EDUS+515

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=Gidgets or Gadgets:=

=Chapter Assignments:= Chapter One:

Chapter Three:

Chapter Six:

Chapter Seven:

Chapter Eight:

=Web 2.0 Tools:=

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1.Wordle Wordle is a site where you can create “word clouds” from text. The clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently. Clouds can be customized with different fonts, layouts, and color schemes. Images can be printed, saved to the online Wordle gallery, or embedded in blogs or other sites. You do not have to create an account to use wordle, however, all projects posted are public and cannot be deleted unless you use a URL given at the time of the wordle's creation. I created my wordle sample using the ethnography I wrote for Multicultural Education. Wordle is useful for creative and decorative purposes. It could be used to create posters with keywords, attractive covers for reports, decorations for student blogs, etc.

media type="custom" key="11597106" 2. Voki Voki allows users to create a speaking avatar from text or a voice recording. Voki is free but requires a sign up. The Voki site is filled with many interesting ideas on using Voki in the classroom. Voki can also be used for numerous foreign languages. As a future Spanish teacher, I think this is a very fun tool for projects.

media type="custom" key="11585704" 3. Blabberize Allows users to create talking photographs that could be used in a number of educational ways. Students could create presentations using a blabber on any variety of subjects. Teachers could use it to add some fun to their own presentations or class web page. It is fairly easy to use, but you must create an account. I created my example using a funny photograph of my friend, and my own voice recording of my attempt to say hello in Korean.

4.Slideshare SlideShare is a slide hosting service that allows users to upload slide shows such as PowerPoint files privately or publicly. The presentations can be viewed directly on the Slideshare site, or embedded on other sites. I think it is very useful and I used Slideshare to embed the PowerPoints I created in class on my Wiki.

5. Glogster.edu Glogster allows users to create interactive posters that can incorporate text, images, photos, audio, and videos. Posters can be shared with other users on the site, embedded in external wikis or blogs, and shared via many social networks such as Facebook and Twitter. Students can use Glogster for any project that calls for designing a poster. It can be used for other online projects, such as student blogs. I found it very useful to to create an attractive homepage for my Wiki. You must sign up for Glogster, and the Glogster.edu site has both a free version that allows private individual accounts, or a paid version that offers additional services for teachers.

6. Bubblr Bubblr is a tool to create comic strips using photos from flickr.com. You can use public images from the site or images from your own flickr.com account. This site could be used to create a number of interesting projects. Students could summarize the key events in a story, or create their own stories. Comic strips can be emailed, printed, or posted in a blog. All projects are public. There is no sign up required to create a bubbrl comic strip.

7. Weebly Weebly for Education allows teachers to create websites that are also hosted by Weebly. The service is free, but does require sign up. Weebly is similar to a Wiki, but allows teachers to create a site that is more stylish and professional looking, in my opinion. It allows many more layout style options than Wikispaces.

8. Prezi Prezi is presentation tool. It uses a single zoomable canvas rather than slides. You must sign up for Prezi. There is a free version as well as paid services that offer premium features. I had never heard of this site until EDUS 515 and I saw some fellow students use it in presentations. Based on this experience, I do not think Prezi is all that useful. It seems rather complicated to navigate and I feel like it did not enhance the speakers' points, instead difficulties in using the tool actually detracted from the presentations. I would be unlikely to use it.

9. Smilebox Smilebox allows the user to create various projects such as scrapbooks, cards, and other presentations using photos, videos, text, and sound. Projects can be viewed on the site, or uploaded to blogs or websites. It requires a sign up. Service is free but some features are only available through paid plans. There is a premium plan specifically designed for teachers. Students could use this site to create a variety of creative classroom projects. I think this site would also be good for creating decorative additions to the class website, such as a class trip scrapbook or an online parent conference invititation.

10. Animoto Animoto allows users to create stylish video slideshows with photographs, video, and music. It requires sign up. The projects created on Animoto are very nice, but unless you want to pay for premium service, its not of much use. Free service users are limited to creating 30 second videos. It might work nicely for a creative project in which students create some sort of advertsing spot or quick summary of a topic.