Technology+Toolbox

Web 2.0 tools are an amazing resource that is great for every teacher to use and implement into his or her classroom. Below, I have a table that reviews one site for sixteen Web 2.0 tools. Also, a rating explanation is provided to better understand my reviews. The sites critiqued below are just a sliver of the masses of tools available for teachers. Criteria and Rating Explanations ** **__Usability__** – How easy is it to use and navigate through the site? Is it easy for students/teachers to create? P oor - //The site is hard to navigate and create// Good - //The site is fairly easy to navigate and create// Great - //The site is very easy to navigate and create// **__Cost__** – How much does it cost to use the site? Is the site add-driven? Free Costs Money **__Relativity to Students__** – Is this website relevant to my elementary students? Would they every use this website for anything instructional – if so, what? Yes No Technology Toolbox ** // Aggregator // || Poor – for beginning users || Free – Add Driven || No – Not sure when they would use it || Great for teacher’s website || // S. Bookmarking // || Good || Free || Maybe – for upper elementary students || Good for reaching websites – need email || // Search Tools // || Good || Free || Yes – Could be effective for teaching note taking & research projects || Great for upper elementary/ Jr. High || // Webstart // || Great || Free || Yes – Great for communication, projects and assignments || Could be fun to do a cumulative portfolio with an online site || // Weblogs // || Great || Free || Amazing for online discussions, and viewing other students opinions || Would take some prep work for teacher, but great tool || // Wikis // || Great || Free || Great online tool for students to display and work. || Good way to get parent involvement into the class || // Web Word Proc. // || Good || Free || Very easy for students to use, and word processing is always needed || Most students have a word processing program, so it tends to be irrelevant. || Creative Writing || Great || Free || Yes – Good way to get ideas, read others work and make writing fun || Students need to have an email to sign up. Great tool! || // Web Spreadsheet // || Good || Free || Great, anywhere access, great for sharing and reviewing || This would be great for students if they didn’t have excel || // Assessment,, Polls, & Surveys // || Great || Free || Easy for students and teachers to use. Best tool for teachers. || A great way for teachers to analyze students work, and for students to learn how to and create statistical tools || //Podcasting & Screencasting// || Good || Free || No, it would be difficult for them to use because of school security || Good for a teacher to use to supplement lessons || // YouTube // || Great || Free || Students could use this for presentations or to show their products || Hard to have access at school due to security restrictions || // Photo and Drawing // || Good || Free || A good way for students to discovery geometry and 3-D, more applicable for older grades || As a primary educator you might not find much use for this, however older students would have fun with it || // File Sharing // || Great || Free || Good for online storage, access almost anywhere || Downfall is that students have to have a google account || // Presentation Tools // || Poor || Free || This would be a great tool for high school students, or teachers. I can’t see any students below 5th grade using this tool though. || This would be a good way for students to share their presentations with others or work collaboratively from home ||
 * Introduction **
 * __Comments__** – Additional comments on the website in regards to its effectiveness as an instructional tool.
 * Web 2.0 Tool ** ||
 * Usability ** ||
 * Cost ** ||
 * Relative to Students ** ||
 * Comments ** ||
 * __ Wizz RSS __
 * __ Wizz RSS __
 * __ Backflip __
 * __ Google Notebook __
 * __ Protopage __
 * __ Edublogs __
 * __ PbWorks __
 * __Ajaxwrite__
 * __ Glypho __
 * __ Zoho Sheet __
 * __ Survey Monkey __
 * __ iTunes __
 * __ Video __
 * __ Google SketchUp __
 * __ Google Spreadsheets __
 * //Webquests and Games// || - || - || - || - ||
 * __ SlideShare __