Technology Tools to Use In the Classroom
Chogger: Chogger is a way for students (or anyone really) to create a comic strip for free. It feels quiet easy to navigate because as soon as the application is opened, Chogger presents comic strip templates that can be chosen (much like Microsoft templates). From there, the site gives you instant access. You can create quickly and efficiently a multitude of images using the mouse. If an external pad is available, it would be easy to attach and to use with this program. I feel like because it’s free and because it’s so easy to use, I would greatly benefit from this program in my classroom.
GoAnimate: I absolutely love GoAnimate. I feel like this tool is a great way to interest students who enjoy playing video games. This is a great way to get
them excited about learning. Chosing a place and character is really easy as well as adding the dialogue in the screen. Students will be able to use their creativity while still staying in a structured program. The templates are numerous and allow the students to explore while also giving them the ability to watch action unfold from their chosen scene. That action is something that they would never be able to create on their own, and would give them incentive to finish their project.
Voki : Voki was definitely interesting. I feel like Voki would appeal to elementary school students over middle school and high school students. Voki is an
easy way for students to feel creative because students have to ability to dress up, change, or even add to their character. They even are able to give dialogue to their voki. This program could help to get children interested in class for that day or even for the entire week.
Wordle: Worlde would be a good way for my students to understand the idea of words and how words can apply to one main idea or even to one word. It would be extremely easy for middle schoolers and high schoolers to navigate, allowing them to have an influx of words that flow from them into the program. My students would not be limited to the “slowness” or hang-ups that technology presents when attempting to get to the finished outcome. The idea of connotation and denotation is extremely important in an English class and I feel like wordle would be a great way for my students to practice grasping that idea.
ZooBurst: These 3-D popup books would greatly benefit me in my classroom. I feel like because it is an animated, 3-D story, my students would feel more inclined to invest their time. I feel like sometimes technology creates a wall between the object and the creator because the object is so intangible but I feel like this would help
to bridge that gap. This program takes a simple object like a book, and finds a way to enhance a book’s ability digitally. This will be an interesting way for my students to investigate books from their English class but this book also gives them pictures, something literature is lacking.
Blabberize : Sometimes, the biggest draw back from academics is the inability to not be so serious. I am learning that through the hardest critical theory classes, one of the most beneficial things to my mind is a children’s book or a short clip of a television show. I feel like Blabberize would be the comic relief for my class. This program would give students the ability to take literature and have fun with it. Students could create one line from hamlet that sums up the play and create a blabberize to express it. The program seems really easy to use and because it is easy to manipulate, students would be drawn in and excited about what different
blabberizers they can create.
GoAnimate: I absolutely love GoAnimate. I feel like this tool is a great way to interest students who enjoy playing video games. This is a great way to get
them excited about learning. Chosing a place and character is really easy as well as adding the dialogue in the screen. Students will be able to use their creativity while still staying in a structured program. The templates are numerous and allow the students to explore while also giving them the ability to watch action unfold from their chosen scene. That action is something that they would never be able to create on their own, and would give them incentive to finish their project.
Voki : Voki was definitely interesting. I feel like Voki would appeal to elementary school students over middle school and high school students. Voki is an
easy way for students to feel creative because students have to ability to dress up, change, or even add to their character. They even are able to give dialogue to their voki. This program could help to get children interested in class for that day or even for the entire week.
Wordle: Worlde would be a good way for my students to understand the idea of words and how words can apply to one main idea or even to one word. It would be extremely easy for middle schoolers and high schoolers to navigate, allowing them to have an influx of words that flow from them into the program. My students would not be limited to the “slowness” or hang-ups that technology presents when attempting to get to the finished outcome. The idea of connotation and denotation is extremely important in an English class and I feel like wordle would be a great way for my students to practice grasping that idea.
ZooBurst: These 3-D popup books would greatly benefit me in my classroom. I feel like because it is an animated, 3-D story, my students would feel more inclined to invest their time. I feel like sometimes technology creates a wall between the object and the creator because the object is so intangible but I feel like this would help
to bridge that gap. This program takes a simple object like a book, and finds a way to enhance a book’s ability digitally. This will be an interesting way for my students to investigate books from their English class but this book also gives them pictures, something literature is lacking.
Blabberize : Sometimes, the biggest draw back from academics is the inability to not be so serious. I am learning that through the hardest critical theory classes, one of the most beneficial things to my mind is a children’s book or a short clip of a television show. I feel like Blabberize would be the comic relief for my class. This program would give students the ability to take literature and have fun with it. Students could create one line from hamlet that sums up the play and create a blabberize to express it. The program seems really easy to use and because it is easy to manipulate, students would be drawn in and excited about what different
blabberizers they can create.
Other Helpful Links:
http://teacher.scholastic.com/tools/: includes rubric creators, flashcard creators, spelling resources, planners, awesome teacher tools, etc.
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/student-activities: student interactive activities and interactive whiteboard lessons!
http://www.readwritethink.org/: AWESOME ELA resources and student interactives
http://www.thinkfinity.org/: filled with great lessons, interactives, videos, etc.
http://www.edutopia.org/ professional development resources
http://www.curriculum21.com/clearinghouse/ includes digital binders, web resources, professional development
teachertube.com: great place to find short videos for any subject
http://www.starfall.com/: designed for younger students
http://www.pbs.org/teachers: lessons plans
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/student-activities: student interactive activities and interactive whiteboard lessons!
http://www.readwritethink.org/: AWESOME ELA resources and student interactives
http://www.thinkfinity.org/: filled with great lessons, interactives, videos, etc.
http://www.edutopia.org/ professional development resources
http://www.curriculum21.com/clearinghouse/ includes digital binders, web resources, professional development
teachertube.com: great place to find short videos for any subject
http://www.starfall.com/: designed for younger students
http://www.pbs.org/teachers: lessons plans