11.5 Things. Thing #2

I think WordSift can be very helpful in focusing students on research. Say, for example, a student is doing a paper on a particular essay or speech, he can put the text into the WordSift and then get a word cloud that would size up the words most used in the text. This can give him a better idea of what the main ideas of the work are. He can then use this to focus his attention in dissecting this work. He can also use the web links to research more on the subject and even link other ideas and works to the one he is studying. He can also use the Visual Thesaurus to find other similar concepts and opposite concepts as well. I definitely can see a student using this site to focus his mind on the work at hand as well as using it to point him in new directions. Additionally, if the student has to do a presentation, he can use the word cloud to convey the work's main ideas to his fellow students visually.


Now there is Glogster .com and there is edu.Glogster.com. Both allow the user to make electronic posters but edu.Glogster.com is geared toward the student. The difference between electronic posters and regular posters are the dimensions. Regular posters are two dimensional and the electronic posters are three dimensional or even fourth dimensional, if you count the time it might take to navigate through a more complicated Glog.. If a student made a regular poster, he would be somewhat limited in his expression of his learning. He could cut out related pictures and paste them onto the poster and use written language to enhance. He could even make a pop-up to create the illusion of 3 dimensions. With Glogster; however, he could add in videos relating to the subject or videos of himself. He could put in animated gif's and other things that might enhance the presentation. This would require a more critical type of thinking. It would also require a more full synthesis. which is the highest part of Bloom's taxonomy. The only downside to this at the moment is access. Regular posters can be posted up on walls for others to review. Glogs can only be seen through a computer.



I just love Voki. While Voki could be use on all levels of students. I see it more effective with elementary and middle school students. I think that if one created and avatar with a particular bent or look, it could definitely help in getting a message across. Let's say, for example, you are one of those kooks who believe in man made global warming (don't worry, I still love most of you anyway), you could create an avatar that maybe like the Toxic Avenger, and use him to convey your message. (See Voki Avatar to the right.) That would definitely create more interest in the subject. Speaking of interest, an avatar speaking to yo might be more interesting than just the written word.
Bookr is a really cool photo album because it actually turns pages like a real book. This feature adds flavor and interest to a presentation. I could see students using this tool instead of a simple PowerPoint presentation. I'm not sure that you could add in hotlinks so the presentation would have to be simple. A student could use it for a creative writing assignment and create a picture book or a history assignment told in chronological order, or not.