Web 2.0 Resources for ASU EDU 560

Web 2.0 is a term often applied to a perceived ongoing transition of the World Wide Web from a collection of websites to a full-fledged computing platform. There are many web 2.0 resources that support teaching and collaborative learning. The following are a few web 2.0 resources that can be used for collaboration activities:

Gliffy (http://www.gliffy.com) is a web-based collaborative graphic organizer that allows students and teachers to create many types of diagrams such as
➢ Flowcharts,
➢ Floor plans,
➢ Network diagrams,
➢ Idea Maps
➢ Other graphic organizers
Graphic organizers support visual thinking techniques. Students can use this tool to brainstorm, create a flow map to diagram the plot of a story, as well as a variety of other graphic organizers. Not only can students work collaboratively to create organizers and diagrams, they can link to published Gliffy drawings from wiki’s, blogs, podcasts and web pages

Google Docs & Spreadsheets (www. docs.google.com) is a free web-based word processing and spreadsheet program that promotes collaboration. This web resource allows you to import your existing documents and spreadsheets, or create new ones from scratch. You can also revise, edit and update your documents and spreadsheets from anywhere. You can invite others to collaborate on these files from their own computers sharing changes in real-time. When you are finished creating the document, you can export it in a variety of formats, RTF, Word, HTML, PDF’s, etc.

You can, use Google Docs to coordinate your student group's homework assignments, access your family to-do list from work or home, collaborate with colleagues while writing a grant or creating a unit. Students can brainstorm together, then collaborate on a report or presentation.

Google spreadsheets can be used to collaborate on such projects as spending a million dollars, while keeping track of expenses; tracking the progress of the Iditarod mushers, creating graphs for a report, tracking the value of stocks in a virtual portfolio, or tracking personal progress toward an individual goal.

Wiki’s are great places for teachers, students, and educators to work together. Use a wiki for easy web pages that let you collaborate. Wikispaces for K-12 education use is completely free, and free of advertising. Teachers can set up the wiki and determine who is allowed to view and edit this space. Worries about safety can be reduced because students are given a log in name and password, providing them a safer environment in which to collaborate. Wikispaces (http://www.wikispaces.com/t/x/teachers100K) is a good location for secondary students and PB Wiki (http://pbwiki.com) might be a better site for elementary students.

Wikis can be used in a variety of settings, classrooms, work groups, families, sports teams, book and fan clubs, and more. Teachers looking for an easy way to put your syllabus online can use this environment. Students could collaborate on a big project, create a web page advertisement or travel brochure that promotes travel to an assigned state or country.

Slide share (http://www.slideshare.net/) Looking for a place to post your PowerPoint slide shows online? Slide share allows you to post PowerPoint presentations and share them with a limited audience or provide access to the total on-line community. This is a great place to find presentations others have created, post presentations you are planning to use for a conference or to provide students with access to lecture notes.

Imagination3
I have not tried this tool from Brett but thought I would include it in case you wanted to explore. They are coming at me too fast.
From Brett
Here is another tool (ala Gliffy) I ran across. Kind of neat as well though I haven't explored it like I had Gliffy. Let me know what you think..
http://www.imagination3.com/LaunchPage
Just click Skip when it gives you the flash intro stuff, then you'll get to the cool part of the tool.


netTrekker d.i
This is a limited trial. Just received it at NECC 2007. Give it a try if you like. Info from netTrekker follows:
Dear JULIA,

I enjoyed meeting you at the NECC conference and appreciated the time you spent learning more about netTrekker d.i. netTrekker d.i. is helping educators in districts all across the country just like yours differentiate their instruction to help every child achieve.

Here is the username and password you requested for your free trial.

Username: NECC2007AZ
Password: guest
(*Above are case sensitive.)

To access the product, please go to http://school.nettrekker.com and login. Feel free to share your free trial account with others in your district that would be interested in exploring netTrekker d.i. Your account will remain active until 8/1/07.

Please make sure to explore the exciting features in netTrekker d.i. including:
• Safe, Fast Worry-Free Searching
• Over 180,000 Educator-Selected, Standards-Based Online Resources
➢ Search for Resources by Readability Level
➢ Customized ELL/ESL Content
➢ Dictionary/Translation Hot Key
➢ Safe, School-Friendly Image Search
➢ NEW! Read Aloud Feature that Reads Text to Students

www.vocabulary.com (Another one from NECC 2007)
Hi Julia -
Jan and wanted to say hello to you and remind you and your colleagues
again about the free educational resources at
http://www.vocabulary.com
The information about the poster session is as follows:
http://www.vocabulary.com/necc2007page1.html

You can see our 60 thematic features on our home page site. Feel free
to request one/many of our 165 word lists at
http://www.vocabulary.com/alphalary.html We certainly permit and
encourage linking to our site. Please don't hesitate to email Jan or
me with questions. Hope to hear from you. Carey
--
Sincerely, jan & carey cook jancook@vocabulary.com -
http://www.vocabulary.com Vocabulary University, POBox 7727, Menlo
Park,CA 94026 ph&fax650-854-9698 -- grade level interactive word
Puzzles

That is all I have for now. Have fun exploring.

Julia