Jing!
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Friday, November 13, 2009
BP16_20091103_Researching and Blogging about Web 2.0 Tools Weekly Tool
Sometimes when you searching through this world of Web 2.0 tools you come across a tool while researching another tool. You just have to say peek-a-boo and when you open your eyes... surprise you have found an amazing tool that you didn't even know you were evalualting. I found this great little Web 2.0 tool called Jing, jingproject.com, while watching the how to video for another completely different tool. I was going to blog about that tool which will now remain nameless and forever hold it's peace. I saw the ad for Jing, an app similar to ScreenFlow, appear at the end of the how to video. I was curious about another app used for screen captures and videos and when I found out it was free I was thrilled. I could use this app with my students and teach them how to make tutorials. The students could use this as a way to demonstrate how to use a website or how they work through a math problem on an online program. I see the possibilities as endless. Students could create and share their screen capture videos and really start to get their feet wet in this wonderful Web 2.0 world.
An app like Jing is a great tool that due to it's free nature opens up a wide range of uses. The need to capture videos of your screen can arise at anytime and having a free tool that you can use is great. I really feel that this is the way Web 2.0 tools should be used; freely and openly for us all to benefit from. Jing is set up in a manner that allows for great opportunity for sharing.
BP15_20091103_Researching and Blogging about Web 2.0 Tools comment 3
BP8_2009112_Web 2.0 #2
BusinessCard 2When preparing students for life in the corporate world, there are so many small details that simply get overlooked. One of these details is the importance of networking and making strong and valid business connections. With only two years under my belt in the corporate world, I have learned that one of the greatest (and oldest) ways to make contacts is through the use of business cards.
It is always a good idea to keep a few tastefully designed business cards on you at all times. You never know who you maymeet, and how they may be beneficial to your professional life.
While having business cards readily available is the old fashioned way of networking, there is a new web 2.0 tool called BusinessCard 2 which allows you to create and share virtual business cards.
This tool would be great to utilize at the high school or undergraduate levels to teach students how to market themselves in the best way possible. Each student in the class would be responsible for creating a business card, and sharing it with the rest of their classmates. Once the virtual business cards had been shared, student would then critique one another on style, design, layout, etc.
This lesson provides the opportunity to teach students that in business, reputation is everything. You have to know how to market yourself, in order to become successful.
1 comments:
- Mr. HD said...
-
I like this tool! A virtual business card could be very useful in this digital world. Everything these days seems to be online so why shouldn't your business card. I agree this tool would be great to teach a self marketing/networking lesson. I thing you could also use it on a small scale with elementary level students, they could create their business card of the future and list their dream career and share them with the class. I think this would be a great motivator if used that way.
BP14_20091103_Researching and Blogging about Web 2.0 Tools comment 2
Ututti-Web 2.0 Tool in the Classroom
Ututti
This tool is going to save my life! Although this tool is focused towards the instructor, it is fabulous way for the instructor to get organized.
Ututti is a Web 2.0 tool that allows music instructors to organize their school information. This tool has many great features. Ututti allows the teacher to gather student information and use it intelligent ways. It also has the capability of placing students in certain groups/sections. It also allows the teacher to contact students according to their specific ensemble. Which is great when having a sectional rehearsal and need to get the information out to that particular group.
Ututti also has great library tool. Ututti will also organize your entire music library! And for those music instructors that have a music library, you know what a nightmare this can be if your library system is disorganized. It allows the instructor to number and name the pieces of music. And it also makes music searches easier. Searching can also be narrowed down by parts and/or composer.
And for all those music instructors that have problems with finances. It also has the capability of helping you with the money side of things. From collecting uniform fees to trip payments, Ututti is great tool that can help you with collecting money. And not to mention the fundraisers!
Being apart of secondary teaching can get very time consuming. Ututti has calendar feature that can help organize all your performance dates. Especially for those directors with multiple ensembles! With Ututti, performances, concerts and gigs can become organized allowing the instructor to focus on the students!
Two thumbs up for Ututti!
BP13_20091103_Researching and Blogging about Web 2.0 Tools comment 1
BP4_2009112_Researching and Blogging About Web 2.0 Tools
Figure 1. Image created by Aaron Berchild. Source: Storybird website (2009)
BP4_2009112_Researching and Blogging About Web 2.0 Tools
The Web 2.0 tool I used is called Storybird. (Storybird, 2009) I was attracted to the site because of the storytelling element, which tied into my technology curriculum. We complete different digital storytelling project throughout the year and Storybird (2009) offers a creation element that students can use. They are provided with a group of pictures and they create a story using the photos in a unique way. I saw the photo of the killer whale and immediately thought of a student in my class named Alex. His dream job is to work at Seaworld and train the killer whales. He is obsessed with them, and I wanted to write a story about his love of sea creatures. The pictures were limiting, and my creativity was eventually stifled. Basically, the pictures dictated my story, not me.
As far as the educational benefits the tool provides, it is a way for students to have varying exposure to writing using graphics as the generator of the story. We could not use the tool during class, but I could offer it as an at home opportunity. We do not have access to this tool, as I tried it already and the site is unfortunately blocked. The graphics were very artistic and expressive. My students would have enjoyed looking at the pictures and trying to figure out a theme. It would have been a great project to select the photos or graphics and then ask them to create a story to tie them all in, like a story thread. We could pass the slides around and they could add their own pages to create a whole. Again, the photos were limiting and if you had a special need, I did not see a way to upload your own images to complete your unique story. Also, manipulation of the graphics and text is cumbersome and controlling.
I did get an idea to use this basic tool to teach students how to write their own children?s book digitally, whereby they would create their own graphics. Students have become very creative with tools like Paint and using their Microsoft Office graphics.
Storybird-Alex the Boy Who Loved All the Creatures of the Sea. (2009). Storybird. Retrieved November 2, 2009, from http://storybird.com/books/alex-the-boy-who-loved-all-the-creatures-of-the-se/
The Web 2.0 tool I used is called Storybird. (Storybird, 2009) I was attracted to the site because of the storytelling element, which tied into my technology curriculum. We complete different digital storytelling project throughout the year and Storybird (2009) offers a creation element that students can use. They are provided with a group of pictures and they create a story using the photos in a unique way. I saw the photo of the killer whale and immediately thought of a student in my class named Alex. His dream job is to work at Seaworld and train the killer whales. He is obsessed with them, and I wanted to write a story about his love of sea creatures. The pictures were limiting, and my creativity was eventually stifled. Basically, the pictures dictated my story, not me.
As far as the educational benefits the tool provides, it is a way for students to have varying exposure to writing using graphics as the generator of the story. We could not use the tool during class, but I could offer it as an at home opportunity. We do not have access to this tool, as I tried it already and the site is unfortunately blocked. The graphics were very artistic and expressive. My students would have enjoyed looking at the pictures and trying to figure out a theme. It would have been a great project to select the photos or graphics and then ask them to create a story to tie them all in, like a story thread. We could pass the slides around and they could add their own pages to create a whole. Again, the photos were limiting and if you had a special need, I did not see a way to upload your own images to complete your unique story. Also, manipulation of the graphics and text is cumbersome and controlling.
I did get an idea to use this basic tool to teach students how to write their own children?s book digitally, whereby they would create their own graphics. Students have become very creative with tools like Paint and using their Microsoft Office graphics.
Storybird-Alex the Boy Who Loved All the Creatures of the Sea. (2009). Storybird. Retrieved November 2, 2009, from http://storybird.com/books/alex-the-boy-who-loved-all-the-creatures-of-the-se/
2 comments:
- Pamela Rivers said...
-
I liked this idea. It is another to get students to write on their own. Students will be having a good time writing without knowing it is work. This is the kind of lesson that I am looking for to incorporate with the writing process. The idea of passing the slides and having the students add their own idea to enhance the story was and is a great idea. Thanks for the idea and I hope you don't mind me using it.
- November 8, 2009 9:29 PM
- Mr. HD said...
-
I really loved this tool. I thought that it was a great idea to have students create storyboards using high quality images. I teach third grade and I can really see how much my students would enjoy this web app. The pictures would help them to focus their ideas and keep them on topic as they write their story. This app seems as though it would be a great tool to use the help beginning writers learn how to put together a complete story.
- November 14, 2009 1:29 AM
Sunday, November 8, 2009
BP12_20091102_Researching and Blogging about Web 2.0 Tools Tool 3
Taking notes and keeping up with assignments is a daunting task even with the best organizational skills. Note taking is a very important part of any educational system from elementary education to graduate school. The ability to keep track of deadlines and keep yourself on track is very important very difficult when you have a lot of deadlines to manage. Note taking and calendar organization is all apart of getting the most out of your education. I find this to be an essential part of my educational life but a part that is not always easy to keep organized. Notes for this deadline end up here while notes for this deadline end up there.
How can I do all of this and keep my notes in order? It is so easy to take a great set of notes and then save them somewhere and forget where you placed them.
Enter Notely a great little web app that will save you from the hectic world of note taking and deadline meeting.
Notely has all of that good stuff built in and it will also join with your facebook account and post updates to your page. Notely is here to save you form forge ting where you put your notes because they are all with Notely.
This noteworthy little app is here to keep us all on track and ready to take note... Even on the go Notely is also mobile and can be accessed on your cell phone, smartphone or iphone.
You never know when inspiration will hit, well now you can be ready with Notely.
BP11_20091102_Researching and Blogging about Web 2.0 Tools Tool 2
Footnote
So many footnotes in history how can I possibly find them all. Web 2.0 has given us a way to locate many of the great footnotes in history. One place where we can find original historical documents and photos and more.
Footnote offers it's members an interface where they can browse for historical events in various ways. This gives the member the opportunity to learn new information that they may not have read before. This web 2.0 tool is great for users who what to broaden their knowledge of history.
This web 2.0 tool could be used in a classroom as a new and fun way to browse through history. A wonderful assignment comes to mind. An historical scavenger hunt using Footnote. The students could be tasked to discover certain pictures, events and answers throughout history. The students engaged in this activity would in the process also find new things they did not know and may find their own point in history they want to study. This tools does history right.
The interface in easy to use and the amount of information that is accessible is simply wonderful.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
1 comments:
Simple! Full featured! Amazing! I am not a music teacher myself but I find this tool to be awesome. I can see from your post how much this tool could assist a music teacher or band director. I work closely with the band director at my school and I will suggest that he takes a look at this tool. I think it could be a great help to him. Awesome find!