1. Analysis of Tools The following slides will tell you my thoughts on the given websites and tools. I hope you enjoy.
2. www.voki.com This site has a fun avatar creator. The kids enjoy making their own and also when I make one to introduce something in the class. Overall, it is fun, however, I don’t know that it really aids in instruction. It can be used to give instructions or explain a process, but there are other options out there that do the same thing without a picture talking.
3. www.secondlife.com Second Life provides the user with an alternate world to escape to. This is not really something that interests me, but I know many people who love this type of thing. I don’t have the time to be someone else in another world. Only if that created person can get my school work done do I want to be a part of it.
4. www.wimba.com This seems like it could be very useful for classes especially when students miss class or would like to go back and listen to the lecture again. As a math teacher, my concern would be that I am all over the board and all around the room. I am concerned on how this would work for that.
5. www.google.com Google provides many tools that can be used by both teachers and students. It provides a great search engine, email capabilities, website capabilities, a shared calendar, and shared documents. These tools can be very useful and are easy to use.
6. www.skype.com Skype is a great way to talk to people through a webcam. I have done the same with AIM but this is new and fun. I prefer Skype to some of the others because you don’t have to deal with smaller screens like the messenger applications.
7. http://www.adobe.com/products/adobeconnect.html Webinar capabilities offered by Adobe Connect would be a cool way to have extra seminars with my classes or for our tech team to hold PD opportunities without having to be at school. This could be a useful tool to review for exams as well. I like this depending on the price.
8. www.moodle.com I like the capabilities of Moodle as a classroom organizer. Similar to Blackboard, it allows students to get assignments and see grades any time during the day. This is a good tool used by several schools and universities. Moodle would be very useful in my school since we do not have anything like this currently in use.
