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List of Online Tools

Page history last edited by OnlineLearning 7 years ago

 

 

Top 100 Tools for Learning 2016

 

*This wiki is no longer updated however the site is still open for educators to explore online learning and teaching tools that are loosely referred to as belonging to the Web 2.0 family.*

 

This is a collaborative wiki for educators.  These online tools for learning, teaching and assessment have been advertised to academic colleagues at Bradford College over the period of 2013-2014.  If you have a favourite Web 2.0 tool which you are using successfully  to support you in your teaching then feel free to join this space and share your experience and knowledge. 

 

Do you recognise any of these tools?

 

 

It is more or less impossible to "pigeon-hole" software into just one main function as each of the tools below have various characteristics which facilitate teaching, learning and assessment. For example, YouTube is not merely a video hosting service, it is also a social networking and communications hub which allows users to share, showcase and comment on each other's productions. Most of the tools could overlap into more than one of the listed functions. What they all have in common is that they leverage a more student-centered pedagogy which allows for flexibility, participation, collaboration and co-creation of resources. Web 2.0 tools and practices enable us to be "prosumers" of knowledge in a much more inter-connected world.

 

This table offers attempts to categorise some of the tools in List of Online Tools4Learning as the Table of Contents (in alphabetical order) is growing and becoming more cumbersome.

 


 

 

Function or Category

 Tools4Learning

Assessment  HotPotatoes, Quizlet*, Zunal, ExamTime*
Blogging  Blogger, Wordpress
Bookmarking  Delicious*, Diigo, Scoop.it, Bit.ly*
Cloud Computing: saving & sharing files online  Dropbox, WeTransfer, GoogleDocs*
Creative & Visual: digital storytelling and artefacts, presentations  Animoto, Flickr*, GlogsterEdu, Padlet, Pinterest, Prezi, Thinglink, Timeline Verite, Tagxedo, Voicethread, Wordle, Nearpod
Communications & Social Networking  Facebook, Skype, Twitter, Yammer, Google+ Hangout
Podcasting Audioboo, Ipadio, 
Polling & Surveying  Doodle, Lime Survey*, Survey Monkey*, Socrative, Mentimeter
Screencasting (creating online tutorials)  Jing, Screenr, Screecast-O-Matic*
Multimedia Editing Software Audacity*, Windows Movie Maker*
Video Hosting  eStream, TrueTube, TedEd, YouTube
Wikis (collaborating) PBWorks

 

 

*Descriptions for these tools have not yet been added to the wiki. Why don't you write your own description by joining in the conversation!

 

 

 Animoto

Linkhttp://animoto.com

Description: Create videos and slideshows easily with a polished wrap around/theme. Choose your copyright cleared accompanying music. Your animoto slideshow will easily incorporate into a blog. This is one I created for my own blog entitled Where is the Magic Carpet? Can you name the countries from the photos? All the photos with attributions are from Wikimedia or released under the Creative Commons. Remember to use copyright cleared images. Animoto is great for creative media and photography learners and once you have got over the setting up of your educational account it is very intuitive and easy to use. Once you have signed up for a lite account you can then apply for an Educator's Animoto's Plus account at: http://animoto.com/education which gives you more than 2-3 minutes of video playing and free subscription for at least 6 months to a year. You can use an iPhone app for Animoto on the go.

 

You can even create accounts for students (useful for schools and possibly FE) although this is rather time consuming as you have to "create" gmail accounts. For more information go to: https://animoto.com/blog/education/setting-up-student-accounts/ 

 

Digital Storytelling? Why not use Animoto to express ideas. The Animoto below was created for a MOOC to explore both the utopian and dystopian views of technological progress.

 

 

SWOT Analysis: There is a detailed analysis at: http://teachweb2.wikispaces.com/Animoto 

Date in email: 08/10/12

 


Audioboom

 

Linkhttp://audioboo.fm/

DescriptionAudioboom is another Web 2.0 tool enabling the publication and sharing of podcasts. This is one of the most flexible podcasting tools available because you can record your podcast via the web simply by logging on and pressing record. Alternatively download the Audioboo app on your smart device. Audioboo Podcasts can be easily RSS fed into Moodle, Facebook or Twitter. You can have different themes or “boards” for different subject areas. You can add images to your “boos” and personalise your channel.

 

 

Audioboo is a particularly handy tool for tutors teaching languages or communication skills. Learners can subscribe to Audioboo and “follow” each other thereby receiving up-to-date podcasts. Learners can comment on tutors’ podcasts using text or their own audio/podcast ensuring they are actively engaged in the process as co-producers and collaborators of the learning content. In this way students can interact peer-to-peer and learner-to-tutor. Audioboo allows for personalisation of learning.  Tutors can use podcasts to clarify points, synthesize lectures or introduce topics (in a flipped learning activity for example).

 

Hear how one of our tutors, Lingzi,  introduces Easter vocabulary to her students,  in Mandarin! Her students have found the introduction of Audioboo “awesome”.

 

There are different channels to listen to in relation to various topics. For example follow @This Day in Music for music history, facts and trivia or why not upload your own podcast to the BBC Listening Project .Audioboo channel or go to BBC Radio 4 The Listening Project for more information.

Podcasting in Primary Education? See how Audioboo is encouraging primary school students to write and read their book reviews at great examples of audioboo in education.

 

Hear the children’s actual book reviews at: https://audioboo.fm/IES

 

Why not use podcasts to support learners with their revision or assignments? Hear how one Law Tutor does this when supporting learners for resits in Equity and Trusts at https://audioboo.fm/playlists/1257110-revision-for-august-2014-equity-and-trusts-examination.

 

SWOT Analysis:

Strengths: One of the simplest podcasting platforms to use. Register online and create your first boo in minutes. Great for differentiation. Some learners prefer a short and succinct summary of a lecture or journal article. Those learners will visual impairments will also appreciate this extra method of communication. The ability to “comment” by audio enables a community to develop.

Weaknesses: You are limited to 3 minutes but can have as many podcasts as you wish with the free account. The Plus Account will give you 30 minutes per podcast for £6.99 a month. Anyone can post a podcast to audioboo just like anyone can post a video to YouTube so the quality of podcasts vary.

Opportunities:  Linking your podcasts to your Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest or Google+  account can be an eaiser  way of getting your message across. Embed your audioboo into your blog or webpage then your learners automatically receive your podcasts. Use the RSS block in Moodle to automatically show a prescribed number of podcasts as soon as they have been published.

Threats: All the podcasts are potentially in the public domain so ensure your learners are aware of this if they are commenting on your own podcast. Also, as your podcast is public remember not to include podcasts that include individual learner feedback. As with all social media and Web 2.0 tools and practices make sure you are familiar with the Bradford College Digital Communications Policy and discuss netiquette with learners.

 

For a quick introduction to Audioboo go to: http://audioboo.fm/about/audioboo or read these simple notes.

You can also visit ipadiopodbean and soundcloud which are alternative podcasting platforms.

See a Review of Podcasting in Higher Education (MGarr, 2009) for further reference.

 


 

Diigo

 

Link: http://www.diigo.com/

Description:In the education setting, we all know that project-based learning is an effective way to teach students and cultivate their skills of finding, organizing, synthesizing, and presenting information, as well as the social skills of working in groups, all of which are necessary in the knowledge-based economy. Among the web 2.0 technologies, Diigo is a great tool for this kind of exploratory and collaborative learning” (FAQ, 2012).

 

Research, share and collaborate with Diigo, the social bookmarking tool that enables you to annotate, archive and organise your favourite web resources using “tags” (keywords that define or categorise your resources).  This means that you can access your resources “in the cloud” on any internet connected device (there are apps for the iPhone and iPad). You can also create “sticky notes” on websites and save these in your Diigo library. It is undoubtedly one of the most useful tools for educators and is ranked no 21 in the Top 100 Tools for 2012.

 

Diigo is a collaborative Web 2.0 tool because it enables you to create and share “groups” enabling you to extend your Personal Learning Network (PLN). Once you set up a group your learners can join and add their own resources thereby creating a rich library of resources quickly and easily.  If you are interested in Web 2.0 tools for learning and teaching why not register with Diigo and join the Classroom 2.0 Diigo group.

 

To enjoy the full benefits of Diigo (seamless bookmarking, tagging, highlighting, clipping, sharing, annotating, searching, plus more!) follow the instruction to download the Diigo toolbar (ie. a browser add-on extension). 

 

For an overview of Diigo watch this 10 minute clip on YouTube (although please beware of the bizarre gremlin at the beginning). If you want to avoid the gremlin special effects then take a tour with Diigo.

 

For videos and lesson plans on how you can use Diigo in education visit this great site https://sites.google.com/site/team8project9440/home

 

SWOT Annalysis: For an up-to-date SWOT analysis go to the teachweb2 wiki at http://teachweb2.wikispaces.com/Diigo . You can apply for a Diigo Educator Account allowing you to set up your learners.

Date in email: 10/12/12

 



Doodle

 

 

 

 

Linkhttp://doodle.com/

Description: Online scheduling tool

 

Have you ever found it frustrating trying to schedule a meeting with a small group of colleagues or students? Although you can easily invite people to meetings using your Outlook Calendar not all students have access and many colleagues use other methods of maintaining their dairy. Doodle is a nifty tool enabling you to schedule meetings easily and quickly or conduct online polls. Register with Doodle (you can use your existing Google+ account or simply your College email address) and simply get started. There are 4 easy steps to schedule an event.Part of Doodle’s appeal is that it’s so easy to use. The site walks you through the four steps of creating a polling calendar:

 

1. Schedule an Event

2. Propose Times 

3. Choose Settings

4. Invite Participants

 

Participants do not have to be registered with Doodle to make their responses. They simply write their name and choose the relevant times slots. You can also poll participants giving a range of options. These responses can be exported to excel or a pdf document.

 

SWOT Analysis

 

Strengths: Intuitive, free and easy to schedule an event or conduct a poll. You can hide the results of your event so that participants cannot see each other’s responses. You can have your own online Calendar “MeetMe Page” which you can send to people via a URL.

Weaknesses: Unless you link to other contact lists it may take you some time to write the email addresses of invited participants. Linking to your Outlook Calendar looks fiddly and there may be security issues. As the basic Doodle is free advertisements will be placed on the page.

Opportunities: Use with students for group tutorials. Poll students to gain their responses on a given subject.

Threats: Take care when synchronising your data with other Calendars or Contact lists and check 

your privacy settings. 

 

For more information visit http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2011/06/doodle-easy-group-scheduling-tool.html

 

Date in email: 20/05/13

 


Dropbox

 

Link: https://www.dropbox.com/

 

It might sound too good to be true, but I am a teacher who has been using this free tool for two years now, and I can't imagine life without it” (BrightHubEducation, 2011).

Organise your files and simplify your life by using Dropbox which is a freeish file-sharing tool (similar to Google Drive or SkyDrive) enabling you to save all your resources in the cloud so that you can easily access them on different devices 24/7.  No need to email files to yourself any more just save your work to your Dropbox folder at work and then access it at home. Dropbox is voted tool number 9 in The Top 100 Tools for Educators 2012.

 

Register with Dropbox and then install Dropbox on your laptop / PC. Take the Dropbox Tour for more information.

 

When you install Dropbox on your laptop you get a shortcut icon on the desktop that takes you to your file storage area. You can drag and drop your files into your storage area knowing that you can access them at work or at home on multiple devices (there are apps for the iPad and Smartphone). You can also access your files through the Dropbox website. You have a limited storage area of 2GB when you start with Dropbox however if you invite others to specific folders then your storage capacity increases up to 18GB. Do remember that if you invite learners to a file storage areas then any files can be deleted or edited by a shared user (although you can track and monitor who does what!).

 

Remember, it is worthwhile backing up any work you have on the cloud periodically.

You can view and scroll through the  The-Magic-Pocket-A-Dropbox-Manual.

For Tips on using Dropbox in Education go to: http://www.brighthubeducation.com/teaching-methods-tips/86024-tips-for-using-dropbox-in-schools/

 

SWOT Analysis: For a detailed S.W.O.T analysis go to: http://teachweb2.wikispaces.com/Dropbox

Date in email: 17/12/12 


 eStream 

 

Link(http://estream.bradfordcollege.ac.uk)

eStream is not a Web 2.0 free tool as the College subscribes to this service which hosts recorded media or presentations delivered by tutors and learners. Along with Moodle it is one of the most useful tools in the College.


Description: What is eStream?

 

  • Media Archiving
  • Live Media Broadcasting and Streaming
  • Freeview TV recording
  • Audio/Video/Photosets integration into Moodle Course
  • Dual Screen Lecture Capture Systems
  • Mobile Content delivery

 

eStream is a web based video library system that can stream live and archived video, audio files and photos to any PC, Mac or mobile device connected to the Intranet and Internet.

 

What are the benefits of using it?

  • Watch videos and presentations straight away on a classroom PC/Mac/Tablet without the need for DVD discs, tapes or any additional audio-visual equipment or USB storage devices.


What else does it do?

  • Request Scheduled Freeview TV Programs with your PC, Mac, Tablet or Mobile Device. Features include; Full Electronic Program Guide, Series Link Programs, Retroactive recording (catch-up TV) for up to one week.


What do I need to use it?

  • A PC, Mac, Tablet or any mobile device connected to the Internet.


I want to use it.  What do I do?

  • Students can log in with their standard college username/password.

 
(http://estream.bradfordcollege.ac.uk)
estream@bradfordcollege.ac.uk

 


 

Facebook

 

Link: http://www.facebook.com

Description: Facebook needs no introduction. With over 1 billion users world-wide it is the largest social networking site in the world with at least 30 million users registered in the UK. So why is Facebook listed as an online tool for learning? Many educators are using Facebook to improve communications with their learners simply because it is convenient and far-reaching. Case studies also evidence the use of Facebook to promote discussion amongst learners, provide evidence for work-based placements, to improve retention and even to assist with assessment.

 

 

For a detailed report on the use of Social Networking and emerging technologies in FE and HE download the JISC report (2009).

 

Just like any other “tool” the use of Facebook with learners is not appropriate for all contexts. There are issues to be aware of in relation to the so called “dark-side” of Facebook;  safeguarding, cyberbullying, the risk to online reputations and digital identities, Facebook addiction, and the blurring of work-life balance to name a few.

 

 

The Bradford College Digital Communications Policy suggests that teachers do not “befriend” learners and can communicate with learners via a Facebook Page or a Facebook Group which is a walled garden in which discussions take place amongst group members without this being public. Within groups you can also share files from your computer or Dropbox.

 

Bradford College tutors can take part in the conversation about the use of Facebook for learning and teaching by joining the Facebook4T&L group. There is also an associated Diigo link curating web resources on Facebook at Facebook4T&L

 

If you dislike Facebook with a passion then watch Can I be your Friend?

 

Date in email: 07/01/13


GlogsterEdu

 

Link: http://edu.glogster.com/

Description: Online Posters

 

“A fun, imaginative, and powerful learning experience that fosters independent and creative self expression, positive teacher-student relationships, and teamwork on class projects,” (2013, Glogster).

 

Think of a visual blog or multimedia poster and you have a glog! GlogsterEdu enables users to express their creativity by designing multimedia projects which can be showcased to others in a safe environment.  It has become extremely popular and was ranked 21 amongst The Top 100 Tools for Learning in 2012.

 

It’s incredibly hard to find ways to allow students to express their creativity.  In this world of standardize testing, assessment, and racing to the top, the opportunities for students to show their artistic sides are far and few between. Glogster provides students an outlet for creativity while providing teachers with meaningful formative assessment data to monitor learning and ensure students are moving up that all important ladder of Bloom’s Taxonomy (2011, Edmodo).

 

GlogsterEdu is not free however it does offer certain benefits with different pricing plans which you can view at: http://edu.glogster.com/product-information/ The advantage of using GlogsterEdu is that you can have private glogs shared in a class.

 

Note that Glogs on the sister site  Glogster may show unsuitable content.

 

Watch Russell Stannard’s Teacher Training Videos on Glogster for more information http://www.teachertrainingvideos.com/glogster/

 

Date in email: 10/06/13

 


 

 

Google+ / Hangout

 

See how Edinburgh University Professors hangout online to support their delivery of this free MOOC course It was professional, polished and informative and several thousand of us participated. So what is Google+ and what is a hangout?

 

Google+ was launched back in 2011 but it has taken some time for it to grow in popularity (with an estimated 500 million users). It is a social communications network that easily facilitates professional discussions because you can be selective about who appears in your different “circles”. Circles or groups of people are defined as friends, family, acquaintances, colleagues and following so, unlike Facebook, you can are more in control of what you share and with whom. You can rename these groups if you wish and create your own circles. Similar to Twitter people can “follow” you but you do not need to follow them back. Once in Google+ you can start a Google Hangout (video-conferencing) with learners or colleagues (10 participants at a time) which is a useful and flexible tool to communicate with small groups of learners for tutorials when they are off site. At the same time these online can be aired online via YouTube extending your audience.

 

In Google+ you can easily create online communities (interest groups) and moderate them and join other communities.

 

Education Revolution – The Future of Education is an example of one such established community. It is moderated by Steve Haragdon who is well respected for his work on emerging technologies within education believing that we should “reclaim the conversation around learning, and do so in such a way as to recognize the inherent worth and value of every student, with the ultimate goal of helping them become self-directed and agents of their own learning."

 

One of the advantages of using Google+ is that you can easily integrate this with your Google Drive, Google Calendar and GoogleApps.

 

See how other educators are using Google+.

 

See 20 Awesome Google+ Tips for Teachers

10 Ways to use Google+ in the Classroom

 

Date in email: 11/03/13

 

 


HotPotatoes

 

HotPotatoes is still worth a mention in the list of Online Tools for Educators as an old favourite. It is a suite of 5 different activities enabling web-based, interactive assessments. HotPotatoes is freeware, easily accessible and all the various assessments can be incorporated into Moodle. Grades can also be tracked and monitored in Moodle although if you want a more sophisticated method of assessment you should use the inbuilt Quiz tools. HotPotatoes interactive exercises can also be used in class using the SMARTBoards.

 

There are different types of activities to choose from.

 

  •  JQuiz – enables you to create multiple choice questions
  • JCloze – gap fill exercise
  •  JCross – create a crossword (you can print this off as a hard copy too)
  • JMatch – create a matching, drag and drop exercise
  •  JMix – design a jumbled up sentence (great for languages, ESOL and literacy)

 

You can download HotPotatoes by going to: http://hotpot.uvic.ca/index.php#downloads (click on the HotPotatoes 6.3 installer).

 

Once you create your activity you simply export it as an HTML file. This is the “interactive” file that the learners engage with to input their responses. You can easily add images and audio to your activities. Take the Harvard Referencing Quiz to see how a JQuiz and JMix  have been adapted to support learners’ digital literacy skills in the Study Skills unit within Moodle which you can find under the Learning Resources category.

 

The Today Page – HotPots exercises for ESOL Learners

 

Alternatively go to the HotPots page where you may find other examples at: http://hotpot.uvic.ca/sites6.php

 

I have extensive notes on HotPotatoes if you would like a copy. For training and support phone me on 3152 or view the tutorials online. 

 

Date in email: 22/04/13

 


   

Ipadio

Link: http://www.ipadio.com/

Description: Do you find yourself repeating things over and over again with your students? If you need to clarify certain points why not consider podcasting as a quick and easy solution? If you register with ipadio all you have to do is pick up the phone pop in a code and then say your spiel. You put the phone down knowing this has been recorded and automatically fed into moodle as if by magic. This is a reality with Ipadio which is formally described as a phonecasting service although we recognise it as a podcasting service.. 

 

Listen to an example.

 

 

 

Ipadio is making inroads into some departments into the College as a way of podcastings snippets of information to learners. The links to the podcasts can be simply uploaded into Moodle or you can embed an ipadio player directly into Moodle. It is quite a straightforward process to register and you can use your mobile and/or office phone (no extra cost is involved). Remember that your podcasts are public although you can hide them from the public page so you will need the specific ULR (web link) to give to your learners to access it.

 

SWOT Analysis: Go to http://teachweb2.wikispaces.com/search/view/ipadio and create your own.

Strengths: Once you have registered it is very straightforward to use. You can register up to 2 phones. The personalisation effect of learning and teaching has been widely researched. If a student can hear your voice, the tone, inflections and nuances may aid understanding. Some learners are more auditory than others so podcasting may support these learners.

Weaknesses: The quality of the audio is not that good because you are using your phone. You could download it as an MP3 file and edit it in audacity but this is rather troublesome.

Challenges: Trying to see your piece in one go and worrying about all those ums and ahs. Practice will make perfect.

Threats: What ever you record is generally in the public domain so do not include any sensitive information.

 

Date in email: 01/10/12

 


 

JING

 

Linkhttp://www.techsmith.com/jing.html 
 

Description: Screencasting software

 

“If I had to use one emerging tool that I use most, it would be JING,” (Pacansky-Brock, 2013). Packansky-Brock uses JING to respond to student questions and to provide feedback to learners.

 

JING is a free image and video capture software that enables you to create short “how-to” multimedia videos by recording your online screen movements. This is a quick and easy way to support students within specific contexts.  You can elaborate on difficult concepts, guide learners on how to use the College systems or introduce learners to new technologies. By creating one multimedia resource you may save time answering the same queries for many students. For example you could inform students how to use Turnitin and check grades / feedback; guide students on how to use the Learning Resources / Library Portal; explore how to navigate your particular Moodle course; focus on literacy and numeracy by highlighting good practice; or provide narrated personalised feedback for students. Highlighting such concepts using a multimedia visual format is often easier than “writing” instructions. This is also a nod in the direction of "practising differentiation" which we know is a quick win with OFSTED.

 

You can download JING for free. You have up to 5 minutes of free recording time. These “movie” files can be shared with learners by uploading them to screencast.com or moodle, sharepoint, dropbox, wetransfer, YouTube or any other cloud based sharing tool.

 

Similar software is Screenr, Camtasia  and Screencast-o-matic. Remember that the SMART Notebook software also enables you to create short video tutorials very simply and easily. Just look for the recording tool.

Download this flier for tips on using JING in your teaching. Teacher Training Videos offers free video tutorials on JING or scan this slideshare presentation on JING.

 

To view a JING video uploaded to screencast.com watch this 2 minute demo on the Magic Pen Tool (best to use a browser like Google Chrome or Firefox with updated Flash Player).

 

SWOT Analysis:

Strengths: Simple and easy to use. It is a free up to a maximum recording time of 5 minutes.

 

Weaknesses:  JING is a cut down version of Camtasia Studio. If you want to create very professional and polished tutorials then a product like Camtasia Studio offers more whistles and bells. By default the output video file is a SWF file therefore you will need the latest update of Flash to view the videos.

 

Opportunities: Why not ask learners to create their own tutorials for each other using a contributing student pedagogy. Create your own channel of favourite tutorials in screencast.com for students to access.

 

Threats: If you are using JING to provide feedback to individual learners then sharing this artefact in the public domain is not appropriate. Use Moodle or WeTransfer to send files to individual students. If you subscribe to Screencast.com there are various privacy options for you to choose from. For example, only invited users with a password may view the digital content.

 

Pacansky-Brock, M., (2013) Best Practices for Teaching with Emerging Technologies. Routledge Taylor and Francis. New York

 

Date in email: 06-05-11

 


Mentimeter

 

 

Link: https://www.mentimeter.com

 

Description: Delivering a presentation and want some interaction with your audience? Why not try Mentimeter, a free online polling tool. You can post a question online and ask respondents to use their mobile phones to input their responses. Watch the results instantly arrive on the web in an animated bar chart format with a professional and polished look. Learners can “vote” anonymously.  There are no restrictions on the number of students who can vote. To grasp the concept and vote NOW go to https://www.mentimeter.com/how-to This is great tool to use in large lecture theatres and has been used successfully here at Bradford College with over a hundred learners.

 

SWOT Analysis

 

Strengths: Very easy and intuitive to use. No limit to the number of participants polling. View an animated bar chart showing instant results. No need to register. 

 

Weaknesses: The freebie is limited to 2 questions. Thereafter you need to pay a monthly/annual fee.  Respondents need to have access to an internet connected device to be able to poll. Unlike other polling software like socrative you are unable to “track” individual responses with the free version.

 

Opportunities: Enables interactivity and audience participation. Presenters are given an insight into participants’ choices which provides valuable feedback. This allows for flexibility of delivery.

 

Threats: Participants without mobile devices must not be excluded from the interactions.

 

Date in email: 14-10-13

 


 

MOOCs - Massive Online Open Courses

 

Don’t know what a MOOC is yet? Want to participate in an innovative form of scholarly activity and take the initiative for your own professional development? Here is your chance to find out and hopefully expand your knowledge and experience with TEL (Technology Enhanced Learning). Find out what all the hype is about and why some fear MOOCs are a threat to the traditional Higher Education experience by enrolling onto the Open Course in Technology Enhanced Learning at http://octel.alt.ac.uk/  This is aimed at educators working within Higher Education.

 

Rather than focus on a tool this week I would like to introduce the practice of MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses). The MOOC movement has grown in popularity ever since the first one was delivered in 2008 by Stephen Downes and George Siemens on the subject of connectivismand connectivist learning. Advocates of MOOCs are excited by the fact that MOOCS are free and open to all.  Is this a form of democratisation of education? The director of edX, an organisation which delivers MOOCs claims "we are reinventing education...this will change the world" (Carr, 2012).There are many debates about the quality of MOOCs and the lack of learner engagement not to mention the dropout rate, although Dr Keith Kevlin questions this. Learners need to be extremely self-motivated to work through all the material and some learners express dissatisfaction with feelings of isolation - despite thousands of other learners being enrolled on the course. Nevertheless some educators are following the future developments of MOOCs closely as they reflect on the changes within Higher Education.

 

"Whether massive open courses live up to their hype or not, they will force college administrators and professors to reconsider many of their assumptions about the form and meaning of teaching. For better or worse, the Net's disruptive forces have arrived at the gates of academia" (Carr, 2012).

MOOCs are not for everyone. Many people register with the aim of simply dipping in and out to gain access to the material or meet other colleagues to extend their personal learning network.  This is one interesting critique of a MOOC. 

Reflections of Bradford College MOOCers on the 2013 Digital Cultures and eLearning Course hosted by Edinburgh University.

"This was my first MOOC and I found it strangely enticing. I was intrigued to find out how a MOOC delivers learning to over 30,000 participants but I was also interested in the subjects of technological dystopia and transhumanism. What engaged me most about this MOOC however was the small communities that naturally developed from same-interest groups. My Personal Learning Network has certainly grown and just the other day I “hungout” with fellow Moocers on Google+ from Zimbabwe, the US, the UK and OZ – just to catch up again! The MOOC also introduced me to new tools such as thinglink, Google+ Hangouts and soundcloud. The peer-assessment at the end was a novel experience although I know it's not for everyone. Overall, I found it a very informative and engaging experience.”

(Beth Snowden)

 

“I went on the same MOOC and I got a lot from it. I gather that most MOOCs consist of pre-filmed lectures, online quizzes and some optional discussion in course forums. This one was different, very open, with many, many conversations taking place among students across different platforms - I gather 'connectivist' is the term in use for this approach. It worked partly because of the quality of the academic team leading it, and partly because its subject matter was 'elearning and digital technologies', so the medium was the 'matter' of the course. You have to be selective on a course like this, there is no way you can encompass it all. I did it 90% in my own time. It was fascinating and often a lot of fun. I am already applying things I learnt, and see the course as a valuable part of my professional development.”

(Ruth Wilson)

 

This is one wall in which our digital artefacts were harvested for this particular MOOC at http://padlet.com/wall/edcmooc_artefact .

  

Further Information

 

Carr, N. (2012) The Crisis in Higher Education

Devlin, K. (2013) MOOCS and the Myth of Drop Out Rates and Certification

Connectivism and Connective Knowledge MOOC 2012

Coursera MOOCs

Edex MOOCs

 

Date in email: 18/03/13

 


Nearpod

 

Linkhttp://www.nearpod.com/

Description: Create, engage and assess. Nearpod is the main beau in town at the moment and receiving accolades from the education sector http://www.nearpod.com/in-the-news/2013.php To get a feel of what people are saying go to Nearpod - User Stories - can you spot mine in there? For a brief introduction on how it works go to a video at http://www.nearpod.com/how-it-works/

 

Nearpod is a wonderful free(ish) app that you can download to easily create interactive presentations which your learners can either access synchronously during "class time" or as a flipped learning activity for learners to work through at their own pace. It is extremely easy to create a presentation by going to the nearpod website using your PC or Mac or you can simply import an existing Powerpoint presentation and add any multimedia later. The four things that make Nearpod stand out from the crowd is that...

 

a) learners can access the presentation on all their SMART devices (in real time or at a flexible time to suit them which makes this a useful tool for flipped learning activities)

b) learners can contribute to the presentation by answering multiple choice questions, short answers, adding annotations or simply providing feedback which is great for self-directed learning

c) linking to all other multimedia resources and website is a doddle

c) all this information is being tracked and monitored and sent to the teacher in a visually appealing PDF report - this reporting mechanism is a real bonus for assessment purposes

 

...and this is all free up to a point. You need to encourage 5 other people to sign up so that you can become a Gold Member allowing you create more presentations than the limited number you are allowed when you first register. Once you have created your nearpod presentation you ask learners to download the free app on their mobile devices. They join with a unique pin that the teacher is presented with and work through the presentation. All students' work and contributions are tracked in a pdf report (CSV if you pay for it) which the teacher can download or access from their inbox.

 

Nearpod has a good harvest of already prepared resources designed by professional educators/publisher (many from the US) and a limited number are free although you can purchase more from the Nearpod Store. I think Nearpod is going to make big strides within education over the next few years from primary to tertiary so get cracking and get ahead of the game :-)

 

Check out @TechChef4u and her HaikuDeck presentation on best practice for Nearpod at http://bit.ly/haikudeckonNearpod

 

I have seen medical students use nearpod for their own presentations because it allows for so much flexibility. See Utilizing Nearpod for Medical Education 

 

 

SWOT Analysis

 

Strengths: Offers real engagement and flexibility. Learners can easily access material on their mobile devices (once they have downloaded the app) by using a simple pin code. Teachers can download reports of all learner activity. There are some "free" presentations you can download and use with your learners on a variety of topics (but generally primary and secondary).

Weaknesses: The more you use Nearpod as a freebie the more space you'll use up. You can only have up to 30 students per live session on the silver (free) version. It is not that intuitive to get started with although once you have created your first presentation it's plain sailing from there.

Opportunities: If you invite 5 colleagues to join Nearpod you become a Gold member giving you more space up to 3 GB. If you are willing to pay for a site licence you and your "school" can really benefit. Use nearpod for flipped learning prior to classroom teaching.

Threats: Sustainability. If you try out Nearpod and start to love it but your school's purse strings are tight you are going to feel frustrated...and so are your learners.

 

Date sent out on Twitter: 17/07/14 


 

Padlet (previously Wallwisher)

 

Link: http://padlet.com/

Description:  Padlet (previously called Wallwisher) is an online tool that allows you to add virtual “sticky post-it notes” on a wall. You can have different walls and layouts for different topics.  Notes are limited to 160 characters which encourages students to be succinct. You can add multimedia to your sticky notes.

  1. Register with Padlet and create your topic
  2. Choose your theme.
  3. Send out the link of your wall to learners (this is the public website address)
  4. Learners simply double click on the wall and add their comments / ideas / links.
  5. Tutors can choose to authorise comments for younger learners.

 

This is a very simple tool for collaboration and collecting learners’ contributions which you can share with others.

To get more ideas on how to use wallwisher in learning and teaching go to: 32 Interesting Ways to use Wallwisher

Here is one we made earlier. For those who are familiar with the term Web2.0 tools and technologies, what does it mean to you?

 

Post your sticky note on this wall at http://wallwisher.com/wall/Web2_Tools

For a SWOT Analysis go to: http://teachweb2.wikispaces.com/WALLWISHER 

Date in email: 19/11/12

 


 

PBWorks 

 

You are presently reading this text which has been built in PBWorks!

 

“In using wikis, students are not only learning how to publish content; they are also learning how to develop and use all sorts of collaborative skills, negotiating with other to agree on correctness, meaning, relevance and more. In essence students begin to teach each other” (Richardson, 2010, p.61).

 

Wikipedia is an example of a successful encyclopaedia -like wiki that almost every student now visits as part of their learning. Whether this is a good thing or not is open to debate. However, it is generally recognised that homespun wikis generated by tutors and learners for educational purposes can be extremely effective and a “very democratic process of knowledge creation” (Richardson, 2010, p.61). The use of wikis can promote team work, help foster skills like negotiation, support literacy, create communities of practice and “provide the setting for collaborative knowledge building and group metacognitive development”  (Gunawardena et al, 2009). Wikis can be formally used to evidence group based projects linked with course assessment. This practice builds on the theoretical ideals of constructionism and social constructivism; through active learning and problem-solving their end project, or construct, is the wiki. To grasp the concept of a wiki quickly and simply watch this YouTube clip.

 

PBWorks is an example of a free(ish) wiki tool which enables a group of people to contribute and collaborate on a project. Sign up for the PBWorks basic edition  which will give you access to a workspace and up to 100 student contributors.  Wikis can be either private or public. As the administrator of the wiki you can invite people to join the wiki and give them different editing rights or users can simply ask to “join” the wiki. Alternatively you can create classrooms accounts in a matter of seconds (you will be given a list of usernames and passwords for students to log in and contribute) which is printer friendly. Get started in just a few minutes!!

 

Remember that Moodle also has a wiki feature and the Metallurgy lecturers have been using wikis very successfully for work based learning. Below is a list of some of the benefits of collaborative working in this way to support the negotiation of “online learning agreements”.  A wiki…

  • allows for ‘real time’ collaborative, agreed, planned aims, objectives and outcomes of the student project, before commencement of their project.
  • enables the student to articulate their own requirements.
  • enables the student to know how their work is going to be assessed.
  • enables the student to have ownership of their work based project and understands its importance to their own company.
  • enables the student to claim time from the employer to carry out the studies.
  •  

 If you are a tutor and you want to try out the concept of the wiki and at the same time share any ideas and thoughts on flipped learning which may be a style of teaching and learning adopted in the new build 2014 then go to http://flippedlearning.pbworks.com/ and log in with any of these randomly generated usernames and passwords below.

 

Username: wikiuser0005 Password: whale2coconut
Username: wikiuser0006 Password: shark4grape
Username: wikiuser0007 Password: snail8plum
Username: wikiuser0008 Password: goat5stawberry

 

 

A very useful wiki for educators to read or contribute to can be found here at: http://webtools4u2use.wikispaces.com/Finding+the+Right+Tool

A wiki walk through for Teacher Education can be found at: http://www.teachersfirst.com/content/wiki/index.cfm

Interested in using wikis, blogs and twitter in Higher Education why not visit http://www.futureofeducation.com/video/teaching-with-web-20 for some inspiration.

 

Activity

If you are interested in exploring wikis in more detail using PBWorks why not sign up and see how easy it is to create content. If you wish to ask peers to contribute to your wiki let us know on your blog post or through Facebook and Twitter. You easily populate a wiki and then use this for you presentation in the last Wrap Up CoP face to face session. Remember to explain your reason for introducing this collaborative working practice with your learners. What benefits do you envisage? What challenges do you think there are?


 

  

Pinterest

Link: http://pinterest.com/

Description: Thanks to Dean Heathcote who provided this information on Pinterest. Pinterest is a virtual pinboard or “online scrap book of images” and “the Internet’s new darling” (Huffington Post). You can save all your favourite web resources on separate pinboards that you create based on specific interests. Registered Pinterest users can comment on your boards and individual “pins” making it a visually appealing collaborative space.

 

There is potential for this commonplace application to be used as a research tool by students; focusing on the ability of lecturers to interact with students’ selection of material for research. This may be particularly useful for Art and Media courses. Examples would include the use of Pinterest to develop online portfolios in relation to projects or dissertations; students can provide commentary to selected material and the lecturers would then be able to comment directly on material selected and the motivations for its use. 

Pinterest should not be seen as a replacement for other forms of research, rather as a repository for material found or a forum for online discussion between tutors, and other students.
 

 

For more ideas on how to use Pinterest in the classroom and for a detailed SWOT Analysis go to: http://teachweb2.wikispaces.com/Pinterest

 

Date in email: 03/12/12

 


Prezi

 

Prezi truly embodies what creativity is about: changing your perspective, connecting and combining ideas, thinking in non-linear ways, and creating in collaboration with others.”

— Leticia B Cavagnaro, Stanford University

 

Most of us working within education have experienced a Prezi  (and responses vary from feeling nauseous to being impressed by its multimedia capabilities).  As the new kid on the block, it has become the main alternative to PowerPoint, and has grown in popularity since its inception in 2009 with over 15 million registered users. Its appeal continues to grow within education and business.  Prezi is a free dynamic presentation tool enabling the easy integration of multimedia. It visualises a narrative in a non-linear format as the whole presentation is actually on one “canvas” enabling users to zoom in and out on the relevant parts of the story making it more accessible and easy to navigate. You can even "narrate" over a Prezi allowing educators to be very specific about the key concepts they are trying to put across to learners. See and hear the rationale behind encouraging collaboration and digital storytelling amongst learners and colleagues by visiting  http://bit.ly/NewWays_CoPs

 

You can share your Prezi or let others collaborate on it making it a useful tool for group presentations. Some students are using it for their Prezumes. You can download Prezi to your computer or work on it in the “cloud”. Watch Prezis on your laptop, ipad or iphone. To see how easy it is view the tutorial or attend a free webinar.

 

Students and teachers can sign up for a free Edu Licence.  For an impartial look at PowerPoint and Prezi visit this blog post.

 

See a Prezi on Web 2.0 for Teachers by Paul Hill which highlights the importance of expanding our Personal Learning Network.

 

Can art change the world? Watch this 6 minute inspiring story by artist JR who uses Prezi for his TedEd lecture.

 

There is already a useful SWOT analysis on Prezi available at: http://teachweb2.wikispaces.com/Prezi

 

Date in email: 22-01-13

 


 

Scoop.it

 

Linkhttp://www.scoop.it/

Description: Bookmarking Tool

 

Learn why Scoop.it is an indispensable educational tool?

 

Educational Pedagogy, Teaching and Learning in the 21st century, The Flipped Classroom, Web 2.0 Tools for Learning and Teaching are all interesting topics for practitioners in FE and HE.  However there are so many online resources it takes time to find them!  Instead of reinventing the wheel why not take advantage of someone else’s harvest? Alternatively harvest your own favourite web resources and publish it to a visually appealing web page which you can share with your learners. Once you have scooped up a favourite website you can add your own insights and comments to remind you of why you have found it useful.

 

You can sign up with your Twitter, Facebook or Linked in account or create a new account. You can only have 2 different web pages for different topics before you are asked to upgrade and pay which is a real disadvantage! You can also ask scoop.it to find websites based on your search and continue to provide suggestions saving your time.  Add the “scoop.it” icon to your toolbar and when you stumble across a site simply scoop it up and publish your findings. You can also follow other scooped pages too extending your personal learning network.

 

Have a look at these scoop sites to see if they could be useful for your own continuing professional development. This is my own scoop.it link on the subject of Twitter for Education http://www.scoop.it/t/twitter4education. Also check out Brian Mitchell's scoop.it for Social Work

 

 

SWOT Analysis

Strengths: It is a visually appealing method to harvest favourite links on a particular topic. 

Weaknesses: In my personal opinion it is not that intuitive the more you try to do however adding a scoop is quite easy. You are only able to have 2 web pages of scoops which is very limiting although you could simply have one scoop of resources for one subject area (this might not be specific enough however).

Opportunities: Why not visit http://www.scoop.it/ directly and do your research from there. You can find the best scoop.it web page for your own subject area incorporating dozens of 

Threats

 

Date in email: 17/07/13


Screenr

 

Link: http://www.screenr.com

 Description:   Screenr is a fabulous tool. I love it and have been using it for a few years. It is free, quick and easy and especially useful for tutors who wish to provide a visual explanation to learners on I.T related tasks.  It belongs to the "screencasting" family of software in which you record screen movements. Screenr creates screencasts in HD format so the quality is quite good. Simply go to the link, select record and then move your mouse around the screen to explain the procedure. You then receive a weblink which you share with learners and colleagues.

 

How can this help learners? Rather than try and describe an online process in a lengthy email (for example finding a particular journal or navigating around your moodle site) simply use Screenr to provide a visual, step-by-step guide. Learners can pause, replay and rewind during the online screencast so it is a very flexible learning resource accessible 24/7. You can include your voice if you have a microphone. See how I have used Screenr to create my own training materials for staff development purposes. Once I have created the resource I can use it over again to support other learners saving me time and energy!

 

Remember do not include personal data in your screencasts or divulge usernames and passwords as these are  in the public domain. You are initially limited to 5 minutes.

SWOT Analysis:

Strengths:  It is quick, easy and free. You can share your video tutorials with others by sending them the relevant web link. You can post directly to facebook or twitter.

Weaknesses: Only 5 minutes. You cannot edit so need to do the recording in one take although you can pause.

Opportunities:  Embed in a blog or website. Get learners to present their own video tutorial.

Threats: Be careful what information you are showing to the world! All is in the public domain.

 


Skype

 

The other day I had to get up at an unearthly time in the morning to Skype 30 students in a Japanese secondary school. It took some planning but it was great fun and the learners enjoyed asking me a lot of questions (in English) about food, lifestyle, leisure and British culture. Skype needs no introduction as most of us have experienced it to connect with family and friends in far flung places.  It is called VoIP technology which simply means Voice over Internet Protocol (making phone calls over the internet). It is free to download and if you make a telephone call using Skype to someone else who uses Skype then this is free too. Once you have registered with Skype and downloaded it onto your laptop or visited the App Store for your smartphone or tablet then you can connect to anyone else who uses Skype.

Educators have been quick to see the potential of using Skype to support learning and teaching. The Bradford Law School have been using Skype since 2011 and the International Centre use Skype to contact overseas students.  This Skype interview with Darran Chapple was recorded at the same time using free software called Pamela.

 

Skype in Education

 

  •  Students who have missed lessons can catch up on essential study. Students want the flexibility of communicating with lecturers without having to traipse into College.
  •  Potential students from overseas can be interviewed to assess levels of language and communication before enrolment.
  •  Pastoral care – students can speak to tutors in confidence without having to come into College (body language can aid better communication).
  •  Instant feedback can be given to students on assignments and written work whilst viewing the original work online.
  • File sharing and instant chat is enabled so problems with audio or video can often be resolved through the chat facility.
  • Audio  and Video feedback (up to 15 minutes) can be recorded and sent to the student after an online conversation using free software like Pamela. Students can then concentrate on the conversation without taking notes knowing that they have access to the recording.
  • Collaborative discussions and webinars can be enabled by using Group Calls (up to 10 people at a time). Group calls were introduced in April 2014 since free technologies like Google+ Hangouts and appear.in have become popular.

 

Read how to put the magic into Skype Communication.

 

50 Awesome Ways to Use Skype in the Classroom.

 

Join Skype in the Classroom and connect to professors, experts and consultants around the world.

 

Read more about Skype in Woven Teaching.

 

SWOT Analysis:

Strengths:  The quality is often better and Group Calls of up to 10 participants can now be facilitated. You can now send "video messages" to contacts in your list.

Weaknesses: Learners need to download and register with Skype and "finding" people can be problematic since millions of people use it.

Opportunities:  Why not use Skype recording tools like Basic Pamela to record up to 5 minutes of video and 15 minutes of audio. Useful for providing feedback to learners and to support differentiation. It is also a useful tool to evidence tracking and monitoring of progress.

Threats: Check your personal settings so that you cannot receive calls or IM from people you do not know. 


 

Socrative

 

Link: http://www.socrative.com/

Description:  Socrative is a great tool for surveying learners without having to invest in any new software or hardware. The best thing is that students use their own mobile phones to input their responses. This makes it a flexible solution when learning takes place outside an “IT room”.

 

Once you have registered as a teacher with socrative at http://www.socrative.com you are allocated a “room number” and then you can create a quiz or survey. Learners use their smartphones, tablets, iPads or college PCs to access the student login at http://www.socrative.com. They access your room number and then submit their responses. You can request to get this information sent to you by email.

 

Great for PCs, iPads, Smartphones. There are apps for the iPhone and iPad.

SWOT Analysis:

Date in email: 24/09/12

 

 


 

Taggalaxy

  

Linkhttp://www.taggalaxy.com/

 

Description: This website allows users to browse for photos from Flickr using 3D technology using an attractive interface.  It is uses "tags" to search for information.  You need a newer Version of the Adobe Flash Player.

SWOT Analysis: None available so please add to the brief analysis below.

  • Strengths: Could be useful for creative media students in searching for information. It allows the users to interact with the website by moving the images and zooming in and out using the mouse. This kineasthetic approach appeals to many younger learners.
  • Weaknesses: Does not work on the iPad. Could be considered distracting.
  • Opportunities: Presents the opportunity to discuss copyright and intellectual property.
  • Threats: There is an inclination to grab and go i.e using the images without considering copyright.

Date in email: 17/09/12

 

 


Ted - Ideas/ Lessons worth Spreading

  

Link: http://www.ted.com/ and http://ed.ted.com/

Description; Ted is a website which offers over 900 videos of lectures and talks from inspirational and academic speakers from various disciplines and cultures. TED began life as a conference in 1984 with speakers from the areas of Technology, Education and Design - hence the name. Since it started uploading video content from the various lectures in 2007 it is has gained a huge following and has introduced TED.Ed (TED for Education).  It belongs to the category of OER (Open Educational Resources) which are freely available to everyone. TED.ed.com also allows you to take any video from TED.ED or YouTube and create your own lessons and quizzes from it. These are then called Flipped Videos and are available via a weblink. Watch the TED.ED tour to find out more.

Staff Development Recommendations

 

TED's proclamation, "we believe passionately in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and ultimately, the world. So we're building here a clearinghouse that offers free knowledge and inspiration from the world's most inspired thinkers, and also a community of curious souls to engage with ideas and each other".

 

SWOT Analysis: Unvailable - why not add one here and we can include it on TeachWeb 2.0

Date in email:   15/10/12

 


Tagxedo

 

Link: http://www.tagxedo.com/

Description: I recently stumbled across Tagxedo to create word clouds and just love it compared to Wordle. Word clouds are a great way of showing a visual display of lists, names, locations etc, which to be honest, when stuck on a PowerPoint with bullet points, were never the must enthralling view! 

 

But now that's all changed for me. Tagxedo provides numerous pre-loaded shapes that adjust to fit the number of words you provide. What's more, you can even load your own! I decided to use the Bradford B shape which I needed for an Animoto presentation.

 

What also differs to Wordle is the ability to save or share at the touch of a button. Wordle can still be quite cumbersome when trying to display it.   There are so many uses in education. Tagxedo even gives you an option to put your designs on a t-shirt or a cup (great for marketing!).

 

Word Clouds with Style 

 

Thanks to Kevin Frost who will receive a free danish and coffee!

 

This image below was produced in Tagxedo by using the Bradford College ULR (website address).

 


 

Date in email: 21/10/13

 


 

Timeline Verite 

 

Timelines at http://timeline.verite.co/

 

Thank you to Gail Hall who found this useful online timeline creator to build a Timeline on the history of Pharmacy. This was used as an interactive lesson on Pharmacy Law and Ethics!  It made a very dry subject of pharmacy law more interesting by showing in the timeline the issues that had occurred worldwide, for example the Thalidomide tragedy of the 1960’s and then the changes in laws after that.

 

Timelines allow you to easily navigate through a series of chronological events which you create by adding them to a simple Google Spreadsheet. You can link to relevant images or video files. You can also embed the timeline into your blogs, VLE or other webpages. View a timeline on revolutionary computer interfaces for another example.

 

SWOT Analysis:

 

Strengths: It is relatively easy to input your information into a Google Spreadsheet using headings such as Start Date, Headline, Text, Media, Media Credit.  This can be shared with others so editing can be done by multiple users which makes it a useful tool for students working on collaborative projects. You then go to the Timeline JS Embed Generator link and paste in your Google Spreadsheet link to generate your interactive timeline.

 

Weaknesses: You need to have a Google account to access and edit the information in a Google Spreadsheet.  Occasionally there are technical issues with the image files. It requires a narrative / information to explain the timeline.

 

Opportunities:  Timelines are a great way to harvest multimedia resources and link them to one interactive resource which learners can access independently for review and consolidation or to showcase to others. 

 

Threats: Ensure any multimedia resources are copyright cleared and that you attribute your images.

 

There is a variety of free Timeline Software Creation tools for educators at: 

 

Date in email: 14/01/13

 


 

ThingLink

 

ThingLink at http://www.thinglink.com/

 

ThingLink enables you to embed links and commentary into images, including film and audio, making the image an interactive resource and launch pad for further information.

You can see lots of examples here. If you are short of ideas, here are 26 Ways to use ThingLink in the Classroom. You can also watch a quick introduction on YouTube at ThingLink – Upload, Tag and Share or a clip more directly related to Teaching and learning at What is ThingLink on YouTube.

 

The College published its first ThingLink image in the public domain in February 2013, as part of its dissemination activity after the War and Art conference and exhibition:http://www.thinglink.com/scene/365461568005079041#tlsite

 

Individual tutors and students wanting to use ThingLink for teaching and learning activities can set up their own basic accounts for this purpose (up to 50 images). You need to be aware of any copyright restrictions on images, and to comply with these. You can make your image private, visible only to people you invite. However, anyone who gets the link can see the image, and private material on ThingLink should be considered as potentially in the public domain.

 

Strengths: simple to use, strong visual appeal, easy to embed links but alos to add your own notes and comments. There are statistics on how often your image is visited. All ThingLink images can be shared to social networks and embedded practically anywhere, allowing students to engage around interactive images with family and friends.

 

Weaknesses:  you need your concept and design to be clear and strong. You need to log in to leave comments.

 

For an indepth S.W.O.T analysis go to http://teachweb2.wikispaces.com/Thinglink

 

Date in email: 25/03/13

 



Twitter

 

Link: https://twitter.com/

Description:  Everyone has heard of Twitter, the micro-blogging service that allows you to post (tweet) your updates, thoughts, ideas and shared resources to the wider twittersphere in 140 characters. Despite Twitter’s bad press as a place of mediocre celebrity gossip and lawsuits Twitter was voted the No. 1 most useful technology for educators for 3 years on the trot and still is Best in Breed for 2012.

Rather than list the benefits of using Twitter within education I asked a Bradford College Twitter user to podcast her reasons for using Twitter (in under a minute) using Audioboo. Many thanks for her time.

“I use Twitter because….

Further Exploration

 

Read the Guardian’s perspective on How Twitter will revolutionise academic research and teaching.

 

There are a series of 6 tutorials on YouTube to get you started. Once you have registered you can simply search for people to follow and join in the conversation. Joining Twitter is the best way to extend your personal learning network and find like-minded experts within your field.

A Risk and Opportunities framework has already been designed by Staffordshire University.

Here are some interesting characters to follow if you are interested in technology and learning.

@timbuckteeth ; @C4PTL ; @ICTMagic; @davefoord; @geordie_online (our very own Richard Nelson from Teacher Education) and of course @bradfordcollege

Read the Twitter 101 on how to get started. If you would like further training or support then please do not hesitate to contact me on 3152 or tweet me at: @Beth_A_Snowden

 


VoiceThread

 

Linkhttps://voicethread.com/ 

Description: VoiceThread is a collaborative online space where a tutor can present a topic/idea or slideshow in multimedia format. This space can be public or private. Students who have signed up to VoiceThread can then contribute to this by posting their own ideas or reflections and have the option of using text, audio or video. Learners without webcams can simply use their mobile phones to record their responses. Think of everyone sitting around a virtual table browsing through a large photo album and chatting about it. 

You will need to register with VoiceThread to view the resources below. Alternatively, scroll to the bottom of this wiki to view an embedded voicethread. 

 

To grasp the concept watch this very interesting VoiceThread for Online Teaching and Learning by Michelle Pacansky-Brock. 

Browse the different voice threads to get a feel for how innovators are using it to facilitate learning. Guess the Movie, Classroom 2.0 .

 

The visually-centric environment of a VoiceThread, utilized as a formative assessment that remains available to students for continued review and learning after a due date, increases the students' ability to understand visual concepts, while the video and voice comments increase community, as well as the students' perception of the instructor's social presence.”
(Source:
The Sloan Consortium)


Find out how Higher Education students used VoiceThread to reflect on their blogging experience 

It is easy to get started with VoiceThread. Read some of the case studies for various subject areas including special needs and if you are interested simply register and watch the tutorials or download the support documentation. Note the free version is limited to 3 voicethreads and then a single educator’s licence is $99. You can buy 5 more voice threads for £1.99.

 


There is more information about VoiceThread and how to use it in the classroom plus a detailed SWOT analysis at: http://teachweb2.wikispaces.com/VoiceThread

 

Date in email:  28-01-13


 

WeTransfer 

 

Link: http://www.wetransfer.com

 

Description: WeTransfer – nifty file sharing tool. “I’m a happy customer, at least 50 times over” says Tony from Creative Media and Innovation who has used WeTransfer extensively to send large files to clients and colleagues. Do you have a large multimedia file or presentation to send to a few colleagues quickly and easily? Do you dislike clogging up your Inbox with huge files? Why not look to WeTransfer for a nifty solution? File sharing sites like Google Drive, Dropbox and Box are very useful but they do take time to set up. WeTransfer is a straightforward file sharing service that enables the user to send up to 2GB of files to up to 20 users. The files are sent via the cloud so do not send sensitive data.

 

No registration is needed. Simply go to http://www.wetransfer.com and type the email addresses of the people you want to send your files to with a quick message and hey presto. You will receive 

progress notifications from WeTransfer in your inbox.

 

Strengths: WeTransfer is quick and easy. You have up to 2GB of files that can be sent at any one time to a maximum of 20 recipients. The “transferring” time takes seconds if you have good bandwidth. The files are reportedly deleted from the cloud within a few weeks.

Weaknesses: Minors under 16 are not allowed to use the service. Information shared amongst colleagues is not tracked via your email. However, you do get 2 emails from WeTransfer informing you that a) the file has been sent and b) the recipient has downloaded the file. Recipients who are not familiar with WeTransfer may think the email is spam so you might want to warn them prior to sending the file(s). There is the ubiquitous advertising.

Opportunities: You can upgrade to WeTransfer Plus for $10 a month which offers an online branded page/image and access to previously sent files.

Threats: Privacy. Like any file stored in the cloud it could be misplaced or appropriated by third 

parties. WeTranfer promises not to sell your email address to third parties, see http://www.wetransfer.info/privacy/. Nevertheless, we suggest you do not send sensitive data this way.

 

Date in email: 03/06/13

 


 

Wordle

Link: http://www.wordle.net/

Description; Wordle allows you to create word clouds (colourful and visual displays) from a list of keywords you input into the wordle web page. For example, perhaps you want to use keywords to describe a concept and create a visual image from this to use in your teaching and learning content. It is so easy!  Why not go ahead and try it by clicking on the link above and selecting create. Insert the image you create into your PowerPoint, word documents, blogs or web pages. This is one I created to describe my own exploration and sense-making of Web 2.0. Once you have your wordle image you can simply press CTRL+Print Screen to copy and save it into an imaging editing programme. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SWOT Analysis: There is a useful and detailed analysis at http://teachweb2.wikispaces.com/Wordle.

Date in email:

Watch this screenr tutorial to show you how easy it is!

 

Wordpress

 

Link: http://wordpress.com/

Description; Wordpress allows you to create professional or personal blogs for free. Once you have registered you can have any number of blogs which are in the public domain (although you can set them to be private). You can include images, videos and links to other resources easily within your blog. Wordpress is one of the most popular blogging platforms for educators.

 

Have you ever wanted to know more about the benefits of blogging for learning and teaching? Do you want to encourage your learners to critically reflect on their learning experiences for PDP by using blogs? Have you thought of extending your own personal learning network (PLN) by blogging within a community of practice? If so, why not use sign up with WordPress and get started.

For a brief introduction on blogging you could read Blogging in the Edusphere.

Learning with e’s might be a useful blog to follow if you are interested in technology enhanced learning (TEL). Read 7 reasons why teachers should blog for inspiration (once you click on the link type 7 reasons in the search facility top right to find this specific blog post).

For video tutorials on how to use WordPress visit Russell Stannard’s Teacher Training Videos.

For insights into how blogs can benefit learners read  Learning, Unlearning and Relearning (Dunlap & Lowenthal, 2011, p.6-7).

Strengths: It is free and relatively easy to use although if you want your own domain name to personalise your blog there is a small annual fee. The blog can be set to private but you can invite readers to view it (if they have a WordPress account). You can have as many blogs as you wish.

Weaknesses:  Once you are familiar with WordPress you may want to be more adventurous and have the flexibility for more interaction and sleek design. This requires more plugins and widgets which are often only available if you “host” your site externally (which often incurs a cost). A certain amount of technical skills and experience is needed to get the very best out of your wordpress site.

Challenges: Although it is fairly intuitive to use it might take some skills development to get the look and feel for what you want from your blog.

Opportunities: Use blogging as a CPD tool or to reflect on action research projects to improve your own professional practice. Encourage learners to express themselves and have ownership of their learning. Writing skills may be improved as motivation is often higher when students’ work is publicly available.

Threats: As with all web 2.0 tools and practices remember that your blog is in the public domain and what you may say, even on a personal blog, you will be held accountable for. Learners may not share your enthusiasm for blogging as it can be an unsettling experience at first. Ensure you give learners relevant guidelines on how to write responsibly online.

 


Yammer - The Social Enterprise Network

 

Link: https://www.yammer.com

Description: The Social Enterprise Network

 

Need to communicate with colleagues in relation to different projects and activities? Finding email unwieldy and ineffective for such threaded conversations? Then Yammer might provide a solution to facilitate “company collaboration, file sharing, knowledge exchange and team efficiency”. Proponents of social learning recognise that the ability to communicate ideas and innovations with colleagues is essential to learning and development (see Jane Hart’s social learning blog and her ebook The Workplace Learning Revolution).

 

Yammer, the “social enterprise network” for employees was bought out by Microsoft in 2012 and has since become very popular within organisations and businesses. Bradford College resurrected Yammer in February 2013 and its flexibility, ease of use, flexibility and intuitive interface is proving helpful for over 150 colleagues. It has been nicknamed the “Facebook for the workplace” but it remains private to the organisation and of course there are no unsavoury advertisements. 

 

If you wish to register and see whether this tool could support your team or help disseminate ideas or improve communications then why not register at https://www.yammer.com. You must use your Bradford College email address to gain access to the Bradford College network. Please not that ALL communications made within Yammer are accessible to everyone else until you create a private group. Once you have registered you can create private or public groups based on specific interests. You can invite colleagues to join and then conversations remain within this “walled garden”. You can easily follow people to receive their threads and change your notifications settings to receive emails in your inbox flagging up specific conversations. You are able to create polls, chat online, share resources and web links.

 

Please ensure you read the Digital Communications Policy before you start participating actively in any online group. For the moment Yammer is being considered as a communications portal for Bradford College staff only.

 

There are already several groups formed within Yammer. There is a Flipped Learning group and a Show and TEL (Technology Enhanced Learning) group so if you are interested in conversations in these areas feel free to join – or set up your own! 

 

Date in email: 

 


 

YouTube

  

Linkhttp://www.youtube.com/

Description: Why not bring the Dalai Lama into your classroom to talk about resisting intolerance in the world? Virtually, of course. YouTube is one of the big 3 Web 2.0 social media platforms along with Wikipedia and Facebook. As a video sharing and social networking site its reach extends to all web users from all over the world (except if you live in some countries where it is censored). If we are to believe Wikipedia it is ranked as the 3rd largest website in the world, after Google and Facebook. In 2011 YouTube had more than 1 trillion views or around 140 views for every person on Earth.

 

Despite some of the dross, wackiness and unsavoury aspects to YouTube there is a growing number of excellent content which can be used to leverage discussions and prompt learners to think more deeply about topics. Michael Wesch’s lecture The Machine is Changing Us explores some of the socio-cultural implications that technology has on our lives. Stephen Fry and Nicholas Carr talk about the effects of web cultures too.  Bendito Machine 3 offers a dystopian view of technology. Videos do not have to be long to be effective. This clip on Digital Dirt is only 3 minutes long and is extremely thought-provoking when exploring the idea of digital identity and eCitizenship.

 

Read The Teacher’s Guide to Using YouTube in the Classroom for a broader perspective.

 

Perhaps the best way to utilise YouTube is to “register” which gives you a channel. You can then subscribe to other favourite channels. Alternatively you can add your favourite YouTube clips to your own different playlists or simply keep a history of all the YouTube videos you have visited.

 

YouTube videos are not just to be watched in the classroom or embedded in moodle for self-directed study. Learners themselves can create content and upload it into YouTube to evidence work based projects. Increasingly digital artefacts are being used for assessment purposes as educators recognise the multimodal capabilities of  digital storytelling.

It is very easy to upload videos to YouTube. Be careful about including any copyright music. YouTube easily detects this and will censor any videos that breach copyright.  You can set videos to be either private, unlisted (not available in searches) or public. This is useful if you want to limit the audience to your own YouTube videos.  The concept of being publicly private or privately public is explored in Lange’s paper on Social Networking on YouTube (2007).

 

If you don’t want to rummage through the rubbish go directly to YouTube EDU. On YouTube EDU, you have access to a broad set of educational videos that range from academic lectures to inspirational speeches and everything in between. Bring the Dalai Lama and Aung San Suu Kyi into your classroom.

 

Here is a list of alternative video hosting websites. TrueTube has been a favourite site of mine for a long time. It offers some very thought provoking videos for learners to debase issues around health, sex, society, culture, faith and religion, multiculturalism, crime, disability and much more.

 

Safety Tips for YouTube

  1. Remember that if you are searching for YouTube clips in the classroom turn the safety filter ON (it is at the very bottom of the screen) and this should filter out any unsavoury content
  2. Clean up YouTube videos when you are watching them by getting rid of the comments and associated playlist by using ViewPure and the purify button. Simply drag this Purify button onto the toolbar in Internet Explorer or your internet browser and click on it next time you watch a YouTube clip.
  3. Only want to see a short part of a lengthy video then shorten it using TubeChop. 

 


 

Zunal for Webquests


 

Linkhttp://www.zunal.com/

Description: Webquests

 

Many thanks to Sandra Yeadon who has provided information on this great free tool to create Webquests for her learners. Sandra wins a free coffee and Danish of her choice!

 

Read Sandra’s reasons for using Zunal and webquests below.

 

“Teaching apprentices means they are only in college one day a week and the majority of that time is obviously taken up with their vocational learning. However, they are expected to complete Key Skills, Maths, Communication and ICT. The fact that most of their day is taken up with vocational lessons means the GLH cannot be met for all three key skills. A webquest is the ideal way to deal with the situation as you can set up a project which covers all three skills, just give the learners the web address and let them access the project (Webquest) from outside college, they follow the steps laid out in the project, then bring their work / portfolio to class for the tutor to assess, great way of using blended learning! The Webquest maker I use is Zunal (http://www.zunal.com) it is really easy to use and create a Webquest, you can use templates, which can be edited to suit your needs. You can add pages, embed videos, Voki presentations, upload files, add images etc., etc. If you can write a page in word and add an image you can create a Webquest!

 

For more detailed info about Webquests take a look at my Blog at http://sandrayeadon.blog.com/2013/03/11/webquests/

 

Date in email: 08/07/2013

 

Comments (1)

Zaid said

at 1:38 pm on Nov 14, 2012

Lots of good stuff.
I'll see if I can incoporate "Wallwisher" into our digital signage displays.
Cheers

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