Web 2.0 Tool Snapshots

WEB 2.0 TOOL SNAPSHOTS

By: Ciera Heshka-Wolf

"Scratch is a programming language and online community where you can create your own interactive stories, games, and animations -- and share your creations with others around the world. In the process of designing and programming Scratch projects, young people learn to think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively. Scratch is a project of the Lifelong Kindergarten group at the MIT Media Lab. It is available for free at http://scratch.mit.edu" (scratch.mit.edu/about)

Designed for students ages 8 to 16, Scratch could have endless education uses. From new presentation options, to problem solving, and collaborative work, even into multi subject projects. Students with learning disabilities and advanced learners could all benefit, allowing students to work at their own pace and incorporate as many or as little elements into their work as they can. 

* Scratch is applicable to all ages, but requires children under 13 to have a parent's permission or email address to create an account. 

Read and Write is a Google Chrome extension that allows users to interact with the web in new ways. 

It can be found at chrome.google.com/webstore and is asy to install and use in a Chrome browser. Students can hear what is in front of them and follow along with highlighting, see meanings of words from a text and picture dictionary, get text translated into other languages, turn words into text as you speak, and much more. I think it could be used in many education settings including for students with disabilities, either visual or kinesthetic, by ESL students, and even just in day to day use for all students who want to get more out of their web interaction. 

* There is no mentioned age restriction. Google chrome is needed. 

Scribblar.com is an online whiteboard tool that allows people to access a shared space at any time form any place. 

Think of it as a whiteboard that any student can write on from their own device on their own time. Making working together simple, or even asking for/getting help from their teacher. It could allow students with learning disabilities to process and ask questions from home, or even from a different room in the school. Gone are the day's when student's had to meet at someones house to work on a group project. 

It is a paid service but can be personalized and integrated into your LMS. 

*no information can be found on a required user age.