The post that I've selected for my week is very practical. http://web2012.discoveryeducation.com/web20tools.cfm Educators can use this site as a refrence point to familiarize themselves with Web 2.0 technologies. It has really great Web 2.0 resources that link up to 'Discovery Education' site, of which I use very regularly within my classroom setting. Web 2.0 allows students to create, blog, communicate, and therefore grow as learners, so we should be using these tools to enhance our lessons. As the site states, students are able to collaborate with each other. This can be done from virtually anywhere there is a computer and internet access. The website is more of a resource center that provides links for anyone of my classmates to access. It has presentation, video, mobile, and community tools that help facilitate Web 2.0 technologies for the curious. For example, programs such as Slideshare, Prezi, 280 slides, Picviewer, Animoto, Gizmoz, Photopeach are just a few of the creative ways to communicate and create through Web 2.0 technologies. * My question to my classmates- Think about the Web 2.0 tools that you currently are using, or would like to use in your classroom. Discuss with the class, what Web 2.0 technology you are using, and why it is so affective in your classroom.
* My question to my classmates- Think about the Web 2.0 tools that you currently are using, or would like to use in your classroom. Discuss with the class, what Web 2.0 technology you are using, and why it is so affective in your classroom?
Maricela, Thanks for the resource list. I use several Web 2.0 tools in my classroom, one of the tools that the students seems to enjoy is PollEverywhere. PollEverywhere allows students to answer questions by sending a SMS text message, using a Smartphone or send a text on Twitter or vote using a regular web browser with any other device. A question is posed by the instructor with a given code, the students then text the code and then their vote. Students watch as the results are being displayed in a graft. It works in PowerPoint using PollEv Presenter App. This will give the ability to customize the look and has the ability to embed it in the PowerPoint presentation.(if that is what you use) I teach face-to-face, so I really have not investigated the possibilities for online learning and PollEverywhere.
I think PollEverywhere is effective for me as an indicator of how well the class is going. I usually start the class off with a general question of well being, then periodically through out the class I will pose a question to see if: 1. students are engaged 2. students are learning 3. I need to focus my attention in a different place or have students repeat certain aspects of the class.
PollEverywhere allows to students to express their answers without feeling embarrassed or shy about wrong answers. It helps students also to check their understanding against others in the class. I find it a quick and effective way to check for comprehension among all my students. Here is the PollEverywhere How It Works website http://www.polleverywhere.com/how-it-works
I have also used Poll Everywhere very effectively with my students and colleagues. In fact, in our last staff development, the entire school used Poll Everywhere. I was selected as one of the facilitators. I have been using this tool for a couple of years and was rather surprised that many faculty and staff had not heard about. I used in my classroom for sharing grades, surveys, feedback, and so on. Students are really excited because they can "legally" use their cell phone in class. In fact, I require that students bring their cell phones because we may do some Poll Everywhere activity. The other tool that I have used is Animoto. I think that video really brings the content to life. What I really like about Animoto is that the videos must be short and may contain music.
Maricela, great site and great question. In my experience as a teacher I did not really know about these tools. I think from what I read I would like to use both poll everywhere and slide show. I think as a social studies teacher I could definitely use both. I especially like poll everywhere because of the quick feed back from students. I might get trouble for students using their phones but that is something I will have to coordinate with the administration. If it means keeping the student intrigued and focused in the class then by all means I will use it.
Enrique, Your students will really like PollEverywhere. If for some reason i don't use it in class my students feel slighted. As for the administration, if they see an increase in student engagement, higher quiz and test scores and a teacher who is less stressed then they might make it mandatory! It is worth a try!
Maricela, Great question and post, it really got me thinking of what tools are available and could be used in the classroom. I have no true classroom at this time but do think about my training activities with my staff and external user offices at work and think I have a really good mix of Web2.0 tools that are used for instruction.
One major tool that we now use is from Microsoft called Lync. Lync allows me to connect to individuals that report directly to me or from any other office on my campus. Additionally, Lync is available on most major wireless devices (iOS, Android, etc) giving me the flexibility to answer questions or provide assistance anytime/anywhere. Finally, Lync allows for desktop or specific application sharing making the assistance/instruction more meaningful.
Lync allows me to provide targeted instruction for new or existing office users in the utilization or implementation of new business process or applications. Users may view my screen or I may view their screens however the former is what I prefer to have the user be empowered and not feel like I did some magic-technology shortcuts and they didn't learn. I could easily see this used in training of adult learners either face-to-face in a computer lab or remotely as the instructor would have this ability to peek into the users computer and watch them go through the assignment or give pointers/feedback on how to complete.
There are many applications that have these same features, Blackboard Collaborate is one of them but shares one key feature with Lync, they are both services at a cost. Web2.0 applications are usually free for use and easy to use. Some comparable Web2.0 chat/desktop sharing applications Aimoo, Lefora, micromobs, and many more available at the link mentioned below.
Maricela, In my classroom this year, I've used Google Forms, Google Docs, Google Spreadsheet, MS Word, MS Excel, PowerPoint, Google Presentations, Prezi.com, Animoto.com, Dipity.com, Powtoons, Google Drawings, Google Sites, Google Drive, and emailing services. For different assignments, I've required one of the aforementioned services. At this point, most students are familiar with the various software.
So, the idea is that since they have some familiarity with these programs, they can have a choice on which ones students want to use for assignments. I use these programs mentioned above because they are easy to use and because they are not blocked on my campus. It's difficult when every blog, imgur,com, and youtube are all blocked on my campus.
Rene, Using polleverywhere, I thought it was limited to a point. Do you pay to use it? I like polleverywhere but some students don't have cell phones. Any suggestions on how to include those students that don't have access?
Daniel, Any "free" application has limitations. Poll Everywhere is not exception. I use the free version. Like other applications you have to find your way around it. For example, only a limited of students can vote. The way I go around that is that I save every class poll and reset the poll for another class. If students do not have a cell phone, they may vote online. When you create a poll, the application will provide the information students need to vote by phone or by Internent.
Maricela, I am currently not an educator but my workplace does incorporate a moderate use of web 2.0 tools. Our division uses social media such as Facebook and Twitter to inform students about upcoming deadlines, events, and any updates (such as the campus closure we experienced a couple of weeks ago). I think it is effective since the information is relayed to them much quicker than an email. Many of the students have these applications on their mobile devices and can easily view the notification. Amongst my colleagues, we use the chat feature of Skype to communicate with each other since we are all a bit further from each other than in our previous office location. I find it much easier than picking up the phone and it is also convenient in case your colleague is on a call with someone. He/she can still communicate with you without interrupting the phone conversation.
I think it would be great if our division could incorporate a web 2.0 tool as a survey instrument. It is important for us to receive feedback on the services we provide to students. I have used Survey Monkey in other course projects but have also heard people talk about the use of Google Forms. I have not had the opportunity to research it but I am interested to compare the pros and cons of each. From the website you provided, it looks like PollEverywhere might also be an option to use at different campus events that we host.
Lu, You bring up a great point about how PollEverywhere can allow students to express themselves without feeling embarrassed or shy about wrong answers. I think we have all experienced as a student and/or teacher, a point in time when a question is asked and hardly anyone or no one attempts to answer. It is likely there are several students that would like to attempt to answer but are hesitant for several reasons. It's great to see that technology can provide opportunities for these types of students to communicate and stay engaged with the class. For teachers, it seems this tool can also provide a quick way to gauge their students' understanding of a topic.
Enrique, SlideShare is a very easy to use presentation tool. It is not the fanciest of the presentation tools, but for your basic PowerPoint presentation it does the trick. I only recently became aware of it over the summer while taking a class. I found sharing presentations through this tool much faster and quicker than having to ask the audience to download the actual PowerPoint presentation. You might also look into Prezi if you want to provide a more engaging presentation. You basically work off of a huge canvas and can have the presentation move along a path on the canvas. You can easily incorporate YouTube videos, music, and zooming features.
Maricela, I have been using Wordpress for a few years now. This tool is excellent for blogging; the blogs seem more personal and much easier to read than using the traditional Blackboard set up. Students seem to be more at ease using Wordpress to blog and it's a lot less complicated than Blackboard.
Daniel, thanks for introducing us to Powtoons last semester, it's a great tool and a lot of fun to work with. I asked the coordinator of the undergraduate EDTC courses if I could remove one of the current projects in a class I teach and create one where students will use Powtoons. She was very excited but of course this would be later on this year or next since redesigning a class is time consuming.
Maricela, I have been using Wordpress for a few years now. This tool is excellent for blogging; the blogs seem more personal and much easier to read than using the traditional Blackboard set up. Students seem to be more at ease using Wordpress to blog and it's a lot less complicated than Blackboard.
Martin, I totally agree with you about Wordpress in that "the blogs seem more personal and much easier to read than using the traditional Blackboard set up." The first time I ever posted to a discussion thread in Blackboard no one posted to me. I thought, "Ok I know the post wasn't that bad?" I found out later I had posted but not in the thread. It even took the instructor some time to find my post! Wordpress makes it so easy to see all the post and in a sequence that makes sense, but most importantly it allows the student to continually see the original question,article or post. This helps the student to be able to post without having to flip between pages which aids in contiguity.
Amanda, I have also used SurveyMonkey in other classes and projects. Although I think it is a wonderful tool to get a comprehensive view of students/educators/participants view points, I think it takes some set up time and energy. For quick, easy and fun polls, PollEverywhere is a great choice. I taught high school before the college scene and our administrator would use it too get opinions in a meeting without anyone having to be the bad guy. You want to be negative about something but are hesitant to say anything in public, well you could and avoid the confrontation. Most of the time there were many others that felt the same way!
I have used Survey monkey, Google Docs, Blogger , WordPress, Video scribe and several other web 2.0 tools with students and with my co-workers as well. I can tell you Video Scribe is by far the one I use the most. I like it because it is easy to use and people have reacted positively to the video Scribe videos. My current boss really like the video I develop for the department. I have developed other videos using camtasia but it is not as engaging as Video Scribe so say my students when I evaluated them.
Martin, I have also used WordPress but I feel Blogger is easier to use than WordPress. I guess it depends on the reasons you are using either application or what outcomes would like to address or showcase. I agree that Blackboard is a little more complicated than students would like it to be.
My teachers are always looking for Web. 2.0 resources and enjoy teaching them the tools, the issue has always been how do the incorporate the technology into their lessons.I have notice that once they feel comfortable with the web tools the they start using or incorporating it into the lesson-self efficacy. During our discussion with technology I explain that the tools is not as important as the "impact" that the technology has on learning. Try Aurasma for augmented reality, Remind 101 for messaging, TodaysMeet for engagement, Educreations for podcasting, Pic Collage for storyboards and Scorative for assessment. QR codes are also excellent for ELA. Each tool requires time to learn then the hard part is to incorporated into the lesson.
Great site! I have been out of the classroom (in the role of teacher) for a while, but still see many of the Web 2.0 applications that could have helped students understand how lessons were being taught was just as import as what was being taught. Establishing relevance for students is very important. Actually students are already immersed in the use of some Web 2.0 tools; we just need to show them how to use them in becoming successful productive citizens.
For example, I now incorporate Web 2.0 tools in carrying out my daily duties as an District Administrator. I am hosting a District level Committee Meeting tomorrow where I will need to report on peoples attitudes and opinions regarding the information being shared. I will use an online survey at the end of the presentation to capture the information and graphically present the information to my boss within minutes of its close.
An interesting (and apt) topic. Although I'm not currently in a classroom, my company is broken down to divisions, then further broken down to Scrum teams, and then by departments. Needless to say, it can get pretty confusing. I've noticed that communication regularly breaks down, with one team not knowing what the other needed or completed. Likewise, I have been put on the spot when I have been asked to brief a status update on something I wasn't aware. While painful, my organization now uses a combination of wiki programs that allow multiple users to post updates for their respective teams, organizational updates, goals, and anything that might be helpful to know (similar to Google Docs). However, we also use virtual meeting spaces, videoconferencing, and other helpful programs that bring our global operations to a single conference room or meeting space. Without getting too far off topic, I think Web 2.0 tools are not just a helpful tool for a classroom. They are helpful in business environments that are helping to make our world into a much smaller, more accessible environment.
Amanda, That is neat how the campus is incorporating social media to update students on important news, and everyday happenings. We have definitely become one with the times, and as we know the faster information travels the better for us all. What better way than to use programs like Twitter to provide information "in real time." It's the model of "you think it- post it," which has made this world even smaller. The smart phone and web 2.0 technologies have definitely revolutionized the way people communicate nowadays. I'm glad you found some benefit to my post. It's always informative reading yours.
Rene, Poll Everywhere is definitely a great Web 2.0 technology that can provide feedback. In an instant, the program can really alter/shift the whole dynamic of a polling situation. The whole cell phone in the classroom really seems scary though. As teachers, we have an intended purpose for these devices- however, not all students will follow that purpose. But I agree that cell phones are definitely very useful in education. I too used Animoto last year for a course, and found it to be very effective when bringing content to life; it is a creative way to showcase one's work. Thanks for replying to my post.
Maricela Gonzales, I use Edmodo in my math classroom, even though online learning systems lend themselves to social sciences. Edmodo has served as a great way to respond to students' question in an explicit form, which then helps them understanding how to write out their math processes. I'm trying to transition to the other web 2.0 tools, but it's taking time and planning to be able to incorporate them. Great posting, thank you for providing additional tools.
Totally agree the WordPress has some favorable features. It is much easier to follow a thread that is visually connected to the the item you are commenting on.
I enjoy using WordPress, its the most popular blogging software on the market. Its easy to use, your able to manage your website from any computer, you have control of your own website which is awesome and you can have multiple users. Its user friendly and very reliable, I really like it and I recommend it.
Martin, I am glad you like Powtoons. My wife was introduced to GoAnimate in one of her doctoral classes last semester and really liked how easy it was to use. Check it out and let me know what you think.
Educators can use this site as a refrence point to familiarize themselves with Web 2.0 technologies. It has really great Web 2.0 resources that link up to 'Discovery Education' site, of which I use very regularly within my classroom setting. Web 2.0 allows students to create, blog, communicate, and therefore grow as learners, so we should be using these tools to enhance our lessons. As the site states, students are able to collaborate with each other. This can be done from virtually anywhere there is a computer and internet access. The website is more of a resource center that provides links for anyone of my classmates to access. It has presentation, video, mobile, and community tools that help facilitate Web 2.0 technologies for the curious. For example, programs such as Slideshare, Prezi, 280 slides, Picviewer, Animoto, Gizmoz, Photopeach are just a few of the creative ways to communicate and create through Web 2.0 technologies.
* My question to my classmates- Think about the Web 2.0 tools that you currently are using, or would like to use in your classroom. Discuss with the class, what Web 2.0 technology you are using, and why it is so affective in your classroom.
Thanks for the resource list. I use several Web 2.0 tools in my classroom, one of the tools that the students seems to enjoy is PollEverywhere. PollEverywhere allows students to answer questions by sending a SMS text message, using a Smartphone or send a text on Twitter or vote using a regular web browser with any other device. A question is posed by the instructor with a given code, the students then text the code and then their vote. Students watch as the results are being displayed in a graft. It works in PowerPoint using PollEv Presenter App. This will give the ability to customize the look and has the ability to embed it in the PowerPoint presentation.(if that is what you use) I teach face-to-face, so I really have not investigated the possibilities for online learning and PollEverywhere.
I think PollEverywhere is effective for me as an indicator of how well the class is going. I usually start the class off with a general question of well being, then periodically through out the class I will pose a question to see if:
1. students are engaged
2. students are learning
3. I need to focus my attention in a different place or have students repeat certain aspects of the class.
PollEverywhere allows to students to express their answers without feeling embarrassed or shy about wrong answers. It helps students also to check their understanding against others in the class. I find it a quick and effective way to check for comprehension among all my students. Here is the PollEverywhere How It Works website http://www.polleverywhere.com/how-it-works
The other tool that I have used is Animoto. I think that video really brings the content to life. What I really like about Animoto is that the videos must be short and may contain music.
Your students will really like PollEverywhere. If for some reason i don't use it in class my students feel slighted. As for the administration, if they see an increase in student engagement, higher quiz and test scores and a teacher who is less stressed then they might make it mandatory! It is worth a try!
Great question and post, it really got me thinking of what tools are available and could be used in the classroom. I have no true classroom at this time but do think about my training activities with my staff and external user offices at work and think I have a really good mix of Web2.0 tools that are used for instruction.
One major tool that we now use is from Microsoft called Lync. Lync allows me to connect to individuals that report directly to me or from any other office on my campus. Additionally, Lync is available on most major wireless devices (iOS, Android, etc) giving me the flexibility to answer questions or provide assistance anytime/anywhere. Finally, Lync allows for desktop or specific application sharing making the assistance/instruction more meaningful.
Lync allows me to provide targeted instruction for new or existing office users in the utilization or implementation of new business process or applications. Users may view my screen or I may view their screens however the former is what I prefer to have the user be empowered and not feel like I did some magic-technology shortcuts and they didn't learn. I could easily see this used in training of adult learners either face-to-face in a computer lab or remotely as the instructor would have this ability to peek into the users computer and watch them go through the assignment or give pointers/feedback on how to complete.
There are many applications that have these same features, Blackboard Collaborate is one of them but shares one key feature with Lync, they are both services at a cost. Web2.0 applications are usually free for use and easy to use. Some comparable Web2.0 chat/desktop sharing applications Aimoo, Lefora, micromobs, and many more available at the link mentioned below.
Web 2.0 tools for communications
=========================
http://www.philb.com/iwantto/web2comm1.htm
In my classroom this year, I've used Google Forms, Google Docs, Google Spreadsheet, MS Word, MS Excel, PowerPoint, Google Presentations, Prezi.com, Animoto.com, Dipity.com, Powtoons, Google Drawings, Google Sites, Google Drive, and emailing services. For different assignments, I've required one of the aforementioned services. At this point, most students are familiar with the various software.
So, the idea is that since they have some familiarity with these programs, they can have a choice on which ones students want to use for assignments. I use these programs mentioned above because they are easy to use and because they are not blocked on my campus. It's difficult when every blog, imgur,com, and youtube are all blocked on my campus.
Using polleverywhere, I thought it was limited to a point. Do you pay to use it? I like polleverywhere but some students don't have cell phones. Any suggestions on how to include those students that don't have access?
Any "free" application has limitations. Poll Everywhere is not exception. I use the free version. Like other applications you have to find your way around it. For example, only a limited of students can vote. The way I go around that is that I save every class poll and reset the poll for another class. If students do not have a cell phone, they may vote online. When you create a poll, the application will provide the information students need to vote by phone or by Internent.
I am currently not an educator but my workplace does incorporate a moderate use of web 2.0 tools. Our division uses social media such as Facebook and Twitter to inform students about upcoming deadlines, events, and any updates (such as the campus closure we experienced a couple of weeks ago). I think it is effective since the information is relayed to them much quicker than an email. Many of the students have these applications on their mobile devices and can easily view the notification. Amongst my colleagues, we use the chat feature of Skype to communicate with each other since we are all a bit further from each other than in our previous office location. I find it much easier than picking up the phone and it is also convenient in case your colleague is on a call with someone. He/she can still communicate with you without interrupting the phone conversation.
I think it would be great if our division could incorporate a web 2.0 tool as a survey instrument. It is important for us to receive feedback on the services we provide to students. I have used Survey Monkey in other course projects but have also heard people talk about the use of Google Forms. I have not had the opportunity to research it but I am interested to compare the pros and cons of each. From the website you provided, it looks like PollEverywhere might also be an option to use at different campus events that we host.
You bring up a great point about how PollEverywhere can allow students to express themselves without feeling embarrassed or shy about wrong answers. I think we have all experienced as a student and/or teacher, a point in time when a question is asked and hardly anyone or no one attempts to answer. It is likely there are several students that would like to attempt to answer but are hesitant for several reasons. It's great to see that technology can provide opportunities for these types of students to communicate and stay engaged with the class. For teachers, it seems this tool can also provide a quick way to gauge their students' understanding of a topic.
SlideShare is a very easy to use presentation tool. It is not the fanciest of the presentation tools, but for your basic PowerPoint presentation it does the trick. I only recently became aware of it over the summer while taking a class. I found sharing presentations through this tool much faster and quicker than having to ask the audience to download the actual PowerPoint presentation. You might also look into Prezi if you want to provide a more engaging presentation. You basically work off of a huge canvas and can have the presentation move along a path on the canvas. You can easily incorporate YouTube videos, music, and zooming features.
I have been using Wordpress for a few years now. This tool is excellent for blogging; the blogs seem more personal and much easier to read than using the traditional Blackboard set up. Students seem to be more at ease using Wordpress to blog and it's a lot less complicated than Blackboard.
I have been using Wordpress for a few years now. This tool is excellent for blogging; the blogs seem more personal and much easier to read than using the traditional Blackboard set up. Students seem to be more at ease using Wordpress to blog and it's a lot less complicated than Blackboard.
I totally agree with you about Wordpress in that "the blogs seem more personal and much easier to read than using the traditional Blackboard set up." The first time I ever posted to a discussion thread in Blackboard no one posted to me. I thought, "Ok I know the post wasn't that bad?" I found out later I had posted but not in the thread. It even took the instructor some time to find my post! Wordpress makes it so easy to see all the post and in a sequence that makes sense, but most importantly it allows the student to continually see the original question,article or post. This helps the student to be able to post without having to flip between pages which aids in contiguity.
I have also used SurveyMonkey in other classes and projects. Although I think it is a wonderful tool to get a comprehensive view of students/educators/participants view points, I think it takes some set up time and energy. For quick, easy and fun polls, PollEverywhere is a great choice. I taught high school before the college scene and our administrator would use it too get opinions in a meeting without anyone having to be the bad guy. You want to be negative about something but are hesitant to say anything in public, well you could and avoid the confrontation. Most of the time there were many others that felt the same way!
I have also used WordPress but I feel Blogger is easier to use than WordPress. I guess it depends on the reasons you are using either application or what outcomes would like to address or showcase. I agree that Blackboard is a little more complicated than students would like it to be.
For example, I now incorporate Web 2.0 tools in carrying out my daily duties as an District Administrator. I am hosting a District level Committee Meeting tomorrow where I will need to report on peoples attitudes and opinions regarding the information being shared. I will use an online survey at the end of the presentation to capture the information and graphically present the information to my boss within minutes of its close.
An interesting (and apt) topic. Although I'm not currently in a classroom, my company is broken down to divisions, then further broken down to Scrum teams, and then by departments. Needless to say, it can get pretty confusing. I've noticed that communication regularly breaks down, with one team not knowing what the other needed or completed. Likewise, I have been put on the spot when I have been asked to brief a status update on something I wasn't aware. While painful, my organization now uses a combination of wiki programs that allow multiple users to post updates for their respective teams, organizational updates, goals, and anything that might be helpful to know (similar to Google Docs). However, we also use virtual meeting spaces, videoconferencing, and other helpful programs that bring our global operations to a single conference room or meeting space. Without getting too far off topic, I think Web 2.0 tools are not just a helpful tool for a classroom. They are helpful in business environments that are helping to make our world into a much smaller, more accessible environment.
That is neat how the campus is incorporating social media to update students on important news, and everyday happenings. We have definitely become one with the times, and as we know the faster information travels the better for us all. What better way than to use programs like Twitter to provide information "in real time." It's the model of "you think it- post it," which has made this world even smaller. The smart phone and web 2.0 technologies have definitely revolutionized the way people communicate nowadays. I'm glad you found some benefit to my post. It's always informative reading yours.
Poll Everywhere is definitely a great Web 2.0 technology that can provide feedback. In an instant, the program can really alter/shift the whole dynamic of a polling situation. The whole cell phone in the classroom really seems scary though. As teachers, we have an intended purpose for these devices- however, not all students will follow that purpose. But I agree that cell phones are definitely very useful in education. I too used Animoto last year for a course, and found it to be very effective when bringing content to life; it is a creative way to showcase one's work. Thanks for replying to my post.
I use Edmodo in my math classroom, even though online learning systems lend themselves to social sciences. Edmodo has served as a great way to respond to students' question in an explicit form, which then helps them understanding how to write out their math processes. I'm trying to transition to the other web 2.0 tools, but it's taking time and planning to be able to incorporate them. Great posting, thank you for providing additional tools.