This website is hosted by the Baltimore County Public Schools Office of Instructional Technology. Not only are there useful and imaginative Web 2.0 tools offer here but ways to incorporate them into the classroom. One of the tools "Wordle" is explained...
"Wordle.net is a free online tool to make “word clouds” from text that you provide. The word clouds show which words appear more frequently in the original text. You can modify your clouds with different fonts, layouts, and color schemes. You can print out your Wordle, save it as a PDF or to a public gallery online. The information below can be used to help get you started using Wordle."After this clear explanation of the tools is given I found an article outlining 38 ways teachers have implement this tool in their classroom. Some have used it as a summarizing tool, a way to compare articles and even for artistic purposes such as posters. The possibilities for a tool like this are only limited by the imagination of the user but the fact BCPS has offered ways to use these tools shows the dedication to their use.
Other Web 2.0 tools discussed are:
- Art Pad
- Audacity
- Bubbl.us
- Chartle.net
- Comic Builder
- Corkboard.me
- Create A Graph
- Dabbleboard
- Edmodo
- Flip Video
- Gapminder
- Inspiration
- Kidblog
- Kidspiration
- Make Beliefs Comix
- MovieMaker Live
- Museum Box
- PB Works
- Photo Story 3
- Pixie 3
- Scribble Maps
- Storybird
- VoiceThread
- Voki
- Wordle
Each of these tools has their own specific usage and accompanying ideas for implementation. It is great to see that the school system is actively seeking out new and innovative technologies to enhance student learning.
My niece just introduced me to Voki's. She uses them for Spanish class.
ReplyDeleteThis would be a great tool for ESL students. I'm also planning on having fun with it in speech class. The delivery style is the antithesis of inspiring oral interpretation but it could be very beneficial for pronunciation issues. It would also benefit aural learners.