Web 2.0 Educational Resources

Storybird
Located at: http://storybird.com/

The purpose of Storybird is that it is allows for users to create and read visual stories online. Storybird provides artwork from illustrators and animators around the world as prompts for students to create stories inspired by the visuals. It can also be used by teachers as a Learning Management System (LMS) where they can create classes and add their students in order to display and create pieces of work.

This Web 2.0 tool can be used educationally as it allows students with create and read stories on the web through providing visual prompts and creative ideas. Teachers can further use this tool to create classes where students can be added and their stories can be submitted and viewed by the teacher online. 

This  tool could remove or reduce barriers in the classroom by catering to the needs of students who have difficulty writing, or are visual learners. Students who have difficulty with writing can create and express their stories, journals, and ideas through typing, which will remove potential barriers associated with the physical act of writing. Visual learners can also benefit from this tool as they can choose different prompts based on their interests and can refer back to the images when creating their submissions. 

The Storybird website promotes users to "Join a global community of writers, readers, and artists of all ages". This tool could be a great resource for any grade as it can be used to learn about the different parts of a story, to develop concepts such as setting/theme/character/etc., can be used for journaling, or can be used to practice and develop reading skills based on level and interest.