Web 2.0 Tools in the Classroom
TedEd-- (http://ed.ted.com/)
TedEd was created by TedTalks to facilitate the spread of good ideas and innovative thinking, specifically for teachers and students. It hosts a variety of lessons spanning a wide field of topics, from health to social studies.
The site provides a resource for teachers to use in the classroom, but what I like most is how it encourages students to explore at their own pace. Additionally, the topics are creative, which makes them engaging.
Each lesson has a video, questions to answer, additional resources to investigate and a discussion board to engage in conversation. The variety of tools can fit multiple learning types.
TedEd can be accessed by anyone without any sort of login. However, to fully access Ted resources, users are required to be create an account and be over the age of 13 and adhere to Ted's code of onilne conduct or risk having their membership terminated.
Videolicious: https://videolicious.com/
This clever app allows for users to quickly and easily create videos with images and music.
As an alternative to a traditional report, students could represent their knowledge on any subject through making a video. Videolicious allows students to explore creative measures in demonstrating their understanding. Teachers and staff can also easily make videos to promote school events.
Having an alternative measure to demonstrate a student's understanding would free those students who struggle with expressing themselves with traditional pen and paper means.
To fully access Videolicious, users must pay a fee. Accounts are only for one individual and cannot be shared, and users are responsible for ensuring copyright agreements are no infringed, ie. users own all content that is posted.
Lucidpress: https://www.lucidpress.com/
Containing a large resevoir of templates, Lucidpress allows users to create a variety of documents practical in the distribution of information.
Creating documents that relay information helps students not only integrate information but encourages them to demonstrate their understanding. Lucidpress is also a great way for teachers to present information in a different manner for classes and staff.
Not only does Lucidpress permit visual representation, but it has collaborative features like chatting, sharing and spaces for comments from other users. This encourages group work to those students who migh be comfortable communicating online but struggle talking in front of people.
Lucidpress terms includes monthly fees but has free services for single users, is not limited by age, and only requires a name, email and password. All terms and relationships are to be in English, despite translation services being offered.