Tech Tool Review
Clicking on the images will take you to the respective tool.
Pinnacle Studio (iPad app)
Pinnacle Studio is an iPad app that allows the user to create and edit videos on the iPad. I have tried several other platforms to make short videos on, and this one has the most options for editing that I have found. Online movie makers tend to have a limit on the length of the video. They also do not allow the user to manipulate the video clips like Pinnacle Studio does. The great thing about Pinnacle Studio use in classrooms is it is a very intuitive. I could see younger students as well as older students using Pinnacle Studio to create videos that allow students to make high quality videos in geography or science.
Screencast-O-Matic
Screencast-O-Matic is a tool that allows users to record whatever they do on their screen to be viewed later by anyone. I see this as a great tool to help other teachers incorporate technology in their classrooms. Educational Technologists can record themselves completing any task with a computer and teachers can watch the videos as many times as they need to. Teachers could also use Screencast-O-Matic to show students tasks to be completed and students could learn at their own pace. Having the ability to stop, rewind and replay a lecture is helpful for many kinds of students.
Glogster
Glogster is a tool that allows the user to create a presentation for a variety of purposes. My purpose was to create a glog that introduced my self to my classmates. I was able to upload photos and video as well as insert text about myself. Glogster has several templates to make your glog uniquely yours. I could see using glogster for students to create presentations in geography that show all of the physical features of an area. Glogster would allow the student to insert maps, pictures and videos to enhance their presentation. One limitation is glogster creates only one page for the presentation this could limit the amount of information included in the presentation.
Popplet
Popplet is a mind mapping tool that is very easy to use. Mind mapping is creating a central idea then creating branches that extend outward. The branches contain ideas and the map shows how those ideas relate to the central idea. Mind mapping is a great way to teach a concept to students and then use the map to make connections. Teachers can use Popplet to relate concepts to each other and how they apply to the students world. Popplet would be a great tool to introduce students to new topics and show how they relate to topics that have been covered. The one constraint I see to Popplet is not a great tool for presentation purposes. If the maps get too large it becomes increasingly difficult to read and zooming in and out can be tedious while presenting.
WordPress
WordPress is a blogging site that allows the user to put their voice out to the world wide web. Wordpress has a blogging section that archives all of your blogs. Wordpress also can be set up with any appearance. The pages feature can be modified to show pages of the authors choice. Wordpress could be used in the classroom for teachers to track major assignments in class and for students to reflect on those assignments. The great thing about wordpress is it can be used for any subject and any topic. One drawback to wordpress is that it takes the user time to figure out how to manipulate the site to show exactly what they want to show.
Smore
Smore is a great website to create flyers and newsletters. I used Smore to create an example newsletter to my 5th grade classroom. Smore is a very intuitive program that allows a lot of creativity. Smore also allows the user to share the flyer or newsletter in many ways including e-mail, facebook, and twitter. The one drawback I see with Smore is the collaboration piece but you could create and share and then edit. Not complete collaboration but certainly a workable way to go. The free Smore account is enough to great beautiful flyers but there is an educator plan, currently $59. The educator account allows the user to use your own custom backgrounds, access special education-themed backgrounds, make flyers private by default, open reports for your newsletters, and remove Smore logos and toolbars.
PHET
PHET is the home of hundreds of interactive simulations. PHET is great because it allows students to experiment with properties, states, and electricity without using any resources (other than the computer and network). PHET is mostly applicable to science but math and spatial concepts can also be covered. The constraint for PHET is it relies on flash to operate and if you cannot access flash or download the simulation it cannot be used. Also if the simulation is being used on a smaller screen some of it may be cut off. PHET is completely free to use and is published by the University of Colorado.
Class Dojo
Class Dojo is marketed as a classroom behavior management system. The concept is that students have their own avatars that collect or lose points based on the students behavior. The program makes a positive or negative noise based on the feedback from the teacher and points accumulate on the avatar. There is complete freedom in choosing the behaviors that earn positive or negative feedback. One of the great benefits of Class Dojo is the ability to send reports to administrators and/or parents. I think the use of Class Dojo should be on a class to class basis. Some of my classes did not do well with Dojo, the competition aspect between problem students may work in the reverse intention, students may compete for negative points. I do think this tool would be good to track student progress for just about any aspect of class. Class Dojo is completely free and there is a vast support network for using the program.
Edmodo
Edmodo is a social media type site that allows the teacher to communicate with students and parents in a way that is very familiar to them. Edmodo is set up to resemble Facebook and is very easy to use. You can add presentations, create groups, sub groups, add polls, ask questions, assign tasks and collect work all within Edmodo. The interface is very intuitive and there is even an option to grade the assignments in Edmodo. The drawbacks I see with Edmodo is the possible lack of computer/network access for some students and the parent and administration buy in to a social media type site.
Get Pocket (Formerly Read it Later)
This is a tool I use almost everyday in my classroom. Get Pocket allows the user to save any website or video in one place. It is essentially a collection of your bookmarks in one place. The really powerful feature of of this tool is that it “cleans up” a webpage that is usually filled with ads. This allows me to share current event articles in class and not worry about inappropriate adds in the side bar. Get Pocket also allows “tagging” of content to organize all of the items in your pocket for quick retrieval. Be sure to check out the extension for Chrome and the mobile apps.
Teacher Assistant Pro 2
Teacher Assistant Pro 2 is a tool that allows teachers to track anything in their classroom. I used this in my class to track tardies, preparedness, and participation. The app allows the flexibility to use color coding and points to see students progress for any task. Student ID numbers and parent informtion can also be added for very easy access.
Evernote
Evernote is an organized persons dream. Evernote keeps all your files, notes, websites and creations in one place. The great thing about Evernote is once your “stuff” is on their platform you can access it from any device. If you are a forgetful person Evernote is made for you. You can write yourself a note on your work computer, edit it on your iPad, and view it later on your iPhone. The notes sync automatically and Evernote saves your work automatically as well. As with most cloud based services you only get a limited amount of space for your “stuff” unless you are interested in getting the premium account. I have found that I can create and manage all of notes with just the free account.