Web+2.0+Tools

Web 2.0 Tools

Create Your Own Rubrics [|Rubistar] This website is absolutely awesome and such a HUGE help. Through this website teachers, and truly anyone, can create a rubric to help grade a project, assignment, and more. Each subject is listed with other options available. For example, under "Math" you can choose either 'problem solving' or 'graphing'. You can even create a rubric for a project that will incorporate multiple lesson topics. For example, last nine weeks I did a mathematician project and the students had to create a newscast production. I was able to use some components of 'problem solving' under "Math" and some components of 'newscast' under "Oral Projects". When completed the rubrics can be printed and saved as an excel spreadsheet to be available for future use.

Create Your Own Wikispace Wikispace Creating a Wiki can be time consuming, but if emphasized enough to your classes the time could definitely be a real payoff. A Wiki has so much to offer with unlimited amount of pages to be added, countless widgets/gadgets that can be embedded into the site, many themes to make the website look attractive and appealing and much more! Wikis can be created for sports teams, weight loss challenges, classroom information, church organizations and much more! Wikis are easily manageable and accessible, they are not blocked at schools, and unlike other social networks, Wikis can be edited by more than the creator. That last point can be a good thing but can also be a good thing. For example, students in a classroom can discuss questions and edit something that may be incorrect. At the same time, they might edit a piece of correct information because they don't feel it is right. Overall Wikis are very beneficial, fun to create and informative.

Collect and Highlight, Then Remember [|Diigo] Creating a Diigo is a helpful and efficient way to remember important information. On a Diigo, you can copy and paste any information that you feel is necessary or important for a specific topic. For example, when doing a project on Greece students can copy and paste important websites they have viewed and also copy and paste specific information relevant to the topic. Therefore, you are not having to go back and view the entire website to find your information but you have it at your fingertips. Having the URL available also allows for easier citations. Diigos can also be used in a group setting, meaning the individual Diigo can be connected with other individual Diigos to be in the same group. At our school one teacher is doing a group project with his students and he has collaborated with a teacher(s) in a different state, who are also working on the same project. Now students at our school can connect with students from that school and work collaboratively on a project. What an excellent way for students to enhance their online learning!

Welcome to Social Networking [|Facebook] This Web 2.0 tool is one I hate and love all at the same time :) This social networking site can take up a lot of time if you let it consume you, especially with farmville, adding pictures, posting on walls and more. Facebook allows people to 'catch up' on life with those people you do not get to see very often such as those from high school and college. Facebook can also be a place for family not living in the same area to chat, without using minutes on a cell phone or snail mail. In my own personal opinion, even though I have an account, Facebook can also be too encouraging for bad things to happen. There are times when people update status' with where they are going, mood for the day along with sharing pictures of children, family and others. I just feel some things are too personal to be sharing with who knows! This web 2.0 tool needs to be used with caution and responsibility!

The Zooming Presentation Editor [|Prezi] A new way to give a presentation, current to the 21st century but also getting through a few snags along the way. A Prezi is a new type of presentation that allows for students to complete a project similar to a PowerPoint, but using a web 2.0 tool. With a Prezi students do similar things to a PowerPoint, they choose a background, colors, order of items to appear and the way items appear. The major difference is that all information is displayed on one screen, whereas with a PowerPoint there are numerous slides. From that one screen you then decide which piece of information or graphic is first on screen, second, third and so on. In my particular school the students did a Prezi and did not care for the project; however, I feel a big problem was technological support. If we would have had the technological support was available, I think the students would have loved the project. Viewing some on the link provided above gives some good examples, creative, fun and engaging.

<span style="color: #ff0000; display: block; font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">A Faster Way to Browse the Web <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">[|Google] <span style="color: #ff0000; display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">In the past I always thought Google was just another search engine, that is until now! Google is a great Web 2.0 tool that can be used in many ways, most of which I am still learning. What I do know is that Google can support Google Docs which is a way students can work together to collaborate and share. It would be especially useful for students to share their knowledge who might be in different classes. For example, if 3rd period and 4th period are working on the same project, they can use Google and work together/share their important information (much like a Diigo). The only problem I could foresee with Google is that most of it is blocked by schools, such as google sites, google profiles and, in some cases, igoogle. However, if it can be unblocked for sake of learning, students would be able to collaborate in a HUGE way for many educational items. <span style="color: #ff0000; display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;"> <span style="color: #ff0000; display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">A New Style of Presenting <span style="color: #ff0000; display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;"> <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">[|Slide Rocket]   <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 120%;">﻿Slide Rocket is a new form of giving an online presentation, below is an example of a presentation completed for class. Basically, if you can do PowerPoint, you can do Slide Rocket. With Slide Rocket, the presenter creates a slideshow with text, images, videos and more. Effects can be added, backgrounds and themes can be decided upon along with color and font. Slide Rocket is not blocked by schools, at least not ours, which is a good thing because students could create a presentation to share with others. <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">[|Mrs. Schafer Group Project] <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">﻿  <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 120%; line-height: 0px; overflow: hidden;">﻿ <span style="color: #0000ff; display: block; font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif; text-align: center;">[|Parenting]