Web+2.0+Group+1

Group 1

Directions: In your group, find 10 Web 2.0 tools that are relevant for today's teachers. Create a product using each of the tools, embed your sample, then write a 500 word review of the tool including overall impression, ease of use, relevant application, grade level recommendation, and any tips or pointers.

Group One: Spencer

Spencer Oswald

http://www.voki.com/

Voki is essentially an online classroom that is controlled and set up by the teacher. With the ability to run it like a normal classroom, it's much like the way use Sakai here at Lees-McRae. Having the ability to manage a range of things, learning new things and its easy set up makes it a prime Web 2.0 tool to have. The website gives the teacher the ability to manage everything from students, assignments, and classes. In managing the students work, to see if it is complete or not. Also being able to see if their personal Voki. Then being able to see their work and put it on lesson page, or set to private. Now, don't worry about help setting up the students, Voki automatically creates a log-in for every student added to the roster, so there is no need to register. As for assignments, the teacher is able to create work for there students on the site. While being able to give instructions on it. Then being able to customize a preferred look to the assignment make to unique. Voki's claim is that it give its user the ability to be creative to basically set up thing in their way, one way of doing this is having people be able to make a cartoon picture of themselves. Also says it is easy to use and helps motivate students by making it fun. Which means if the students are interested, it can help improve the learning comprehension of all the learners. Another part of Voki is that it give you to see what other teachers have posted for lesson plans. The plans range from all levels, from kindergarten, elementary school, middle school, high school, and even some college courses. This include a variety of subjects as well like math, reading, science, etc. This to me seem like a great tool to incorporate into a classroom. The pricing is affordable, and give discounts for the more account you have. The site also offers tutorials on how to set up your site.

Spencer Oswald

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The Teaching Channel is a website associated with showing videos that are educational to today's students. Even videos for teachers on how to approach a particular lesson or subject. This can also allow you to exchange with others and come up with new ideas. This is a non profit organization, so it is the real deal in terms of thinking about the importance of education.

Part of the Teaching Channels mission is to help showcase inspiring and effective teaching practices in all schools across America. Along with the Tch community, this site helps teachers help each other everywhere. The sites three goals express the importance they take: build a professional learning resources that teachers want, deepen and improve opportunities for teacher learning, elevate and celebrate teachers in our society.

The videos are produced by production experts, education advisers, and even to the classroom teacher. The videos themselves can be composed of common core state standards. This can be really helpful when approaching the big state exam at any level. Then there is also ancillary material for teachers. Its worth mentioning that the Tch videos air 1 hour a week on PBS stations. That's not something a lot of people can say.

The site also allows you to create you own personal profile. You are also able to search for specific videos, such as if you were looking for one for standardized testing. Then commenting on the video to voice your own opinion on it, marking parts of the video that's important so you don't lose your place. You can also find other teachers in your line of work and follow them, this can allow you to exchange ideas and liked videos. As well as getting alerts on videos that are important to you.

This is a useful site. Having the ability to not only look up videos on subject, but to exchange and publish your own makes it unique.