BP15_2009113_Web2.0_Yacapaca

YacaPaca! seems like a cool Web 2.0 tool to use in my classroom. It lets teachers create quizzes, surveys, tests, and more. I can set up something for my whole class and get it marked automatically. It also lets me analyze the information that I get. Plus, it is free.

The resource section is divided by country, and the UK seems to be the most prolific. However, there are some assignments for the US. Even without creating an account, it lets you preview the assignments. I think they would be very helpful for my tutoring in third grade. I am not sure how helpful they would be in Kindergarten because for the most part, they do not read yet. I can also see how the vocabulary section could be very helpful for not only the SAT, but also for the vocabulary sections of other standardized tests.

According to the FAQ, the authors intend to keep it free. They make their money by selling training and support. Any educator can sign up for a free account, but students have to be set up by a teacher. The teacher will give the students a code to set up their own account. The FAQ also includes several 5 minute screencasts to guide you through several different processes, including the question creatr and the whiteboard. It also lets you see how to set up your own quizzes for your students and how to use the quiz statistics page. Students can choose their own avatar to represent their account as well as see a list of their teachers.

(2009). Yacapaca wiki. Accessed November 15, 2009 from http://wiki.yacapaca.com/index.php/Main_Page

BP13_2009113_PeerReviewEduslide

Monday, November 2, 2009

BP4_2009111_web_2.0_tool

The Web 2.0 tool that interested me is Eduslide. With Eduslide I can create my own e-learning modules, tutorials, videos, etc. These multimedia assets can also be password protected allowing me to invite whoever I like. It allows anyone to create educational content and deliver it online for free. The content can be testing modules, wikis, chat, blogs, slideshows and more.

After completing some of the tutorials, I began to work on developing material on Digital Storytelling, which is part of ARP. I have developed a simple slide show for teachers to share with their students explaining Digital Storytelling and how they can use it to share and learn from other students across the globe.

If I want to share Digital Storytelling, or other media asset ideas with teachers, Eduslide will allow me to keep all of my material in one space, accessible to teachers, etc., without them having to store it on their computers or servers. I would not have to keep all my material on my laptop to take from school to school. All I have to do is log in to Eduslide.

Another great feature of Eduslide is that it is available in English, German, Spanish and French. This would allow for cross-cultural collaboration between students that might speak a different language.

In reviewing the courses that I could access on Eduslide, I was surprised to see that there were not only courses for adult learners but also that there were also some classes I could access for younger students, as well.

Another possible use for Eduslide would be to use it to make some of my onground classes more hybrid in nature. With ease I could create accompanying materials on my own without having to bother my institution for the storing of the information.

All in all, I am excited to use this tool in my existing courses as well as using it in my ARP.

For more information on Eduslide

http://www.eduslide.com

BP4_2009112_Storybird

Web 2.0 tools abound, but the tricky part is finding one that can be used in Kindergarten. The really tricky part is finding one that can be used in Kindergarten and that is free. I came upon Storybird, which is designed to let friends and families collaborate on a story. Two or more people can create a Storybird by writing text and inserting pictures that are uploaded to the site. One starts it; then the other writes a bit or picks out a picture; then the first one takes over again. Then you can share your Storybird privately or publicly on the network. Right now making, sharing, and reading Storybirds is free. According to the site, they will always be free. However, later in the year, the site will introduce new options such as printing and premium services, which will not be free.

I am still exploring the site and reading different stories. I have not created a Storybird yet, but I would like to make one with the students in my class. Initially, what I would do would be to read a story from Storybird to them. Then we would reread it and pay close attention to the elements of the story--how the pictures relate to the words, is the grammar correct, etc. Then I would read the following story, my town. It is a great story, but it has grammatical errors, which could have been purposeful. First, we would read the story. Then we would reread the story and begin to analyze what needs to be corrected grammatically. Finally, we would collaborate on a story together making sure that the pictures match the words and that our grammar is correct. Using the site to collaborate on a story would allow us to begin to learn the process of writing and editing in a simple way. Since it is collaborative, the children would all be involved in the writing and editing and have a sense of ownership. One story is much quicker to edit than 20 stories so they wouldn't get so incredibly tired before the process is over.

my town by purplebeckyv on Storybird


purplebeckyv. (November 2, 2009). my town. Retrieved November 2, 2009 from http://storybird.com/books/my-town/.