Week+2

=**Personal Learning Communities and Web 2.0 Applications **= = =


 * =====[|Classroom 2.0] =====
 * =====[|The Educator's PLN] =====
 * =====[|The Synapse](a Biology PLN) =====

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[|Glogster]is one of my **Web 2.0 applications**. This application allows a person to create an interactive poster, complete with pictures, links and videos. This would be a great presentation tool for students who are working on group projects. =====

This is the poster created using this website:
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[|Animoto]is another Web 2.0 application that I am currently using. It creates images into professional-quality slideshows with music. Again, this would be a great way for students to present their work after the completion of a group project. =====

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This is a sample slideshow that I created using this site. It is on scientists who played important roles in the development of the theory of evolution. I chose to include Jean-Baptiste Lamarck because of the part he played in developing the theory of natural selection. While his theories on evolution were flawed, he did ultimately guide future generations of scientists towards the correct path in evolutionary science. Robert Malthus, the population theorist, was included because his theories on population and growth were very influential to scientists at the time the theory of evolution was being developed. Charles Darwin is in the slide show because of his development of natural selection as a mechanism of evolution, and of course for his very influential writings on the topic. Alfred Wallace is another scientist who developed a similar theory independently of Darwin, and should allow receive some credit for natural selection. Lastly, I included Charles Lyell in the slideshow because of his prominent role in geology. =====

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[|Voicethread] is a wonderful Web 2.0 application that I have discovered. It allows users to create a slideshow that can be commented on by viewers through recordings, notes and pictures. This is a great tool for student group presentations, as well as for having students comment on topics from home. =====

This is a sample Voicethread that I created using this application. It is on the life of the author, Jane Austen.
media type="custom" key="10019267"


 * =====[|Quizinator] : Quizinator is a free application that allows a user to create, store and print different worksheets, quizzes and test. All of this can be done online, and there is no need to download software. The webpage loads pretty quickly, and it is easy to navigate through different parts of the website. There are a variety of links on the page, yet they are not advertisements. It is an application that allows teachers to access their work anywhere, as it is all saved online. Quizinator has been show to work on both Internet Explorer and Google Chrome on PCs. It has not been tested on a Mac, therefore this is the only category in which it cannot receive the highest rating. Because of its ease of use and its usefulness for enhancing student learning as well as teacher productivity, I think that Quizinator is a great tool and would give it a 28 out of 28 overall. =====


 * =====[|Dipity]: Dipity is a free application that allows users to create timelines using internet resources. I think that this is a very handy tool for classrooms, as students can use current events and news articles to create visual representations of events. It is very easy to navigate, and the search feature is handy when looking for an example of a timeline. There are no advertisements on this page, and the website loads very quickly as there is nothing to download. There is no need for training on this site, as it is intuitive in use. Dipity has been show to work on both Internet Explorer and Google Chrome on PCs. It has not been tested on a Mac. Also, while the search feature does not allow for advertisements, there are some timelines that may have content that is questionable for students. Because of this, it is possible that Dipity may be blocked in certain schools. Due to these flaws, I would give Dipity a 25 out of 28 overall. =====


 * =====[|iVoted] : iVoted is an innovative free application that allows teachers to post poll questions online. Students then answer the questions using their cell phones by texting their answer to a number. The application is very fast and easy to use, and there is nothing to download. I think it is a very handy tool to use, as it allows students to use technology in answering questions in class. Also, it allows for anonymous answering, and the class can see the results in real-time. There are no advertisements on this page, and the navigation is very simple. iVoted has been show to work on both Internet Explorer and Google Chrome on PCs. It has not been tested on a Mac, therefore this is the only category in which it cannot receive the highest rating. Because of its ease of use, as well as its usefulness in the classroom in engaging students and promoting learning, I would give iVoted an overall 28 out of 28. =====


 * =====[|Evernote]: Evernote is a free application that enables users to store information online. Users can type text, clip webpages, take pictures and grab screenshots and store them on Evernote. It is a tool to organize and keep information for users in a virtual cloud, complete with tags. Information can be saved and accessed through both computers, as well as phones and iPads. This would be a great tool for students who are working collaboratively on a group project and need to save information, as well as a great tool for teachers who are planning lessons and need to save their resources. The only downside to Evernote is that users must download the application prior to using it. However, it claims to be compatible across different platforms, which is useful. There are no advertisements on the site, making it safe for school use. Because of these features, I would give Evernote an overall rating of 26 out of 28. =====
 * =====[|Prezi]: Prezi is a free application that enables users to create presentations that zoom in and out and move around in different perspectives. This allows viewers to see how ideas relate to each other on a large scale, as well as on a smaller scale. Prezi is free and there is no need to download any software. It would be a very useful tool in presenting lessons to students, as well as allowing them to create group presentations. It is very fast-loading and there are tutorials on the site that help users in creating their presentations. It is easy to navigate around the website as all the links are clearly labeled. Because of these features, and the lack of advertisements, I would give Prezi a 28 out of 28. =====