ML2_Web+2.0+Reviews


 * Here are some sites I have reviewed...**

[|**readwritethink**] This website is an incredible source to aid teachers in lesson planning, professional development, and ideas for content. It can be used in any grade and it also sends the user to any grade level.

[|Vimeo] This website helps people create and edit their own videos. It could potentially be used in any grade but I would use it for middle school or high school students. They can make their videos as elaborate or simple as they like! They can also explore to their hearts content.

[|Survey Monkey] This site enables people to create any type of survey. I used this one twice so far this semester and I like it. It's user friendly and simple to create a survey. Again, they can be as basic or elaborate as your imagination wants. This seems more appropriate for teachers. However, if students can get access, they can take the surveys.

[|Wiki] How could I review sites without reviewing the WIKI?!? I really struggled with learning how to use this Web 2.0 tool. Once I naviaged through several components I started to enjoy and actually understand how to link, embed, and attach sources. It seems this tool can be use for the middle and high school levels. I would want to share this with my students slowing and comprehensively as to avoid some of the frustrations I encountered. (because of my lack of technological sense, not the teaching :) )

[|Charts] This is a tool I used to create a chart of my family to show an example of a Web 2.0 tool. I like that it was easy to edit my chart as needed. There are many ways to create the charts and make them interesting. I went for simple to get a feel for the process. It could be used at any grade level. Any teacher can put information into a chart to help aid in teaching content and help students learn through visual example.

[|Video Creation] This website allows for personal video creations. It helps the user enter sound, text, vary the characters, create different backgrounds, etc. I liked the process but found it to be a bit hard to navigate. I tend to avoid "just clicking around" in fear of messing something up. I would use this with middle or high school students. But I would want to walk them through the process to help find answers to some of their questions right away.

[|Cartoon Creation] This website could be used with all grade levels. It walks the user through the creation of making a cartoon. It may draw younger students into it because of the cartoonning but older students may find it fun too. It doesn't take too much effort or "know how" to create a basic cartoon. And like so many other Web2.0 sites out there, it can be as simple or complicated as the user likes.

[|Jeopardy] This site would pull in any competitor! One can use already created jeopardy tools or create their own. I browsed through some of the jeopardy ideas and they were creative. Anything from Twilight questions for all of the tweens out there too Math facts for the mathletes of the world. It could be use d for any grade level especially when I can create my own content areas. It did look labor intensive to create a jeopardy game but once it's created I could use forever.

[|**Exported Videos to Use and Share**] I almost used this website to export a video from youtube to my wiki page but I questioned whether or not I actually created anything. But it was very easy to export a video on EBD classroom management to my wiki page. This would be great for any grade level based on the content the teacher is trying to display. Vidoes are a great way to grab the attention of audience!

[|Word Clouds] This is a simple, fun way to show ideas about a particular subject. It can help people wrap their heads around concepts, show regularity of words used and themes created. Any age! Ben used it with us the first night and I still remember it. Fun, easy, colorful!