to edit my comment or erase and re-record. This decreased the pressure to be right at all time, foresters creativity and  a more sporadic  and involved environment.

Bonk(2009) discusses other asynchronous tools, such as youtube. However I find voice thread to be more geared and directed towards education and class projects, where as youtube is a domain one has to be highly motivated to stay on task and not easily distracted. Youtube and other asynchronous tools can be used effectively in the classroom for students, but many need to be monitored.

Technology in Education

This is my blog for my class EDU.701 Power Tools for Educators.

I will post relevant information that serves for both the class expectations as well as my personal thoughts and opinions on how to integrate technology in education.

Educational practices are evolving: education and technology are merging in this digital world.

Nets: Technology and Education

NETS,  National Educational Technology Standards, is used to incorporate technology in the classroom  and interact with the rapidly changing global digital age. Schools are changing and NETS, under International Society for Technology in Education,(ISTE), is a toll that helps educators and students with academic technological involvement: "Schools do not have uniform curricula or philosophies, and many are in the midst of transformative change, with Web 2.0 technologies being part of the reason for such changes"(Bonk,2009, p.42). 

NETS consists of standards for both students and teachers:





Students: emphasize the ability to explore, analyze and collaborate with technology.

Teachers: emphasize staying knowledgable about new technology, and how to use this for both student and professional growth.