WEB 2.0 TOOLS IN THE CLASSROOM





Tagxedo, much like Wordle, is a word cloud generator with many different designs to fit your interests.  You can make word clouds from famous speeches, news articles, slogans and themes, and even personal letters.  Words are individually sized in the selected shape of the word cloud in order to show which words most frequently occurred within the text. 

  • It can be used to generate a creative image that is associated with reading assignments such as poems, speeches, or letters.
  • Educators can use this tool to create visual aids for their classrooms.
  • It allows students to be creative and make descriptions about themselves and choose a picture that closely relates (good for first day of school so everyone can get acquainted). 
Recommended Age:5+
Visit: www.tagxedo.com

 



Pandamian is a super-simple — and free — tool to create an ebook. Sign-up takes a few seconds, and you’re given your own url address for all your future books. Click on “create a new book” and you’re off! You can easily copy and paste images, and readers can leave moderated comments.


Pandamian, and the potential for this tool to connect student-authors with readers all over the world, can increase student engagement in writing activities. Authors can allow people who enjoy reading what they write to subscribe and keep posted on new chapters that become available.  Also, authors can allow readers to provide feedback.   This may support student-authors in sustaining effort and persistance.

Pandamian could be utilized within the classroom to generate interest in creative writing, as well as encourage students to work together, spawning creative ideas. I like the interactive approach.

Recommended Age: 13+

Website: www.Pandamian.com

 



BeeClip.Edu lets you set-up a virtual classroom where students can create a “scrapbook” or other products using a very simple “drag-and-drop” interface. Text can also be added. One teacher with up to thirty students is free, but you have to pay if you want to add more. This could be very useful for students who learn by a more "hands-on" approach.  

Beeclip EDU, offers a free no-registration trial and free basic accounts for students and teachers.  Teachers can see up a class of 30 accounts and three projects with the basic account.

Recommended for all ages.