Web 2.0 Tools for the Classroom

Web 2.0 Resources for the Classroom

      Animoto is an online video-making tool that can make professional looking videos from photos and videos taken off of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other networking sites, or off of a personal computer.  This site has free trials available, but upgrades can be purchased for more video-making options.

      Here is the link!:   http://animoto.com/

      Animoto is not meant to be used by children under the age of 13, according to the Terms of Service, however it would be appropriate for High School age students to use.

      Animoto can be used not only by educators to make educational videos for their students, but could also be used as a learning and assessment tool.  Animoto would be a good option to give students for using to make a project or presentation. 

      Videomaking upholds UDL principles by expanding the resources available for students to respond and demonstrate their knowledge.  Animoto or other videomaking tools could be useful to support visual and auditory learners who will remember a presentation with a variety of interactive images and auditory/visual content.

      AudioBooksForFree.com  is a great website containing a library of free audiobooks from a large variety of authors, from modern literature to classics. Filters and search engines within the page can make searching for audiobooks easy.

      AudioBooksForFree is a website usable for all ages, and even contains a children's book section.  The Privacy Policy says that the site collects as little information as possible from visitors to the site so that it is a safe online place to send students to find resources.

      Using a site like AudioBooksForFree to give students the opportunity to listen to their readings instead of always using their eyes to get the information they need is a great thing to implement in a classroom, or to give students as a homework option for going over the texts needed for class. 

      Some students have learning disabilities or even physical disabilities that can make getting through required readings challenging, or impossible.  Audiobooks are a UDL example and tool that can remove reading as an obstacle for learning, and support students who are auditory learners, or have difficulties with visual reading comprehension. Audiobooks could also just make reading fun again for some students, or give a much needed break to students who feel like they read all day.

      A good resource for introducing students to mindmapping is bubbl.us. 

      Here is the link: https://bubbl.us/

      Mindmapping is a way for students to use brainstorming and physically connecting and building off of ideas in an online format that is easy to use, edit, and save work.  Using bubbl.us instead of just drawing out a mindmap may be easier for students to use for professional looking projects, and also just for their own study notes.  Bubbl.us is free and has no restrictions on age of users.

      Bubbl.us could be used as an assignment or an assessment tool in a classroom, or even used during class to allow students to brian storm during lectures, group discussion and project planning.

      Mindmapping resources such as bubbl.us are not only fun to use but can help any student to see information in a different format than they are used to.  Some students may not be linear thinkers and might process ideas and connections better by having the format of a mindmap clearly show how ideas branch off of each other and connect with other thoughts.