Create a Wow factor with Web 2.0
This post is in response to Activity #6 in the Edublogs Kick Start Your Blog Teacher Challenge.
Wow! The post for this challenge featured a huge list Web 2.0 resources to use and consider embedding into blog posts. Here's my road test and feedback after using a few of them.
Didn't need to sign up to createCreator can setup password to moderate replies, but requires an e-mail address to do so.Easy to use
Possible Uses:- Good for work on adjectives eg: Describe this character, this event etc... How do you feel about...?- Brainstorming about keyword or topic - What do you think of when you hear the word.... ?
- Need to create an account (Only require e-mail address to retrieve forgotton password)- At first I found this a little hard to use. Realised that by leaving mouse over the textbox you get more options. Possible Uses:- Have used concept mapping in the past with Senior Students (Grade 56 - ages 10-12) when watching Behind the News as a way of recording and displaying information.
- Had to create username and password
I must have used this one before, but I couldn't remember my username and password. A few attempts and I was in, This was fun and I spent far too long playing with this one.
Possible Uses: Pictures to support blog posts (I know the blog What Ed Said uses images created from this site extensivly in blog posts)- Literacy activities: Create a procedure in the form of a comic.
Possible Uses: Have used this in the past to create tuning-in videos for students prior to exploring a concept or idea. Did some work with our numeracy coach last year in creating videos to look at problem-solving in maths. Check out Rhonda and Barry and their dog food challenge.- Students create short videos to explain their learning.
Google Forms
I had seen this used before and had filled in forms for others, but only recently discoveredworked out how to set this up for myself. Previously when completing surveys, I had used the free version of Survey Monkey which limits the number of questions you can ask using your free acount. Google Forms (to my knowledge) doesn't restrict the amount of data you can collect.I have created an "Getting to know you" survey for students to complete when I start back at school this year to assess what they have done previously in ICT, what interests them and what they would like to explore in our lessons.
Completing this challenge though did remind me though of a recent conversation on Twitter. with regards to web 2.0 sites that were once free require you to pay for using their services once their popularity increases. As a teacher who struggles to promote Web 2.0 tools to others I work with, to only have a site be shut down or charge for services that were once free makes it that extra step harder to convince others to get on board.