Group items tagged

Information graphics, visual representations of data known as infographics, keep the web going these days. Web users, with their diminishing attention spans, are inexorably drawn to these shiny, brightly coloured messages with small, relevant, clearly-displayed nuggets of information. They're straight to the point, usually factually interesting and often give you a wake-up call as to what those statistics really mean.

If you haven't had a chance to use Qwiki yet for checking out an interactive way to search the internet then read the following blog and give it a try yourself. It won't take long before you are hooked. Great tool for an educator.

If you are outside of Massachusetts you may not be able to access this article. Trails (Tools for Real-time Assessment of Information Literacy Skills) is a tool designed by Kent State University to measure the information literacy skills of high school students. It is designed as a classroom tool that enables a teacher or librarian to "obtain a snapshot of skill levels in order to better tailor instructional efforts."

61 slides with definition of portfolios, reasons to use them, google tools to use, and examples. "Portfolios are purposeful collection of work that exhibits efforts, progress, and achievements over time"

you are presented with a very simple text editor perfect for student journals. Each note can include images, links and attachments as well as tags to help with searching. For example, journal entries for a history unit might be tagged, "WWII". In addition, multiple notebooks can be created with one account. NotePub, like many online writing tools, works great for role playing assignments. Have your students assume the role of a person they are studying or character from literature. Then, your students write a daily journal entry. Completed entries can be shared in several ways including email.

blogging platform for posts larger than Twitter and smaller than a traditional blog. Posts are usually rich with a combination of text and multimedia. A unique feature is the ability to "tumble" blog posts. This takes a post of a friend and posts it on your page. If you use Twitter, this is similar to retweeting. Tumblr is a nice tool for teachers and older students but everyone will need accounts. Create an account for your class and have your students create accounts as well. Then, follow your students' accounts and vice-versa. Now you are all connected and can interact in numerous ways. Your students now have an excellent vehicle for all manner of writing and multimedia projects.

With the advent of Common Core for writing skills teachers need to better learn how to communicate the expectations to students via rubrics. A new PD tool, called FineTune supports teachers in the creating of these rubrics, which align to common core.

This article deals specifically with how online writing through the use of either asynchronous or synchronous tools can enhance the traditional classroom. The use of a blog to discuss ideas and debate issues may not be as dynamic or interactive as some of the other Web 2.0 tools we have been discussing and using. However, this article makes the point that using blogs can make content more engaging, provide a way for students to be reflective, allow them the opportunity to practice presenting ideas and arguments and finding their voice. The author, Robert Baird from the University of Illinois, argues that these discussion tools are not used up to their potential. I resonated with this article because as a teacher of an online course that uses discussion threads extensively, I completely agree that students level of engagement and understanding of issues, as well as becoming better thinkers, finding their voice and being forced to use evidence in their answers is remarkable.

13 great products, apps and tools for preparing students for tests.

Explore parts 1,2,3 information literacy and web 2.0 tools for the classroom

A discussion forum does not have to be question and answer. There are many different ways to use a discussion board. Their discussions need to be divergent, formative, and reflective.

It is usually difficult for a student to concentrate on writing their academic paper because there are so many things to do online, including social media, online music, movies, chatting with friends... A perfect reason of procrastination! This tool will make a student write in a clean space with no distractions around, helping them concentrate and make writing quicker.

A mega-collection of Web 2.0 tools organized by purpose. More than one could ever ask for (or possibly master)

Wow! what an extensive use of organization at our fingertips! Thank you for finding and sharing

I have this site already bookmarked in my Diigo account but I have to say that it is one of the most extensive collection of AWESOME web 2.0 tools that I have ever seen. Thank you for sharing it here.

This article, from eSchool News, summarizes the features of two free social networking sites, Wiggio and Sophia. In Wiggio online groups can be formed and then users can communicate through email, voice, and text messages, and can share links and files. Teachers can use Wiggio to "set up chat rooms for after-school help" and for "peer-to-peer collaboration within group projects." Sophia "has been described as a mashup of Facebook, Wikipedia, and YouTube focused solely on education." It consists of user created "learning packets" on various subjects that use Web 2.0 tools. Each packet can also be rated on a five star system by the users as well as be given a "green checkmark" to be considered academically sound by experts in the appropriate field.

A shared slideshow that showcases the many uses for Google Apps in education, not just as a teaching tool, but to support productivity as well. It has great suggestions and practice for different level users

A blog post about Edistorm. It is a free, Post-It Note style brainstorming tool. An alternative to Wallwisher, but probably geared more towards a corporate setting. There is a limited Free account, as well as, an inexpensive Educator account. A neat collaboration and communication tool worth checking out.

This article introduces another fun, collaborative, storytelling digital tool - Storybird.

museums. All of that information in one place? It's amazing! Museum Box provides you with the tools to showcase descriptions of an event, person, historical period of time, or anything you can imagine into a virtual box!

Looks like this is a good tool for students to showcase information in any subject.

Teachers and students using social networks for curricular work.

I use Edmodo as a social media "tool" to use as an extension of my classroom and the students love it.

A librarian uses web 2.0 tools such as RSS and bookmarking to incorporate a real world event into the curriculum to enhance information literacy.

Use Web 2.0 tools to take the students from the classroom into the real world.