This document provides an overview of 4 Web 2.0 tools that can be used in middle school classrooms: Big Huge Labs, Voki, Thinglink, and My Storybook. For each tool, the presenter describes its functionality, limitations, and provides an example of how it could be used to meet a specific state standard or curriculum goal. The presenter concludes by sharing additional online tools for image editing, infographics, audio, video, and presentations that may be useful for educators.
Open to Integration: Incorporating Open Resources into Teaching and Learning ...Robyn Hall
Webinar presented for OA Week at the Nova Scotia Community College on October 24, 2013.
Abstract: Questions abound in higher education about both the quality and the sustainability of “open” resources such as open access journals, open education resources, open data, and massive open online courses (MOOCs). Against a backdrop of potential areas of concern, this session will address simple and practical ways to integrate open resources into teaching and learning activities and services. Participants will be encouraged to consider possibilities these resources have to offer colleges and universities that share a commitment to fostering critical thinking and lifelong learning skills among students while contending with financial challenges and constraints.
This webinar presented by Pru Mitchell for school library staff considered critical thinking projects that show students how Wikipedia works, and helps move them from being consumers to creators. Participants evaluated content and citations to consider how Wikipedia can be a reliable source of neutral, verifiable, established background information on current curriculum topics.
The Archives of American Art on Wikipedia and Wikimedia SAA2012Sara Snyder
SESSION 406 - 80,000 Volunteers Can't Be Wrong: The Case for Greater Collaboration with Wikipedia
Society of American Archivists Annual Meeting 2012
Aug 10, 2012, 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Sara Snyder, MLS , MA
Webmaster
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Art
Wikipedia is the fifth most popular Web property in the world and is continually expanded by 80,000 editors from around the globe. How can archives harness this incredible level of participation for their benefit? Join colleagues and Wikipedia volunteers from the National Archives and Records Administration and the Smithsonian's Archives of American Art to learn about the Wikipedian in Residence Program and other initiatives that will result in greater knowledge and exposure of your collections.
Creating Dynamic Pathfinders: Subject Guides of the Future 2013Westerville Library
Explores various aspects of dynamic online pathfinders (also known as subject guides, topic guides, information portals, etc.) Discusses the different Web 2.0, open source, and subscription tools available for creating dynamic pathfinders and will cover ways to maintain and market pathfinders with limited staff time and resources. Special focus will be paid to the product LibGuides.
Can you imagine a world in which every single person on the planet is given free access to the sum of all human knowledge? Every day Wikipedia’s audacious vision comes closer to reality, as humans (and other information services) exploit this top-ranking information source.
Here is an opportunity for educators to learn about how Wikipedia works to realise its position as a ‘neutral compilation of verifiable, established facts.’ and consider what information literacy education looks like in 2015, and how Wikipedia projects provide a way to move from a consumer to creator culture of learning.
Open to Integration: Incorporating Open Resources into Teaching and Learning ...Robyn Hall
Webinar presented for OA Week at the Nova Scotia Community College on October 24, 2013.
Abstract: Questions abound in higher education about both the quality and the sustainability of “open” resources such as open access journals, open education resources, open data, and massive open online courses (MOOCs). Against a backdrop of potential areas of concern, this session will address simple and practical ways to integrate open resources into teaching and learning activities and services. Participants will be encouraged to consider possibilities these resources have to offer colleges and universities that share a commitment to fostering critical thinking and lifelong learning skills among students while contending with financial challenges and constraints.
This webinar presented by Pru Mitchell for school library staff considered critical thinking projects that show students how Wikipedia works, and helps move them from being consumers to creators. Participants evaluated content and citations to consider how Wikipedia can be a reliable source of neutral, verifiable, established background information on current curriculum topics.
The Archives of American Art on Wikipedia and Wikimedia SAA2012Sara Snyder
SESSION 406 - 80,000 Volunteers Can't Be Wrong: The Case for Greater Collaboration with Wikipedia
Society of American Archivists Annual Meeting 2012
Aug 10, 2012, 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Sara Snyder, MLS , MA
Webmaster
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Art
Wikipedia is the fifth most popular Web property in the world and is continually expanded by 80,000 editors from around the globe. How can archives harness this incredible level of participation for their benefit? Join colleagues and Wikipedia volunteers from the National Archives and Records Administration and the Smithsonian's Archives of American Art to learn about the Wikipedian in Residence Program and other initiatives that will result in greater knowledge and exposure of your collections.
Creating Dynamic Pathfinders: Subject Guides of the Future 2013Westerville Library
Explores various aspects of dynamic online pathfinders (also known as subject guides, topic guides, information portals, etc.) Discusses the different Web 2.0, open source, and subscription tools available for creating dynamic pathfinders and will cover ways to maintain and market pathfinders with limited staff time and resources. Special focus will be paid to the product LibGuides.
Can you imagine a world in which every single person on the planet is given free access to the sum of all human knowledge? Every day Wikipedia’s audacious vision comes closer to reality, as humans (and other information services) exploit this top-ranking information source.
Here is an opportunity for educators to learn about how Wikipedia works to realise its position as a ‘neutral compilation of verifiable, established facts.’ and consider what information literacy education looks like in 2015, and how Wikipedia projects provide a way to move from a consumer to creator culture of learning.
This presentation was developed by our team on EDIT 611 - Innovations in Distance Learning. Our assignment was to explore Wiki's in the context of education (K-12), higher education, and professional training.
Beyond the survey: Using qualitative research methods to support evidence-ba...Lynn Connaway
Connaway, L. S. (2019). Beyond the survey: Using qualitative research methods to support evidence-based practice. Keynote presented at the ALIA Information Online 2019 Conference, February 14, 2019, Sydney, Australia.
Using Web 2 0 Tools To "Enliven" Projects Nov 20Anna Koval
anna koval (me) and marie slim presented this at the 2009 california school library association conference. =)
for a hyperlinked, clickable version, please go to: http://bit.ly/5MSlsv
Instructions for Submissions thorugh G- Classroom.pptxJheel Barad
This presentation provides a briefing on how to upload submissions and documents in Google Classroom. It was prepared as part of an orientation for new Sainik School in-service teacher trainees. As a training officer, my goal is to ensure that you are comfortable and proficient with this essential tool for managing assignments and fostering student engagement.
The Art Pastor's Guide to Sabbath | Steve ThomasonSteve Thomason
What is the purpose of the Sabbath Law in the Torah. It is interesting to compare how the context of the law shifts from Exodus to Deuteronomy. Who gets to rest, and why?
Synthetic Fiber Construction in lab .pptxPavel ( NSTU)
Synthetic fiber production is a fascinating and complex field that blends chemistry, engineering, and environmental science. By understanding these aspects, students can gain a comprehensive view of synthetic fiber production, its impact on society and the environment, and the potential for future innovations. Synthetic fibers play a crucial role in modern society, impacting various aspects of daily life, industry, and the environment. ynthetic fibers are integral to modern life, offering a range of benefits from cost-effectiveness and versatility to innovative applications and performance characteristics. While they pose environmental challenges, ongoing research and development aim to create more sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives. Understanding the importance of synthetic fibers helps in appreciating their role in the economy, industry, and daily life, while also emphasizing the need for sustainable practices and innovation.
Operation “Blue Star” is the only event in the history of Independent India where the state went into war with its own people. Even after about 40 years it is not clear if it was culmination of states anger over people of the region, a political game of power or start of dictatorial chapter in the democratic setup.
The people of Punjab felt alienated from main stream due to denial of their just demands during a long democratic struggle since independence. As it happen all over the word, it led to militant struggle with great loss of lives of military, police and civilian personnel. Killing of Indira Gandhi and massacre of innocent Sikhs in Delhi and other India cities was also associated with this movement.
How to Create Map Views in the Odoo 17 ERPCeline George
The map views are useful for providing a geographical representation of data. They allow users to visualize and analyze the data in a more intuitive manner.
Palestine last event orientationfvgnh .pptxRaedMohamed3
An EFL lesson about the current events in Palestine. It is intended to be for intermediate students who wish to increase their listening skills through a short lesson in power point.
We all have good and bad thoughts from time to time and situation to situation. We are bombarded daily with spiraling thoughts(both negative and positive) creating all-consuming feel , making us difficult to manage with associated suffering. Good thoughts are like our Mob Signal (Positive thought) amidst noise(negative thought) in the atmosphere. Negative thoughts like noise outweigh positive thoughts. These thoughts often create unwanted confusion, trouble, stress and frustration in our mind as well as chaos in our physical world. Negative thoughts are also known as “distorted thinking”.
3. What is Web 2.0?
Ja458vier. (2012). Logo de Web 2. Retrieved from
CC BY-SA 3.0
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/23/Web_2.jpg
In the past, we used the
internet to retrieve
information
We can now use the
internet to create/present
information
4. So how does this affect us, teachers and librarians?
Strandberg, E. (2006). A toolbox. Retrieved from: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f4/20060513_toolbox.jpg/512px-20060513_toolbox.jpg CC By-SA 2.5
8. Curriculum
application for
Big Huge Labs
SOL: Reading 7.5 a)
Describe the elements of narrative
structure including setting,
character development, plot
structure, theme, and conflict.
9. More curriculum applications for
Big Huge Labs
• Create a map to show the Axis countries involved in World War II
• Create a poster with a geometrical shape and list its characteristics
Sim, D. (2006) Mirror Neon Cube. Retrieved fromhttps://www.flickr.com/photos/victoriapeckham/272633585 CC BY 2.0
13. Curriculum application
for Voki
SOL: World Languages WI.5
The student will present
information orally and in
writing in the target language,
using a variety of familiar
vocabulary, phrases, and
structural patterns.
Monica habla
14. More curriculum applications for Voki
• Students give a voice to a historical figure to tell about this person’s
life and accomplishments
• Students give a voice to a fictional character
• For teachers and librarians: use Voki for eye catching announcements
on your website
16. Curriculum application
for Thinglink
SOL: Life Science LS.6
The student will investigate
and understand that
organisms within an
ecosystem are dependent
on one another and on
nonliving components of the
environment.
Forest food chain Thinglink
Remix of: Amsel, Sheri. “Food Webs.” Forest Food Webs. Exploring Nature Educational Resource.
Retrieved from :
https://www.thinglink.com/scene/682965272721620992
17. More curriculum applications for Thinglink
• Photo collage
• Timelines
• Part of a picture
• Bulletin boards
• Interactive book talks
Dani Df1995. (2009). Collage di varie immagini di Roma. Retrieved from
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/75/Collage_Rome.jpg CC BY-SA 3.0
19. Curriculum application for My Storybook
SOL: Reading 8.6
The student will read,
comprehend, and analyze a
variety of nonfiction texts.
h) Summarize the text identifying
supporting details
20. More curriculum applications for
My Storybook
• Vocabulary pages
• Creative writing
• ESOL and World Languages
• Geometrical shapes
Picture dictionary example
21.
22. • Image editing and creations:
http://www.imagechef.com/
http://foldplay.com/
http://www.tuxpi.com
27. Questions?
If you think of a question later on, please send an e-mail to
aclev001@odu.edu
Turn in your exit slip please!
28. You can find the script for this presentation at:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ci2psuef4hfu1wf/Conference%20
Presentation%20Script.docx?dl=0
And you can find the conference proposal at:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/4dqbau7hj9qmmxs/Conference
%20Presentation%20Proposal.docx?dl=0
Thank you!
Editor's Notes
Hello everybody and welcome to the presentation about cool tools for middle school.
The SOL’s that I am addressing today are middle school SOL’s, but in reality the tools I will present today can also be used in elementary and high school. So, if you are an elementary or high school teacher, please stay, because I think that you will find something for your grade level here.
30 seconds
My name is Annalisa Cleveland, and I am Italian, although I have lived and worked in the States for the past 25 years. I hold a B.A. in Modern Languages from the University of Rome, and an M.A. in Modern Languages from Kansas State university. I am a national board certified teacher, and in my career I have been a Spanish and ESOL teacher in middle and high school in Prince William County. As an ESOL teacher, I have spent many hours in various classrooms, from Math to Language Arts, learning their objectives and learning about students’ needs. In the future, I would like to become a librarian to help teachers and students develop a cooperative atmosphere where learning is engaging and goes beyond the classroom walls.
1 minute
This presentation is about tools that are available on the internet, or web 2.0, that allow us, teachers, librarians, and students, to create and share content. The internet is great to retrieve information, but there are some website that can help us go beyond that.
30 seconds
There are a lot of free, interactive tools on the internet that teachers and librarians can use in their daily practice
This presentation will highlight only four of them. At the end of the presentation I will have some slides to list many more tools, but today I will explore in depth just four tools.
30 seconds
I have chosen Big Huge Labs (which is an image editing tool), Voki (which is an audio tool), Thinglink (which is a presentation tool), and My Storybook (which is a digital storytelling tool). I will show how these tools can help students synthesize information, with the added bonus of allowing creativity and fun in the learning process. In my experience as a teacher, students run from a class to the next, and are flooded with information that for many is way too fast. Some students do not have the background knowledge to absorb the new information presented every day. These tools allow students to pause and think deeply about their learning, produce something that shows what and how much they understand. In other words, these tools will help middle school students to synthesize information, which is one of the hardest skills for these young learners
1 minute
Big Huge labs is a website that allows you to create magazine covers, trading cards, posters, jigsaw puzzles, photo collages, maps, billboards and more, using your own images or images you find on the web. Go to website online…..
Here you can see what I created using my children’s picture from this summer.
The great features of this website are the fact that it is free and easy to use. You can edit your product, and you can save or share it. You can create an educator account as well.
The limitation of this website is due to its very nature of being mainly an image maker, so text is limited. As you can see from my example, adding more text would create a very cluttered image. This, on the other hand, would compel students to boil their information down to the bare essentials, fostering their summarization skills.
Here you can see I have created a magazine cover. It has a title and subtitle, and it gives you up to 16 lines of text. And it is fun, because you add the publication date and the price, plus you can use your own pictures. You can also change the color scheme and play with fonts and text colors. Here I am talking about conflict and resolution.
2 minutes
As I mentioned, you can create an educator account, which allows you to pre register your students, so they can sign in without an e-mail address and they can send you their work easily. The educator account is also ad-free. Here are some examples of work that can be done with Big Huge Labs. This is the flyer you can find on their website.
30 seconds
Here there are a lot of possibilities. I am choosing a 7th grade reading SOL to show an example of how this website can be used in the classroom. For example, students can create trading cards to represent the various characters of a story they have read. In fact, in order to show the characters’ development, students can create two sets of cards, the first one showing the characters at the beginning of the story and one showing the characters at the end of the story. Here, I am describing my daughter’s character.
Of course, they could create a trading card to show the setting (often times students do not create a mental image of the setting, and this visual tool would help). They could also illustrate the key elements of the plot, the theme, or the conflict. Again, this tool does not allow a lot of text, making students be concise and direct.
2 minutes
The great visual power of Big Huge Labs can be used in many curriculum areas. Here, I am thinking of Social Studies, where students often have no idea where the events they are studying take place, and Math, where many terms are unfamiliar. As you can see, it could be used in any subject area where visualization is important.
Other ideas?
2 minutes
The second tool I have chosen today is Voki. Go to website online…..
Voki lets you create an Avatar that speaks for you. Here I have created a Genie that explains what Voki does.
Go to example online…..
This tool has many strong features. You can choose many different characters, including historical figures. You can personalize the character and the background, and then you can record your voice or use the text to speech option. It can be used in many different languages! The website even has a collection of lesson plans available for you. These are categorized by grade level and subject area.
A limitation is that if you want to save your Vokis you have to create an account, and that in the free version your recordings are limited to one minute. There are upgrades available, for a fee.
3 minutes
For $ 29.95/year you can upgrade to Voki Classroom or Voki Presenter, or for $ 49.95/year you can purchase them both. These allow your students to use Voki without registering.
30 seconds
This upgrade allows you to create full length presentations which you can easily share. Remember, with the free version you can only record up to 60 seconds. Longer messages would be great for absent or homebound students.
30 seconds
As you know, my passion is languages, so when I saw that you can record many different languages, I was excited. Here I have created an example of a Voki in Spanish.
Go to example online…..
I am also thinking of the text to speech option. This would make students practice their written skills as well. And wouldn’t it be great for ESOL students as well? Students could present information using an avatar, maybe going from text to speech to recording their own voice as they gain confidence speaking English. In fact, samples of their Voki could be saved to show their progress form the beginning of the year to the end.
2 minutes
Voki can be used in all subject areas. I am thinking of Social Studies, where students could have a historical character tell about himself/herself and the historical period. A Voki could be created to show a fictional character’s point of view, or version of events. Or students could generate quick book talks. And how about putting one of these talking avatars on your website? Wouldn’t it attract students’ and parents’ attention to your important announcements?
Other ideas?
1 minute
The third tools I am exploring today is Thinglink. Go to website online…..
Thinglink allows you to use a picture, a picture collage, or a video and put tags on it. These tags can be links to text, video, webpages, music, making the image interactive. When finished, the image can be embedded into social media.
Go to example online…..
The attraction of such a tool for our young generation is evident. It is pretty easy to understand how it works, although the website lacks a more obvious step by step tutorial. Users need an e-mail address to sign in, otherwise teachers can allow them to work under one account, but this makes the process of retrieving the individual productions a little confusing.
The danger with this tool is that students might just add links without evaluating them first. It would be a good idea to establish guidelines for the use of this tool and to require the tagging of one student-produced text document.
4 minutes
Again, I am choosing a middle school SOL to illustrate the uses of this tool, this time a 7th grade Science SOL.
Go to example online…..
As you can see, the links can take you anywhere, to a video, to a webpage, to a written document. Students can create these, but teachers and librarians can create these as well as presentation tools.
3 minutes
Just any kind of presentation can be achieved through Thinglink.
In Social Studies, students create a photo collage of the artists of the 1920’s and 1930’s with links to their music, painting, and literature
Or students can create timelines of events, adding links to information.
How about in Science, when students are learning the parts of a microscope? Teachers can ask students to research the parts of a picture and tag them.
Bulletin boards can become interactive if teachers or librarians take a picture of a bulletin board and add tags, then publish the Thinglink to their website or school website.
Or students or teachers can take a picture of a book and tag it with an interactive book talk. I am thinking of a link to the author’s life and works, a document link to the summary of the plot and an audio link to the personal opinion of the book.
Other ideas?
2 minutes
My Storybook is a website that allows you to create little books. Go to website online…..
It offers background scenes, objects, characters, speech bubbles, and text. You can even use your own images, or use the drawing tool. It has a tutorial, it’s easy to use, and the finished products can be saved if you sign in. No sign in is required if you just want to create a book without saving. The books can be shared or printed ($ 5.00 fee to obtain a Pdf file). The only limitation I see is that the graphics are a little babyish, but on the other hand this could help keep things simple.
Go to example online…..
4 minutes
This time I have chosen an 8th grade SOL to illustrate possible uses of this tool.
My Storybook is a great tool for summarization. It can be used to summarize non-fiction, as in my example, or fiction, or any chapter from a book, or even as a culminating activity for a unit.
1 minute
The possibilities for this website are endless. It can be used to create vocabulary pages in any subject area. I am thinking of Science and Social Studies with all the new vocabulary words that students learn in middle school.
Go to example online…..
Students can use it to illustrate their own creative writing (I am thinking of an incentive for the dreaded writing practice for the 8th grade writing SOL test). It would be a great tool for World Languages and ESOL classes, where students need extra time and practice with vocabulary words and spelling. Because of the drawing tool, students can use this website to create geometrical shapes, and write their characteristics and formulas.
Other ideas?
2 minutes
I have only illustrated four tools that Web 2.0 offers educators who want to give “them” the edge.
Now I am going to tell you briefly about some more tools that are available to you.
Please prepare an exit slip with the name of one tool I have presented or am about to present, that you might use this coming school year, and how you might use it.
If you remember Big Huge Labs from the beginning of the presentation, I want you to know that there are other websites, such as these, that you can explore. You will choose the one that you are more comfortable with.
1 minute
If you remember Big Huge Labs from the beginning of the presentation, I want you to know that there are other websites, such as these, that you can explore. You will choose the one that you are more comfortable with. I created this image of the multiple tool boxes with Tuxpi.com
1 minute
I have not talked about infographics in my presentation, but these are starting to appear more and more frequently. There are various tools that help you create infographics. But they are not the easiest to navigate and they have templates that somehow limit what you can and can’t do. I created this infographic using Piktochart.com
1 minute
You will remember my Voki. These are other audio tools, but vocaroo and audiopal do not have the added bonus of an avatar. Blabberize uses a real picture of a person, and the results are quite funny as you can see from this picture. Sure to call people’s attention!
1 minute
I have not talked about videos in my presentation, but there are free tools to create videos. The most popular one is Animoto, but they only give a short trial period, which produces videos with their watermark, and then you have to purchase a subscription. A free educator subscription exists, but the website itself says it takes a long time to process. I created this video with Animoto.com
1 minute
You will remember Thinglink as a presentation tool. There are other tools as well, especially these here. Prezi has become very popular lately, as it gives a nice overview of where your presentation is going before you start, so the audience never feels confused. Here you see a picture of a presentation on makerspaces I created with Prezi.com
1 minute