T&L 466CHOICE 2- TOOLS BANK

RUSSELL BAIR & HEIDI STEVENSON

Podcast• Podbean is a provider for podcast. Podcasts

is a series of digital media files (either audio or video) that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication.

• Location: http://podbean.com/– Basic version is free, however, there are

versions that range to $69.95

• Examples: – Teachers can use PodBean to create

podcasts for their classroom. Podcasts are extremely useful because you are able to record you lessons and post them online for students to download if they missed a class. Also you can record things for parent teacher conferences.

– Another useful tool with PodBean is that you can upload pictures, videos, or PowerPoint’s to go along with your podcast. Using these tools you can annotate PowerPoint’s shown in class or are able to create interactive lessons online for students.

• Cautions: – One thing to keep in mind while

using PodBean is that you need a microphone as well as some sort of recording software to record your voice to create your podcasts. Not all classrooms may be equipped with these tools so make sure to plan ahead.

Voki• Voki is a website that allows people to create an

aviator, add audio and characteristics to your avatar and then publish to a website.

• Location: http://www.voki.com/– Register and Free

• Examples: – Voki can be used in many different ways in the

classroom. They have created pre-made lesson plans for teachers to use that involve their website and its tools. Basically what this website does is it allows you to personalize and create your own individual avatar that speaks to post on your blog, website, or post in your emails. This is an extremely good way for students to become creative and interactive with lessons and projects. A sample lesson they have posted on their site has students in the second grade use the avatar to show their spelling and keyboard skills. A main way to get your avatar to speak is by typing in what you want it to say. By having students use this as a learning tool is very beneficial.

– Another cool aspect of Voki is that you can choose which languages your avatar will speak. This would be very useful in a foreign language class. Students could type what they want their avatar to say in English and then have the class listen to the statement or speech in another language and practice interpreting that language.

• Cautions: – As with most online recording tools

you need to make sure that you have computers with speakers available. You also need to beware of students posting or saying inappropriate things through their avatar.

Wiki• A Wiki is s a website that allows the creation

and editing of any number of interlinked web pages via a web browser.

• Location: http://wikispace.com/– Register and sign up for free

• Examples:– Teachers can use the Wiki for student led

discussions, which allows students to draw upon each others work, along with revising work.

– It is a great way for teachers to be able to have students turn their work into the website, that way they never loose students work and they can easily leave the students a note on their work, which allows them to change an assignment quickly.

• Cautions: – Teachers should be concerned

about privacy levels, and making sure that students privacy is set properly. That way nobody else except the teacher or the class can see their work.

– Teachers should be cautious about how much they put up on the Wiki, the site can become more of a distraction and problem if there is too much on the Wiki for students to understand or get access to.

SmartBoard• SmartBoards are an essentially an interactive

whiteboard that allows students and teachers to adapt the screen or page with the touch of a finger. You can also use pens, document cameras, or even remote clickers to help make your lessons more interactive for students.

• Locations: http://smarttech.com/us– Click Where to Buy and follow directions

• Examples: – One example of how to use a SmartBoard is

by having students come to the front of the room and label certain things. You can have a image of the United States or the human body on the board with a word bank on the side. Students can then drag the words from the word bank to the correct location on the image.

– Another activity that could be done on the SmartBoard is interactive math problems. The SmartBoard has a tool that is basically a digital clipboard that allows people to write on it and the image or words are displayed on the board. You could use this by having students work through math problems so other students can see their thought process and in turn work collaboratively.

• Cautions: – It takes some time to get used to using a

SmartBoard. The actual device is pretty touchy and can some times become unresponsive or off centered. If this is the case make sure your SmartBoard is secured and students understand how fragile it is.

Google Docs• Google Docs is a free, Web-based word

processor, spreadsheet, presentation, form, and data storage service offered by Google. It allows users to create and edit documents online while collaborating in real-time with other users.

• Location: www.docs.google.com– Create a google account to access. It is

free of cost. • Examples:

– Teachers can use the Google Docs to communicate with students throughout the country. A teacher could turn it into a pen-pal assignment for a writing class or for a history class students can teach other countries students about our culture.

• For any class you can create a survey and have your students immediately jump on and answer their own opinion. For example a health and wellness teacher can ask “How often do you eat out” and students could answer on Google Docs-spreadsheet.

• Cautions: – Google Docs has very standard features for

writing and editing compared to an actual word document, therefore students assignments on Google Docs would not be able to be that elaborate or unique.

– Google Docs is not completely compatible with all computers, so teachers would have to verify with their school if there computers would be compatible. Otherwise they may have to buy the software, which may not be practical for the school. * Typically Mac computers are the ones that lack compatibility.

Voxopop• Voxopop is an online resource that allows

students to create talk groups and work together to create online discussions using their real voices.

• Location: http://www.voxopop.com/– Free with sign up

• Examples:– Teachers can use this tool to help

students to develop their speaking skills through group discussion. An example assignment is having a student read a chapter in a book and then record a summer for the class to view and listen too.

– Students can later response to what their peers have recorded and then turn into a class discussion. This allows students to be open to critical thinking, and communication. As well it works great to track progress with ESL students.

• Cautions: – Something to keep in mind while using

Voxopop is that it is an online recording program, which means students need a microphone to record. Also sometimes students feel uncomfortable speaking, even if they can’t be seen. Unfortunately there is no alternate to this resource.

Mindmeister• MindMeister brings the concept of mind

mapping to the web, using its facilities for real-time collaboration to allow truly global brainstorming sessions. Users can create, manage and share mind maps online and access them anytime, from anywhere.

• Location: http://www.mindmeister.com/– Free once you register, unless you want to

upgrade

• Examples:– Students can use this site to create a

guide for readings in class. For example for an anatomy class students can put anatomy in the center and then create a connection to each chapter then key points and then examples. They can then print the notes off and keep within their binder.

– Students can be assigned a particular subject and can break down the topic into different categories including pros and cons. Great way for students to visually learn.

• Cautions:– This tool can be very complex, especially

when a collection of students are working at it at one time. If this tool is chosen to be used in class, make sure you have time to set aside to go over the site. Students may be more concerned with how to do it then actually comprehending what they are trying to map.

– You must have an e-mail account to register so you must verify your schools rules with e-mail accounts before hand, other wise it could take extra work for you as a teacher to create accounts for all your students to access the site.

PreziPrezi is an alternative more interactive and alive

version of PowerPoint. With Prezi you are able to create a presentation on one continuous page. You are able to zoom in and out, insert videos and images, put words inside letters by zooming, and then connect different sections to create the order that they will play in.

• Location: http://prezi.com/– Free with sign up

• Examples:– One example of an assignment for Prezi

is a representation of all different aspects of a certain topic such as baseball. You can have the student create a presentation that works through the history, rules, and culture behind the sport of baseball.

– Another sample assignment would be for a science class. For this assignment, students would create a Prezi explaining the step-by-step process for a lab report.

• Cautions: – A downfall to Prezi is that while it is

creative, it can become a distraction with scattering of words and zooming in and out. Make sure students keep it simple.

Glogster

• Glogster takes poster boards to a whole new level by making the poster electronic. This version of a poster board that is designed by their creature to the fullest. Students have the ability to create their poster through using unique text, links, images, music, and video. Glogster can be used for any content area, and almost any assignment.

• Location: http://www.glogster.com/• Register online & Free

• Examples: • Students can use Glogster in an English

content area to create a new book cover for the current book that class is reading, or even to create a poster board of a specific character and use images of that character, then incorporate music that describes the character, add text that describes the character and can even find a video clip if the book has turned into a movie.

• For a history class students can choose an even like “American Propaganda” and create a poster board that includes pictures of the propaganda used, text to create quick facts, videos of commercials or events that were relevant to American Propaganda. Students could also incorporate a radio broadcast for their music portion of the poster board.

• Cautions: – There is no way to monitor your

student’s work, until they post up their work. Therefore as a teacher you have to be cautious with what pictures and videos students are going to incorporate into the Glogster. To avoid this situation, teachers should require students to send them the images and videos they will post to their Glogster beforehand.

Edmodo• Edmodo is a secure learning network that

provides teachers and students with a way to post classroom materials, share links, and access homework and grades.

• Location: http://www.edmodo.com– Create Login and Password for free

• Examples:– There are multiple ways that a teacher

could use Edmodo in the classroom. One way this tool can be used is to assign and post homework assignments online. Students can access their assignment online and also complete and turn it in online. Once turned in, the teacher can grade and post the grade online for the student to view.

– Another way to utilize Edmodo is through the libraries resource. Students and teachers an both post videos, images, or other websites as additional tools.

• Cautions:– Unfortunately there is no specific way

teacher and parents can interact through the site. Although it is very easy for the teacher to work directly with the student through this tool.

Live Binders• Live binder is a great resource for teachers

and students to take notes and keep them organized. Live Binder allows students access links that have been looked at in class, along with videos. Teachers never have to worry about worrying about layouts, since they are already prepared.

• Location: http://livebinders.com/• Free when you sign-up. 13 years & above.

• Examples: - Teachers can use this resource to upload lectures for the class, so students can access them when they get home from school. Along with access from home, students who are absent will be able to keep up with class work, quizzes and notes.

– Another advantage of LiveBinders for teachers is the update features designed in each binder. The design offers educators the ability to rapidly update information in any lesson, unit, or project as new information or procedures become available

• Cautions: – While Live Binder is a great way to stay

organized and for students to take notes, it would require each individual student to have access to computers in the classroom.

– This tool is more or less a tool for teachers, and using it for students to access. Rather than students actually making their own binders and working on them when needed. It could be used for a good cumulative project.

Facebook• Facebook is a social network service and

website in which users may creat a personal profile, add other users as friends, and exchange messages, including automatic notifications when they udate their profile. Additionally, users may join interest groups.

• Location: www.facebook.com– Sign up with e-mail and create password for

free.

• Examples: – Like mentioned above users can create

or join groups. This is a great tool for students because in today’s era a majority of students are on Facebook and this gives them a common and simple way to communicate.

- Facebook also has a wide variety of games, including: sports, trivia and vocational. One game that could be used in an Agriculture classroom, would be Farmville. In this game students create a farm and have to plant and crop certain plants for profit and make sure to keep their farm updated. While yet this is a game, it also teaches students time and money management.

• Cautions: – This is a useful tool for the class, but it

can also be very distracting. The tool or site is mainly used as a social networking site where students can chat and view peers pictures and videos. It should be encourage to be used at home, rather than in the classroom.

MyPyramid• MyPyramid is a tool that was created by the

United States Department of Agriculture. This tool allows people to track their daily activity as well as count their calories.

• Location: http://www.mypyramid.gov/– Create a username and password

• Examples: – The first activity you could do is have

your students track their calories, which is important for students to understand what they are putting into their bodies. When you track your food with MyPyramid it actually breaks down your food into components. From this it lets you know if you’re eating enough carbohydrates, fats and proteins.

– The second activity you could do is teach your students a way to track if they are losing, maintain or gaining weight without going on a scale. This tool allows students to see if they are gaining weight from calories more than they are burning them.

• Cautions: – This program is sponsored by the

United States Government. Some problems with it is that the food tracking programs do not have all the foods out there, and the exercises are not specific. When tools are not specific some times students don’t take the assignment seriously.

Blogger• Blogger is a blog-publishing service that

allows private or multi-user blogs with time-stamped entries.

• Location: www.blogger.com– Sign up & Free of Cost

• Examples: – Teachers can post permission slips,

what going on in class and other information for parents which would allow the teacher and parents to communicate easier than e-mail.

– Teachers can post homework questions on the blog, and then each students can respond to the homework question. Blogger also allows students to draw from each others work to answer the question.

– Blogger allows students to continually write and look back at their work which allows themselves and teachers to check their progress.

• Cautions: – If teachers do decide to use Blogger to

communicate they need to make sure it is private, especially if they are planning a trip, so students are sure they are safe and nobody else can see where the class is traveling.

– Along the lines of privacy students and the teacher also need to make sure and monitor that what they are putting up onto the blog. It may be beneficial to create blog rules for your classroom.

iMovie• iMovie is a proprietary video editing

software application which allows Mac users to edit their own home movies, upload pictures, add audio and effects.

• Location: http://www.apple.com/ilife/imovie/– You must have a Mac computer and buy

iMovie.

• Examples:– Teachers can make videos for

instruction on how students should follow.• Family Consumer Science: Teachers can

make the food and make a video that is step-by-step and then the teacher can play it in class or upload it on the class website. This will allow students to use it as a resource.

• In a music class the teacher can record the rehearsal and play it back to show students where they need to improve. The teacher can also track students progress.

• Cautions: – Since iMovie is an Apple application,

students would need to have a Mac computer, and then would have to pay for the application. This can either create a problem for students, or may not be funded by your school.

– Students can upload audio into their presentations, and therefore teachers need to make sure the music is school appropriate. As well teachers can upload the movie to the internet, which may not be ok with all students. Therefore teachers should make sure that they have all students consent beforehand.

TeacherTube• TeacherTube is a video sharing website

similar like YouTube. However it is specifically for those in the educational industry, particularly teachers, to share educational resources.

• Location: http://www1.teachertube.com/– It is free to teachers and students when you

sign up.

• Examples: – Teachers