Digital+Tools

= = = = Digital Tools February 23rd media type="custom" key="5452981" width="260" height="260" align="center"

@Digital Tools Links **L** ** inks to resources described in the presentation as well as links to additional resources and materials roughly categorized in the following manner: **


 * **personal learning supports**
 * **class methods that support diverse learning needs**
 * **digital citizenship/safety/site evaluation**
 * **plagiarism/creative commons/copyright**
 * **random articles**
 * **personal/professional learning network possibilities**
 * **must shares**

Digital Tools February 21st = = **Agenda:** ** I. Basic intro to class and why we are here/session overview. ** >
 * **Overview**
 * **My Two Cents Worth**
 * II. Introductions.**
 * **Go to the link and make a post that is a quick introduction of yourself - can put an image of self from the internet that you feel best describes you.**


 * **WallWisher -** media type="custom" key="5420491" width="60" height="60"

**Purpose - model use of Google Forms as a tool for gathering information and or checking for understanding.** media type="custom" key="5564129"
 * **A Few Quick Questions -** Google Form

**I****II** **. Class Orientation: **

> []** Below is the information shared on the ehterpad for Discovered Resources as of 2/24/10 at 9:30 pm > ** Below is an image of the scribblar.com collaborative space. **
 * **Discovered Resources - etherpad - group work space for additional resources discovered during session, or ones that you know that add to the resources identified.
 * **Things that you already do to support diverse leaning needs (with or without technology)-**
 * **Desired Outcomes -below is an image of the Google Forms link for Digital Tools Rotation Themes and a image of the summary of responses indicating preferences for topics.**

Etherpad feedback re: plan for the remainder of the class to be found at this link : =[]=

**IV. BREAK**
 * At this point to meet the needs of the group the agenda switched from the plan described in V. VI. and VII. to a demonstration and explanation of the implementation and use of gMail, iGoogle, Google Docs, Diigo, Screenjelly in my self-contained special education classrooms.

The theme revealed through the discussion was that students value: One student said she likes that her thoughts aren't interrupted by others talking over each other and that as a result she can get her ideas shared without loosing her train of own thoughts.
 * the opportunity of time and space that the use of threaded discussions and chat tools give them to form their ideas, make comments, process responses and to respond themselves.

Others value that they can communicate discretely with the teacher though chat so that classmates are not aware that they need help. In addition the chat feature has the benefits of the threaded discussion with the added bonus of having the teacher's explanation in print to refer to as it is applied.

iGoogle allows the students an organized starting point on the web as well as a page full of personal supports to aid in understanding and completion of tasks.

Students also value the ease of communication with the teacher via gMail. They like getting the assignments in email, in their Google Docs as well as on the Google Calendar set up for class. Students have begun to take initiave and proactive instead of passive and reactive as they have the resources to get their needs met.

Use of Google Docs and other Web 2.0 tools for demonstrating understanding has increased the quality and quantity of words written and concepts expressed. Tools such as the mind mapping tool Bubbl.US, PhotoPeach and Google Docs - Presentation were discussed.

Below are some of the Google Presentations I created for use with and by my students.

media type="custom" key="5453453" width="20" height="36"media type="custom" key="5453495" width="30" height="42"

@Digital Tools Links **L** ** inks to resources described in the presentation as well as links to additional resources and materials roughly categorized in the following manner: **


 * **personal learning supports**
 * **class methods that support diverse learning needs**
 * **digital citizenship/safety/site evaluation**
 * **plagiarism/creative commons/copyright**
 * **random articles**
 * **personal/professional learning network possibilities**
 * **must shares**

Original plan for post break time. (not followed)

V. Format for rest of session Each group for their group resources: V. End with a check in on the WallWisher for questions/comments/ideas.
 * We will explore various topics and share the results using various product options and collaborative tools.
 * Topic options: personal learning supports, class methods that support diverse learning needs, digital citizenship/safety/site evaluation, plagiarism/creative commons/copyright, random articles, personal/professional learning network resources.
 * Various product options to choose from: Blabberize, Glogster, Xtranormal, Screenjelly, JibJab, Google Presentation, Bubbl.us, BigHugeLabs, PhotoPeach, Animoto, Audacity, VoiceThread. Clipnabber and DropBox good to know about too.
 * Collaborative options: to share product with the group, share/embed into the appropriate topic's etherpad link below. This will be how your efforts will be shared with the group during the session and it will serve as a cumulative body of knowledge on the various topics explored and evaluated. I will then either place the etherpad link in the wiki or create an additional section in the wiki for the created content.
 * NOTE - we have already been exposed to the following collaboarative tools: Etherpad, Scribblar, ScribbleMaps, Google Forms, WallWisher, Wiki.
 * Timing:
 * 3 rotations of topics**
 * 20 minutes to explore topic and create product.
 * 15 minutes to share learnings/product with entire group.
 * Explore the resources
 * teams divvy up the resources however they like
 * can each do individual
 * can work in pairs
 * can all do one part and jigsaw to one product
 * can do a full collaborative exploration of all the materials and create one product
 * Please consider the following:
 * target of resource (individual student, class, teacher),
 * nature of the tool (collaborative, support, strategy, lesson, resource, product),
 * appropriate age groups for resource,
 * how it could be used to support diverse learners,
 * benefits,
 * drawbacks,
 * similar resources

VI. Session Evaluation.