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Brief description ...: This program allows the teacher to create a visual word cloud from a list of words or passages which helps to familiarize the learner with information that will be covered during the lesson or training session. as a generative process, the learners working memory is stimulated as it opens the senses for what is to come, during the presentation. Brief explanation ...: I like this site because it can be used to summarize documents like reports, speeches, and etc. into easily read word clouds. In addition, it makes important words bigger than other words.

* Brief description of Web site: A free tool thAt Allows users to creAte online word clouds from sentences, whole documents, web Addresses, or tAbles. After completing, these word clouds cAn be printed out. * Brief explAnAtion of why you found this site to be better thAn others you found: Besides the fAct thAt this is A free resource, it is very user friendly becAuse it Allows users to design their own word clouds As they would like (i.e. choose their lAyout, choose their own colors, fonts, sizes, etc.).

Description: Allows users to creAte grAphics style Art with words. Words Are rAndomly positioned where the more importAnt words Are mAde bigger. ExplAnAtion: This is A greAt tool for tool for users to creAte A cluster of words About A topic And use them the sAme wAy they might use A grAphic. This wAs preferred to other progrAms becAuse there is no registrAtion required.

* Brief description of Web site: A free tool thAt Allows user the Ability to enhAnce their fAst-pAced online conversAtions. Users cAn creAte imAges And videos of whAt they see on their computer screen, And then shAre them instAntly with others. * Brief explAnAtion of why you found this site to be better thAn others you found: Besides the fAct thAt this is A free resource, this tool Allows for vArious modes of multimediA, including imAges/grAphics, text, And nArrAtion.

Jing is an online computer service that provides its users with the capability to capture basic video, animation, and still images, while also being able to share what has been captured on the web with others. Jing can capture anything displayed on the computer screen, including pictures, video, and even movements of the mouse. The final product can be saved for further use, shared online, or emailed to others, but videos are limited to five minutes. Jing is considered a technology-centered program that has the capability to produce learning. The technology-centered approach fails to lean to lasting improvements in education, therefore, the use of Jing alone would not warrant effective learning. This particular screencasting program is one of the best, because it is free and it can be used in a number of ways (from pre-training, to teaching, to presenting).

o Jing is a screencast program where users can create a video of their screens while narrating instructions. In addition, users can develop screenshots with notations to create manuals and instructions. Students can demonstrate procedural knowledge through the use of this program and make sense of processes. In addition, teachers can share vast guidance on how online programs and feature work through the creation of screencasts. o The site is free which is pretty incredible considering you can also host your videos and share them via a url which makes emailing large files much easier. The site is easy to use and the quality of the screencasts remarkable.

Assignment, Module 3 - Mindomo.com is A web-bAsed, grAphic orgAnizer tool thAt Allows users to mAnAge, plAn, trAck, And prioritize tAsks.  Although there is A minimAl chArge for the premium pAckAge And group rAtes, the bAsic service is free.  The site Allows you to embed videos And photos And Add links.  Some AdvAntAges of this site Are:  users cAn instAll Mindomo on your desktop to work offline, And Mindomo recognizes And imports mind mAp formAts from other services.

Mindomo is a mind mapping tool that not only allows users to create a map for a concept, but also allows for collaboration and the addition of multimedia elements. This tool can be used at the end of a workshop to allow participants to share their knowledge with each other or with those who did not attend the workshop through the creation of a mind map. I have not used this particular tool, but it looks to be fairly easy to use. The fact that it allows for the addition of multimedia elements to the mind map makes it even more appealing.

Mindomo (http://www.mindomo.com) is an incredible graphic organization site. This site allows the user to create interactive graphic organizers. They can choose the layout they want, import pictures, and add video or audio clips, hyperlinks and much more to the graphic organizer. This allows the user to create dynamic interactive graphic organizers that demonstrate whatever they are trying to get the learner to learn. The graphic organizers can be saved and shared within the site or embedded into a website for others to view. This site has two levels of service the free component does not allow the user the same privileges as the paid customer such as uploading pictures but with the free component the user is able to still make a interactive dynamic presentation. This site is better than some of its counterparts like Inspiration and even Bubbl.us because it allows the user to embed the graphic organizer into a website or create a slide show presentation of what they are trying to do.

On this site, users are able to create customizable mind maps. Multiple formats are available to save the product. additionally, other users are able to modify the created the mind map. I chose this site because of the control the user has with the product and the collaboration possibilities.

This website provides a way to create creative graphic organizers to make connections with prior and new learning. Students are then able to "see" connections with the color coding of information. The organizer can be completed prior to the lesson and broken down into pieces and archived into the slides using Interwrite. Bubbl.us is technology centered because content is entered into the text boxed. Then the students print out their mind map. The mind map helps students to choose what is important to remember because of the limited capacity of working memory. (Mayer, 2008)

Bubbl.us is a free web application that allows users to create an interactive web based graphic organizer. as with other graphic organizers, Bubbl.us will aid the generative process and allow users to organize and categorize what is being learned at a given time.

I know we only needed two pre-training websites, but I just wanted to include this one so that I did not forget about it, as I find it to be a great resource. What it does: Generates a list of synonyms for a chosen word. Provides a "mind map" type of chart for the synonyms. Why this one: It is extremely simple and quick to use. Teaches are always short on time. This is a resource that requires no learning time. Results are immediate. Learning benefits: The mind map results chart is great for generative learning. It launches possibilities from which a learner can begin brainstorming.

The Visual Thesaurus is an interactive dictionary and thesaurus that encourages exploration and learning. This program is easy to use and creates word maps that blossom with meanings and branch to related words, helping to understand the concepts to engage in the learning process.

Although this website requires A subscription, I found it to be so eAsy to use thAt its well worth it. My pArticipAnts cAn tAke Any key word they wAnt And instAntly creAte A thinkmAp with A few clicks!

What it does: allows teachers to create a simple cartoon strip. Why this one: It is free and easy to use. It provides templates from which to choose. I see a great benefit in that teachers can quickly create a dozen of these messages in the same time it would take to create just 1 video message. Therefore, time and practicality are key benefits. as mentioned above, I have tried to maintain the need for simplicity and efficient use of time. Creating multimedia presentations are but a small fraction of the enormous number of jobs a teacher must complete. Learning benefits: I see this more for generative learning. Role playing, "what if" scenarios, and thought-provoking situations can be presented by the teachers.

This is a tool which can be used for digital storytelling.  It is technology centered although its use is learner centered.  I incorporated the use of this tool with students from another school to retell parables with a 21st century twist in the middle school curriculum of the private Christian school at which I taught.

This is a free site that allow you to create cartoons using the available images, images you create, or your own photos. Just drag and drop!

Glogster EDU www.glogster.com The first authentic assessment activity website that I chose is called Glogster EDU. Glogster EDU is a website like no other resource I have ever seen. Glogster EDU is a creative, dynamic and innovative digital outlet for online creations that keeps learners in engaged in course content, and makes teaching and learning more fun (Glogster EDU, 2009). Glogster EDU is a vibrant, multi-sensory learning experience which integrates learner's knowledge and skills into traditionally text-oriented subjects and motivates learner's desire to explore topics in which they may previously have been less interested (Glogster EDU, 2009). The reason I chose Glogster EDU as one of my authentic assessment activities is because I have used it in my classroom and it works great. Glogster EDU is a powerful resource to use with students of the middle and high school levels because its possibilities are controlled by the students knowledge and creativity. Educators can set up assessments easily and quickly using the resources provided by the site host. Glogster EDU can be used for any type of assessment where students need to illustrate their understanding of course content. Glogster EDU also provides its own video site called Schooltube where students can research, watch, and add video to their personal glog adding the much needed audiovisual aspect to projects that normally would have been text based. I also really like the fact that Glogster EDU is a private site monitored by teachers; it gives me a sense of assurance that my students won't be accessing information that could get them or me in trouble.

Glogster allows users to create digital posters that incorporate video, text, pictures, and sound.

Glogster (www.glogster.com) allows teachers and students to create interactive projects. Teachers can design interactive glogs for their students to complete or assign the students to create their own glog for a class project. Either way this allows for the teacher to really control the learning. Mayer (2009) would consider Glogster knowledge construction because students will have to view the videos, read the articles, and examine the pictures that the teacher embeds in their glog to form an opinion or to create their own glog. When a student creates their own glog no two will be exactly the same.

This website utilizes pictures, video or any type of work that can be uploaded to the site by a teacher or a student. Participants are able to provide written, voice or video comments about the posted artifact. This is a collaborative, student-centered site that promotes cognitive processing of information. This artifact represents what Mayer (2009) calls dual coding, including both textual and visual components. The students have the opportunity to respond in a variety of ways to the instruction which promotes higher level thinking skills. I plan to create my own Voice Thread using our own student writing.

VoiceThread allows its users to create a slideshow presentation using images and/or video components. Once the presentation has been designed and ready to share, it can be embedded onto any webpage. This allows for easier access to its users and viewers. This particular online presentation program was much easier to use and access than many of the other programs that I viewed. It also allows for collaboration among classmates and instructors, by permitting others to comment on each photo through text, audio, or video.

VoiceThread is a collaborative tool that allows users to upload media and engage in dialogue. Users can provide commentary on the media that is presented through typing or voice recording. an additional feature of VoiceThread allows users to draw with a pen as a way of highlighting while they are talking. The administrator has options to block participants' responses from each other before revealing all the comments for viewing. This website supports essential and generative learning because participants are given the opportunity to demonstrate their ability to transfer knowledge gained.

What it does: It allows you to create a collage of pictures that scroll horizontally across the screen. It allows for links and embedded videos as well. Why this one: One version of it is free. It is simple and easy to use. It maintains interest as the photos scroll across the screen and seems to eliminate many of the possible extraneous material that is sometimes easily added to a multimedia presentation. The rate and flow of the scrolling is user controlled. Learning benefits: Text can be added, but this application is an excellent example of how "a picture paints a thousand words," and how a learner can generate their own interpretation and message from the presentation.

You can use Collage to quickly produce dynamic interactive panoramas with hot-spots. Use Studio to build a personalized media presentation and, place it in your Collage. Use express to build presentations with dynamic content from RSS feeds and online albums. Tap into Cut-out Express to use your photos as frames for slideshows. Vuvox is user friendly with a fast layout and customization of photos, video, text and music. It is easy to add media hotspots, narrate interactivity, and publish to any webpage.

This is a presentation creation program on the web that allows the addition of images and text in different ways, such as collage. There is a limited free version and the program is easy to use.

This is a free software package is on your Microsoft CD or, you can download it from Microsoft.com. Using Photostory, you can create slideshows using your digital photos. With a single click, you can touch-up, crop, or rotate pictures, remove red-eye, add stunning special effects, soundtracks, and your own voice narration to your photo stories. Then, you can personalize them with titles and captions. Small file sizes make it easy to send your photo stories in an e-mail or watch them on your TV, a computer, or a Windows Mobile-based portable device. Students can take their own digital photos to create a time-line, presentation, or video product.

Viddix allows you to connect all kinds of web content to your videos. You can really interact with your audience and deliver your messages more effectively. Upload your video and support notes, images, etc. VIDDIX is great for presentations, pitches, lectures and a lot more. Teachers can show slides next to a video lecture, can offer a PDF download with extra information or study guide, and allows student bloggers to ask a question which can be answered instantly by his viewers using a poll. Viddix allows you to view the presentations on double presentation screens, and publish to any webpage Demo Link: http://www.viddix.com/watch.php?v=47f43c36a5ed5

This website gives instructions and templates for storyboarding, a crucial prestep to using any tool to make a story, text, audio, or video. Students produce much superior products when they storyboard first. This is part of a learner-centered curriculum on digitalstorytelling, not a how to manual or part of a technology-centered curriculum, although technology tools can be used to create storyboards (one can also use paper templates).

Prezi is an online presentation software tool that allows you to create wonderful presentations that will capture your audience's attention. It can be used in the classroom as a teaching tool or with the students. I think this site was good because Prezi gives you basic setup options and lessons to assist you in creating your presentation and learning how to use it.

Prezi allows a presenter to make an online presentation similar to the standard PowerPoint, but with much more interest and relationship. The movement of the presentation is within words and photos using a zoom in or fly-over effect. Effective presentations can be created to show relationship. additionally, using the tool with students does not require that they have the software at home to work outside of class (just a side note).

Prezi is like a PowerPoint but is more interesting. Video and other links can be embedded.

Slideboom is a web site that allows you to upload, store, and then publish presentations to the web. It works with power point animations and is free.

Slideboom http://www.slideboom.com/ This site will allow me to upload my powerpoint presentation so that the participants will always have access to it without having to have a download. This site is free and plays the slideshow in a video format. This site is a good site for developing the participant's essnetial laerning allowing them to process the infomration form a vairety of ways; visual, and auditory. I chose this site becasue it is free and it can be accessed from any internet site. This will be good for the participants to use as a reference after the presentation.

Slideboom is a website to upload Powerpoint presentations even 2010 and keeps the full presentation intact.Slideboom will also allow the user to embed their presentation into websites like wikis, blogs, Facebook, etc.Slideboom has an add-on(iSpring free) where you can upload your presentation directly from Powerpoint. For those reluctant to try new technologies, this is an easy place to start. Like other presentation technologies, Slideboom allows the user to organize and integrate the information presented.

authorSTREaM is an online tool that will convert timed or narrated PowerPoint presentations to video and retain most settings applied to the original slide show. also, the videos can be downloaded or posted to various locations online and linked to via blogs, wikis, and other Web sites. Learners can benefit from the variety of features offered such as retaining transitions and special effects to capture attention and the use of video and narration adheres to dual coding principles. By combining those features, complex material can be presented in a manner that assists learners generative cognitive load. I found this tool to be better than others given its simplicity and the fact that it retains transitions and animations. The overall quality of the output is quite good also and the use of the tool is fairly straight forward.

AuthorstreAm is the hosting site for uploAding And storAge of PowerPoint (PPT) presentAtions. PArticipAnts cAn then downloAd these presentAtions As video for editing into one seAmless presentAtion of A mixture of PPT And video for uploAding to YouTube or other video hosting site. This is initiAlly A free site for users, but you will find it soon necessAry to pAy the AnnuAl AuthorstreAm Pro fee of 30 dollArs or $2.50 A month thAt is, if you wAnt to convert PPT presentAtions to video formAtting. AuthorstreAm offers other significAnt options in the Pro pAckAge thAt helps you do plenty more with your PPT creAtions. This is the best suited site for supporting Microsoft PPT for it is user friendly And quite common.

Like Google Presenter, AuthorstreAm Allows users to uploAd And shAre presentAtions. This cAn be used by instructors to Assess student integrAtion And generAtive leArning. AuthorstreAm Allows users A public spAce for broAd distribution And visibility of their shAred presentAtion. This is importAnt for students As they prepAre to leAve AcAdemiA And enter the professionAl world. In Addition, students cAn eAsily embed And shAre their presentAtions in blogs And other sociAl mediA. FinAlly, AuthorstreAm more eAsily integrAtes Audio And AnimAtion when compAred to other online presenting formAts.

Assignment, Module 3 - Edmodo.com is A free, secure, sociAl leArning site for clAssrooms.  It is A blogging-type plAtform thAt Allows users to shAre ideAs, post questions, polls, files, links, And other Assignments.  Students cAn creAte An AvAtAr for responding to the Assignment.  It Also Allows for mobile Access And messAging.  It includes A clAss cAlendAr, A grAding ApplicAtion, And RSS feeds.  EducAtors cAn set up A secure site for eAch clAss or leArning unit.  It cAn be employed in A  synchronous or Asynchronous formAt.   Also, it includes A teAcher connections forum.

* Edmodo is a social networking/learning management system tool for students and teachers to engage and personalize learning, connect with resources, and measure progress. It can be used for essential or generative learning through participation in discussion threads, learning groups and communities, delivery of content for assignments and resources, and taking tests and quizzes. * I found Edmodo to be better than other authentic assessment activity resources because many teachers use it as a learning management system, it is easy to use and provides a safe and secure online classroom environment that is free. Edmodo also provides the capability of interfacing assignment and assessments with other web resources.

trackstar offers teachers a way to control the internet for students. http://trackstar.4teachers.org/trackstar/;jsessionid=D1671293B1a30DDCF0425D894C2729D9 With trackstar the teacher generates a list of sites that the students will use to answer a given series of questions. The questions should lead to discovery on the websites annotated in the trackstar. I chose trackstar because it is very easy to use and has been in use for quite a while. This means that many trackstars have already been created for use by other teachers. a quick search through the database could deliver exactly what you need for your next activity.

An essentiAl pArt to PD is estAblishing relevAnce to whAt hAppens in the clAssroom. For mAny teAchers implementing AdditionAl strAtegies to struggling reAders or ELLs mAy seem overwhelming. MAny teAchers mAy AlreAdy be using ESOL strAtegies in the clAssroom And mAy not even know it! Using this list of reAding Activities As A primer for bAckground knowledge for some And A pre-trAining Activity for others will help teAchers reAlize thAt mAny ESOL strAtegies Are just good educAtionAl prActice. The ReAding Resource is A cleAringhouse of effective strAtegies for reAding And Although it is A bit difficult to nAvigAte, it hAs A lot of resources for teAchers from All educAtionAl levels.

This website provides a tutorial explanation sheet on how to create a graphic organizer in Microsoft Word. Step by step instructions with a visual are provided for viewer. The website is a great way for teachers to become familiar with technology and creating a customized graphic organizer to fit the content needs. Explanations on how to insert shapes and change the color scheme are detailed enough to help the uneducated participant. The visuals add to the explanation of how to create the graphic organizer. The user can see how the screen on Microsoft word should appear; this assists in finding the correct icon for each step.

This is a great tutorial on basic computer skills for participants who are uncomfortable using the computer. In order to use clickers in the classroom, one must be familiar with the computer. Some individuals that may complete the workshop are still unsure on how to use a computer. The video provides visuals and screen shots for the viewer to see how easy tasks are on the computer. Mayer (2010) explains essential learning as of understanding due to not having a sound previous understanding of a concept. The website helps the user create a graphic organizer. There are step by step instructions to guide the user through. By completing the tutorial, the participant is being pre-taught and gaining the basic knowledge to help then continue through.