When I discussed what defines a web 2.0, I referenced a series of benchmarks. Two of the benchmarks for a web 2.0 tool are continuous improvement and ability to interface with other tools. Twitter definitely meets these benchmarks as it continues to evolve based on the user.
After a few months of use, I have caught on to the basics of tweeting, retweeting, replying, and direct messaging. I knew about the '#', but I didn't really know how to use it effectively or all of its capabilities. (If you don't know what the '#' is, head over to Read Write Web blog for a great explanation.)
Through reading the Read Write Web blog entry on new Twitter features, I learned how to search for items of interest using Twitter Search or #hastags and the '#' tag. I (finally) figured out how to find out what all the '#' tags meant using Tagulus. Now if I want to know about the buzz from a conference or the thoughts a new headline, I can search through Tagulus for the '#' tag that corresponds to the information I am looking for on Twitter. I can also make-up my own '#' tags and share their purpose with other Tweeters.
Just think, you could have your own '#' tag for each class you teach and tweet out homework, insteresting links, or facilitate converstions between your students.
I have also updated the Teach Web 2.0 wiki with all this great new information.
Students create artwork and projects in class all the time. Wouldn't it be great if they could share their work with their parents, grandparents, neighbors, and friends? Artsonia allows them to do just that. Self described as "the world's largest kid's art museum", it provides an online space to showcase student's work.
I analyzed the tool by completing a SWOT analysis over at the Teach Web 2.o wiki. According to Alexa.com, 77,000+ people visit the site everyday. Talk about increasing the audience for your students' work! Now it must be noted that Artsonia does make money off of selling students' artwork on customized keepsakes; however, it does gives 15% of the proceeds to back to the school.
Teachers can open an account for their school or classroom and upload student artwork to the gallery. The gallery can then be arranged by project or class. Students' artwork is identified by their first name and number - never a last name. Online portfolios are created for each student, allowing them to see the growth in their work over the year(s). Viewers can browse through the museum by looking for schools, students, grade levels, and mediums. Viewers are allowed to make comments on students' work, but only after the comments have been approved by the parent via email.
This looks like a great tool that will be easy to incorporate into my classroom. While the uploading of artwork will take some time, I think the benefits are worth it.
Are you using Artsonia or a similar tool to showcase student work?
Today I was able to watch a webinar from Classroom 2.0 on VoiceThread. I was introduced to VoiceThread in another class but have not had an opportunity to use it yet. VoiceThread is web 2.0 tool that allows the user to combine images, text, and video to create a multimedia slide show. Once the presentation has been created other users can doodle on the slides and leave video, audio, and text comments.
The webinar explained what VoiceThread is and how to use it. It also gives you tips on how to use it in the classroom. One of the best tips from the webinar on encouraging collaboration is to ask a question in the VoiceThread for the commentators to answer. Also, you don't allows have to create the VoiceThread. Another way to check learning is to search VoiceThreads for a slide show on material you are currently teaching and have your students comment and add to the VoiceThreads.
After listening to the webinar, I spent sometime on the VoiceThread website exploring the types of slides shows there are out there. I found a great VoiceThread on the 50 States. It was a collaborative VoiceThread in which students in each state left facts about their state as audio, video, or text comments. I also found a VoiceThread book review and report done by elementary students - just think you could have international reading groups!
I think I could use VoiceThread in my classroom as an alternative assessment. Students could receive feedback on their work from their classmates, parents, and teachers. This is definitely a tool that will help me increase the authentic audiences for students' work.
One of the challenges with educational technology is staying on top of all the resources, information, and possibilities out there. In addition to using Google Reader and RSS feeds to keep track of a couple educational technology blogs, I use Twitter to stay on top of the buzz out there.
As described by Evan Williams, the CEO of Odeo (the parent company of Twitter), Twitter is “incredible resource to find out what’s happening among any topic or event while it’s going on” (2009). The following video explains where the idea for Twitter came from, how it has evolved, and where it might go in the future.
For more information about Twitter in the classroom visit the Teach Web 2.0 wiki and view the SWOT analysis. And don't forget to add your thoughts and opinions - the wiki is only as useful as we make it. Included in the entry are many Twitter accessories that perform a variety of functions.
Multiple times a day I log onto Twitter and see what is buzzing in the educational technology world. Throughout the day I find articles, ideas, resources, questions, conversations, and new web 2.0 tools through those I follow on Twitter. I love how an educator can share a problem or pose an idea and get instantaneous response from educators around the country.
While I have yet to find effective ways for students to use Twitter in the classroom, it is a great resource for me to find real time information and resources. I started using Twitter to build my personal learning network by adding my name to the Twitter for Teachers wiki. It has given me the names of educators that I can connect with to share ideas, resources, and thoughts. Here is another great list of Edutweeters; the list is divided into categories and gives a tweeter's Twitter name and what kinds of topics they tweet about.
Just after I posted this entry, I found a webinar from last weekend titled Twitter for Teachers. I guess it is appropriate that I found out about the webinar through a Tweet of a fellow teacher. Rodd Lucier gave a slideshare presentation on what Twitter is and how to use it. The presentation is a basic introduction; however, it does a good job of explaining Twitter Search and the '#' tag. I learned how to have larger discussions using the '#' tag and Twitter Search. This feature is particularly useful for conversing with a larger group of people, such as conference participants (Lucier, 2009).
He agrees that one of the best things about Twitter is that you cannot only gather resources from those you follow but also ask for resources from those that follow you (Lucier, 2009). He does comment that one way to use Twitter in the classroom is to connect students with mentors and experts (Lucier,2009). He suggests Twitter can be used a classroom management tool, in that it is possible to Tweet out homework assignments, classroom events, and other relevant information (Lucier, 2009). It would be a wonderful tool for parents and students who might have missed school or needed clarification on an assignment.
Rodd Lucier created a wiki site for an ebook: Twitter for Teachers. It is an online book that teachers can add their thoughts, ideas, and experiences to share with other teachers. The ebook covers a variety of topics from safety concerns, copyright and plagarism issues, use in the classroom, collaboration with other educators, and building your personal learning network via Twitter.
I am graduate student at the University of Florida, pursuing my educational specialist degree in educational technology. I enjoy discovering, exploring, and discussing Web 2.0 tools and how to integrate them into the classroom and curriculum. This is my space to do just that.
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