Web WiseUsing the Web to Enhance Classroom Instruction

Heather BlountCurriculum Specialist

Web Applications

• Blog

• Wiki

• Social networking sites

• Other applications

Blog• Web publishing tool that allows authors to

quickly and easily self-publish text, artwork, links to other blogs or Web sites, etc.

• Set up like conventional Web site

• Contains daily postings similar to a diary or journal that others can comment on

• Accessible on any computer with Internet access

• User friendly, minimal technical knowledge to use

Blog: Educational Benefits• Motivating to students

• Opportunity for students to read and write in a different context

• Forums for collaboration and discussion

• Tool for scaffolded learning and mentoring

Blog: Classroom Use

• Classroom Management

• Collaboration

• Discussions

Blog• Blogger

www.blogger.com/start • Edmodo

(designed for teachers and students)

www.edmodo.com

• Edublogs(designed for teachers and students)

http://edublogs.org

• WordPress

http://wordpress.com

• Tumblr

www.tumblr.com

Wiki

• A wiki is a collection of Web pages designed to enable anyone who accesses it to contribute or modify content, using a simplified language.

• Wiki comes from the Hawaiian word for “quick”

Wiki: Educational Benefits

• Encourage collaborative learning and information sharing

• Increase student engagement and participation

• Facilitate communication between teachers, students, parents, and guardians

• Decreased use of paper

Wiki: Classroom Use

• Group Projects

• Assignments

• Student Portfolios

• Resource Collections

• Peer Review

Wiki

• http://sites.google.com

• PB Workswww.pbworks.com

• Wikispaceswww.wikispaces.com

• www.wikimatrix.org/index.php

Wiki

• Administrators (the teacher)

• Editors (students, maybe)

• Writers (students)

• Readers (parents)

Social Networking Sites• Facebook

– Free– Students already using it

• Facebook in Educationwww.facebook.com/education#!/education?v=wall

• Curriculum Center on Facebookhttp://www.facebook.com/pages/Lubbock-TX/The-Curriculum-Center-for-Family-and-Consumer-Sciences/126921104661

Social Networking Sites• Twiducate (Twitter for education)

www.twiducate.com

– A free resource for educators

– Educationally focused, safe venue for teachers, schools, and home learners in a social networking environment

– Only teachers and students may view classroom posts

Internet Resources and Applications

• Glogster EDUhttp://edu.glogster.com

http://edu.glogster.com/classroom-benefits/

• Letter Pophttp://letterpop.com

• Prezi

http://prezi.com

• Google docs

www.google.com/accounts/ServiceLogin?service=writely&passive=1209600&continue=http%3A%2F%2Fdocs.google.com

Internet Resources and Applications

• Google SketchUp

http://sketchup.google.com/intl/en/index.html

• Animoto

http://animoto.com/education

• Dabbleboardhttp://dabbleboard.com

• Wordle

http://wordle.net

• Mouse Mischiefwww.microsoft.com/multipoint/mouse-mischief/

Internet Resources and Applications

• Cool Toolshttp://cooltoolsforschools.wikispaces.com/

• Box of Trickswww.boxoftricks.net/?page_id=29

Before Using Internet Applications

• Explore and become familiar with the application (or ask a student to explore)

• Check with your technology department and administrators

• Set up rules, guidelines, and expectations for use of application