iCreate, iPublish and iCollaborate
You are interested in using digital tools and resources to engage students in inquiry-based learning where they not only develop content knowledge but also practice critical thinking and problem solving skills both individually and as a cooperative group. When evaluating the following tools and resources for use with your students, you need to answer the following questions:
1. Is this tool or resource accessible in my classroom? If not, do I know how to make accessible?
2. How will integrating this tool or resource in my classroom increase student engagement with the content and skills I am teaching?
3. How will I manage student interaction with this tool or resource in my classroom given the access described in the answer to question 1 above?
4. How will I assess student learning when using this tool or resource as a part of the learning process.
5. Can students access and use this tool or resource for learning outside of the classroom? If yes, how? If no, is it critical that they be able to access the tool or resource outside of the classroom?
6. Can I achieve the same student learning outcomes without integrating this tool or resource into the teaching and learning process? If yes, what is the motivating factor to use this tool or resource?
21st Century Student
You are interested in using the digital tools and resources that you enjoy using at home and with your friends to learn about the content and skills your teacher is teaching in your classroom. Please answer the following questions when evaluating the following tools and resources that are available for your use in school:
1. Will I have access to this tool or resource in school and at home?
2. How will this tool or resource engage me more personally in the process of learning new content and practicing important skills or will the teacher just use it to teach the whole class lecture style?
3. Will I get time to interact with the tool or resource during or after class? If yes, how? If no, why not?
4. Can I use this tool or resource to work with other students on projects both in and outside of class? If yes, how will this improve the communication process involved in working with other students? If no, why not?
5. How will I be graded when using this tool or resource both by myself and with other students?
6. How will using this tool or resource increase my learning?
Decide on a tool that you want to demonstrate to the class, and create something using that tool. You do not have to answer the questions above in your demonstration, but be prepared to talk about your role and how you feel about the tool.
Screenr - Create instant screencasts without downloading any software, screencasts are limited to five minutes.
Tools (the tools are in bold below):
Google Sites - create a Website that be used for class projects and class presentations.
A Google Site about Creating a Google SiteA Principal's Reflection on Google Sites
An Elementary School Using a Google Site as its Home PageBlogger - Blogger is an online web log, allowing multiple people to collaborate and post about topics, it is a part of Google, so you can log in with a google account.
Blogging Basics
Blogging Ideas
Video of Blogs in Education
A Blog portal to Classroom Writing Blogs
Ten Ways to Use Blogs to Teach
A Principal's Blog
A Principal's Reflection - Eric Sheninger - New Milford High School
The Unquiet Librarian - Buffy Hamilton - Creekview High School
Twitter
The Effects of Twitter in an Online Environment
Seven Reasons for Teachers to Tweet
Why Twitter is a Teacher's Best Tool
Video - Twitter in the Classroom
Bit.ly - You can use with or without signing up.
Tinyurl - You can use without signing in.
Tweetburner - also can be used without signing in
Prezi - an online presentation tool that allows you to use a moveable canvas. Be careful, too much movement can make you and your audience seasick.Student/Teacher Licenses for Prezi
16 Interesting Ways to Use Prezi in the Classroom
NOTA - A dynamic whiteboard wiki.
NOTA as a Collaborative Digital Poster
PBWorks or Wikispaces - wikis that can used as an educational website, they work in very much the same manner.
PBWorks - Education - Wikispaces - Education the educational basic edition is free for both Wikispaces and PBWorks.
A Wiki about Wikis
Educational Wikis
Social Studies Wiki
Middle School Science Wiki
Language Arts Wiki
