Evaluation of Web 2.0 Sites
I am using the rubric posted from last semester’s class to complete my evaluation of Web 2.0 sites. Below are the five sites I have selected.
Web 2.0 Site #1: Xtranormal
Criteria
Age Appropriateness-2
Cost-3
User Friendliness-4
Collaboration-4
Final Products-4
Higher Order Learning-4
Edu-Friendly Features-3
The age appropriateness score for the Xtranormal site scored a two. The tool is age appropriate for the students with teacher supervision. The site meets some CIPA, COPPA and school regulations. Content, access online, and student information do require monitoring. The site contains a gallery of user created content that may be objectionable. The tool has a lot of potential for use in the classroom although it does pose some risks. There are costs associated with the site if you choose to use the more elaborate features, including additional show paks, more lengthy movies, etc… However, there is room for plenty of creativity free! The site is extremely user friendly. Most six or seven year olds could easily explore a few minutes and have the tool mastered. You do have the option to post your products online and receive feedback from your audience. You do have the ability to control who the audience viewing your products are and limit it if you choose. The final products are nicely constructed pieces students will love to show off! As the hook, I would have a movie created using this tool. This would allow the students to see the fun, engaging tool they were going to get to use to create their product. However, before they actually get to use the tool, I would require the storyboard to be created, reviewed and approved before allowing the students to use the tool. The story boarding processing lends opportunity for higher order thinking/learning, and creativity. I scored this tool a three on edu-friendly features. Xtranormal is not created for education; it is actually created for all those George Lucas want-to-be(s). However, at first glance teachers’ wheels begin to turn with ideas of potential use of this fun, engaging tool in the teaching and learning environment. The site has the opportunity for students to sign up individually (requires them to be at least 13 years of age) or a teacher can sign up and allow them to sign in under her, which is the method I would choose. I consider the tool to valuable with some risks, but the evidence of higher level thinking products might be worth the effort.
Web 2.0 Site #2: Google Docs/Form
Criteria
Age Appropriateness-4
Cost-4
User Friendliness-4
Collaboration-4
Final Products-4
Higher Order Learning-4
Edu-Friendly Features-4
The age appropriateness score for the Google Docs/Forms site scored a four. The tool is age appropriate for the students and has no visible objectionable content. The site meets some CIPA, COPPA and school regulations. The tool has endless possibilities for use in the classroom. There are no costs associated with the site. It is extremely user friendly as most of the Google tools are and they are fun and engaging as well. Collaboration is the definition of the Google Docs/Forms tool. You control how much or how little collaboration you use with the tools. The final products are amazing when created with the Google Docs/Forms site. And last, I scored this tool a three on the edu-friendly features. The site name is easy enough to remember, either version (Google Docs/Forms or Google APPS for education) could be used in the educational environment for use with students. I consider the tool to be an extremely valuable tool for classroom teachers with many possibilities to enhance their teaching and learning environment.
Web 2.0 Site #3: Primary Pad
Criteria
Age Appropriateness-4
Cost-4
User Friendliness-4
Collaboration-4
Final Products-4
Higher Order Learning-3/4
Edu-Friendly Features-3
The age appropriateness score for the primary pad site scored a four. The tool is age appropriate for the students and has no visible objectionable content. The site meets some CIPA, COPPA and school regulations. The tool has endless possibilities for use in the classroom. There are no costs associated with the site. It is extremely user friendly and is fun and engaging as well. Collaboration is easily defined with the effective use of this tool. With this tool, students have the potential to analyze, evaluate and create understandings leading to a meaningful learning. There are no registrations or sign-in(s) required when using primary pad. The final product is a collaborative color-coded product. I scored this tool a three on the edu-friendly features. The site is easily remembered, could be used in the educational environment for use with students and can be accomplished by clicking and typing! I consider the tool to be an extremely valuable tool for classroom teachers with many possibilities to enhance their teaching and learning environment. The site is not dedicated to education only.
Web 2.0 Site #4: Diigo
Criteria
Age Appropriateness-4
Cost-4
User Friendliness-4
Collaboration-4
Final Products-4
Higher Order Learning-3/4
Edu-Friendly Features-3
The age appropriateness score for the Diigo site scored a four. The tool is age appropriate for the students and has no visible objectionable content. The site meets some CIPA, COPPA and school regulations. The tool has incredible potential for use the teaching and learning environment. There are no costs associated with the site. Collaboration is the piece making this tool incredibly valuable to both educators as well as students. This tool offers educators and students the opportunity to strategically read, think, track and annotate their learning via the web. A registration is FREE and required in order to use the tool. The final product is a collaborative piece with contributions from educators, teachers and other thinkers as well. I scored this tool a three on the edu-friendly features. The site is easily remembered, could be used in the educational environment for use with students, but is not dedicated to the world of educators.
Web 2.0 Site #5: Glogster
Criteria
Age Appropriateness-4
Cost-4
User Friendliness-4
Collaboration-4
Final Products-4
Higher Order Learning-3/4
Edu-Friendly Features-4
The age appropriateness score for the Glogster site scored a four. The tool is age appropriate for the students and has no visible objectionable content. The site meets some CIPA, COPPA and school regulations. The tool has endless possibilities for use in the classroom. There are costs associated with the site; however, I’ve been able to explore, design and create for free. It is extremely user friendly and is fun and engaging as well. There is lots of room for collaboration using this tool! Registration is required and sign-in(s) are required when using Glogster. The final product can be a collaborative multi-media digital poster! I scored this tool a four on the edu-friendly features. The site is easily remembered, could be used in the educational environment for use with students, and can be accomplished by signing up for the edu version! I consider the tool to be an extremely valuable tool for classroom teachers with many possibilities to enhance their teaching and learning environment.
Human Filters Pertinent to Me
In the reading this week, Topic 1 – A World of New Technologies, the author writes, “One of the most effective ways to narrow down choices is to employ the use of human filters.” I almost experienced a sense of relief when I read this advice, because for some time I have used “human filters” and kind of felt like I was cheating to keep up with my learning. I mean, after all, these people are the people who appear to be the ones doing the work keeping up with the latest and greatest out there. However, after thinking more about the human filter factor, maybe the reason they seem to have it so together is they to have their own human filters as well.
The human filter I have had in place the longest is Kathy Schrock. She is a guru in the teaching and learning world and the Web 2.0 tool world is no exception. One of my favorite things about Kathy is she not only talks about the pros and cons of the tool, she often addresses many uses for the tool in the teaching and learning environment. I have found her to be my go to girl when I’m searching for sound pedagogical thinking in relation to technology. The second to make my list of Human Filters is Mark Prensky. I have found his work to be invaluable in technology leadership. Mark often writes articles, posts resources, offers suggestions and makes recommendations from a leadership perspective. When superintendents, principals, or other school leadership roles ask the hard questions, I have often found solutions or at least guided thinking resources with Mark Prensky. The last of my top 3 human filters is a tie between the Google Certified Teacher Group, the DEN and the Apple Distinguished Educators’ Group. These three groups are amazing. They are like the best teachers in the world on steroids! They are constantly collaborating to help each other explore, implement, and perfect the latest, greatest technology tools for teaching and learning. I have had the honor to be a part of these groups for the past few years and what an incredible learning journey it has been! All three of these groups are experts in collaborative projects. When I have teachers searching for ways to extend their classroom collaborative environment far beyond the four walls of his/her classroom, I go to one of these three groups.
Contact Xtranormal Developers
Wow what an incredible concept, “Text-to-Movie” and what an unbelievable resource you have developed at http://www.xtranormal.com! Your site is an incredibly engaging, exciting, and fun approach to spark the creativity in learners around the world. The scripting process on your site offers such an inspiring opportunity for even the youngest of learners to practice and stretch their higher order thinking skills. My purpose for writing to you as the developers of the Xtranormal site is to encourage you to develop a K-12 education version of your product. With that said, I believe with a great teacher in place, who is coaching her students properly on how to become effective contributors of meaningful content to the Web your site could be useful today. However, in the development of an edu version, you might consider the elimination of content parents or teachers might find to be objectionable. With a few minor changes, such as: removing the gestures that some might find inappropriate from the actions menu and removing the attire for characters which some would consider to be offensive, I think a K-12 education version would be good to go. Let me close by saying thanks in advance for your sincere consideration of this request.
Thank you,
Terri A. Stice
Director of Instructional Technology
Green River Regional Educational Cooperative
Posted on July 18th, 2010 by Terri Stice
Filed under: Uncategorized | No Comments »
