Technology Standards for EDU Beeclip

EDU Beeclip allows students to be creative while displaying their understanding of an assigned topic.  The standards that are met are collaboration, digital citizenship, enhanced learning and expression.  The students work together to create a final project that describes one topic.  Each page then reflects a different student's work.  They also have to be careful when using the equipment and tools.  EDU Beeclip enhances their learning because they are able to use a vast amount of media to describe the topic and are able to express themselves be designing their pages as they choose.  Then they can have a classmate edit their work to check that it meets the objective.  When the book is put together the students can reflect on what they have learned and then assess that the goal was accomplished.

Bee clip examples

Above you will find the feature that allows students to have other students or teacher edit their work.  This is an effective way to get feedback and reflect on the assignment.

In the free account, each class is allowed 3 projects.  Their scrapbook pages can be put together into each project and reflects the main idea.  In this case, I created one on organisms in a food chain.

I have also created an example page three types of organisms; herbivores, omnivores and carnivores.  There are many options for how the students can set up the page and design it how they would like.

After the pages are completed they can be downloaded on to your computer then uploaded where you would like.  I was looking in the tutorial part of the website and it says that the scrapbooks can be embedded into blogs and other sites but it does not give directions how and there isn't a html code that can be copied to embed.  Since it's a new site maybe they haven't worked out all of the kinks yet.

EDU Beeclip

EDU Beeclip is a platform for student work that requires pictures, videos and text.  It's a fairly new tool (as of 5/31/12) so I only found one video that explains how to use EDU Beeclip but there was also information posted on blogs and wikis.    There are a few version of Beeclip.  The general Beeclip is for individual users who want to make virtual scrapbooks.  EDU Beeclip can be used for classes.  The free version allows for 3 projects and 30 students.  The students can also edit each other's work through the tool.  It is password protected so only the teachers and students can view the work.  Students can pull pictures from Google, videos from You Tube or use any of their own clips and pictures for their scrapbooks.




A few blogs on BeeClip:
larryferlazzo.edublogs.org
cyber-kap.blogspot.com

Popplet and Technology Standards

Popplet is a great way to present information and organize ideas in an engaging and visual way.  The standards that Popplet covers involve digital citizenship, enhance learning, collaboration, and expression.  Students will take proper care of the equipment while working on collaborative projects and assignments.  They also have to be mindful of others while working together.  It is also important the students understand that they keep their passwords secret and do not post their work publicly.  Popplet can also enhance student learning.  Students already use thinking maps to organize their ideas, but this tool takes it to the next level.  They can include pictures, drawing and videos to make it more visual and easier to understand.  The students can work together using the collaborator icon.  They can each be at the link at the same time while working on the Popplet.  The students are also able to be more expressive of their thoughts and ideas.  They can describe, assess or reflect on their learning using Popplet in a creative and engaging way.  

Popplet Examples

I created a few examples in Popplet.  The first would be like a bubble map to describe a character, in this case it's describing me.

You can insert pictures from Flikr, videos from you tube, draw or write in the Popplet and upload files from your computer into the Popplet.

This next example is a food chain which my fourth graders create in class.  This would be similar to a flow map showing sequencing.  The first Popplet is a food chain song from you tube.

Students can also work on their Popplets together.  There is a collaboration icon to connect the students by sending the link through email.  This would be a good feature in a distance learning class if you are working on a project with a partner that can't meet face to face.

I like that you can share the Popplets with others using Facebook, Twitter, etc but you don't have control over who views them.  I think sharing the link with the collaborator icon would be safer for students.  Blogger wasn't one of the options so I was not able to embed the Popplet into my post.  If students are handing this in as a project or assignment, students could just add their teacher's school email as a collaborator.  The teacher just has to make sure not to change the Popplet since it is still able to be edited.    The teacher can then choose presentation mode to view the Popplet.

Popplet

I have used a few different tools to create presentation but I came across Popplet, and I like this tool because it focuses more on the visual aspect of presentations.  It's great for organizing ideas and mind mapping.  It also resembles Thinking Maps which is one of our school districts initiatives to use.

 

 Here's a quick introduction on how to use Popplet.



 

 Popplet can also be easily used as an app on a tablet.

Edmodo and Technology Standards

Edmodo reflects many technology standards when used in a classroom.  This tool is also very useful for distance learning courses.  It can be used as the platform for the course and then addition tools and resources that are used can be shared using Edmodo.  Edmodo helps students to collaborate while learning.  They can do this in group projects, discussion and sharing of ideas.  It also enhances learning because students are constantly using different tools and resources to reflect, describe and assess what was learned.

Examples of my Edmodo

The first two screen shots show my homepage for my Edmodo account. I am in the tool as a teacher and there are students that completed assignments, polls, quizzes, etc.

















I love the feature that allows you to create a library for your class. You can post all of your resources needed for the class. It works well with Google Docs so that students can collaborate for projects and makes it easy to hand in assignments.






Edmodo provides great user support. There are free webinars that educate users on every aspect of the tool from setting up an account to how to integrate the technology into different subjects. It also provides lessons, resources and you can communicate with other users for tips, help and to share ideas.

How to create and embed Vokis

This first video explains how to create your own Voki. This video goes further and shows you how to embed the Voki into your blog. If you just need to watch the blog section, start the video at 1:47mins. The video was created by two young boys, showing this is a very user-friendly site. Unfortunately I was unable to find out how to embed Vokis into Blogger comments. You can only embed in posts.

Edmodo

Another favorite tool of mine is Edmodo. Unfortunately the site is blocked for the district I work for but I have used the site for various graduate classes I have taken. It can be used for educating students or it is also great for professional development.  Here is a quick video one how it works. Edmodo Tutorial This video gives ways you can use Edmodo in a classroom. This video gives a brief overview of how Edmodo can be used for professional development in a school district.

Embedded Voki 1

Embedded Voki from round 2

Voki round 2

I used a microphone this time.  It was very easy to use and I think my 4th graders would get the hang of it very quickly.  Even younger students would be able to create Vokis.  To share the voki there are a few options; embed code, share a link, email or post to a blog.  I tried to post to blogger, but it won't go through.      The link seemed to the be the best option.

Voki 2

Voki round 1

I started to play around with Voki and I made a character using text to type.  You can choose from a variety of voices that can speak in many different languages.  This would be a great feature if you had a ESOL student learning to speak English.  They could use the characters to practice phrases by typing in English then speaking back in their native language or vice versus.

Voki 1

Voki

I just came across Voki which is a tool that allows users to create an avatar to post their thoughts using their own voice.  To record your own voice, there is are phone and microphone options but you can also type to text or upload a file.  Students can use this to respond to discussion questions or tell what they learned about a topic.  A teacher can create a classroom for the students and each student can personalize their avatar.  I think the students would really enjoy this aspect!  The Voki posts can also be connected to blogs like on Blogger.  I like Voki because it allows students who are not speedy on the keyboard to publish their thoughts.  It seems pretty user friendly and my 4th graders could definitely figure it out.

www.voki.com

In regards to technology standards, this Web 2.0 tool covers many standards.  The tool helps with improving communication, and the students can use the tool in and out of school.  It also helps the students to express their ideas.  They can go back and edit and revise their Voki so that their end product meets the class objective.  Voki can also enhance student learning.  They can assess their learning in the class as a formative assessment, explain how it can support their learning, and use the tool to reflect on what they learned.

Welcome to my blog!  Comments on Web 2.0 tools soon to come!