Any educator has hear of Bloom's Taxonomy along with it's various iterations. If you haven't, there are some excellent resources available at Educational Origami.
To help classroom implementation, I have categorised eLearning tools according to Bloom's Digital Taxonomy. This is just a beginning, and it will grow, so check back for more.
Bloom's Digital Taxonomy, by damienmurtagh
This blog is dedicated to assisting teachers in integrating Information Communication Technology, or eLearning tools into their classrooms. Here you will find sample lessons, uses for eLearning tools, bookmarks to different tools, video tutorials and classroom management tips.
Showing posts with label tools. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tools. Show all posts
Saturday, 15 August 2015
Monday, 3 February 2014
Edvertisement: Google Drive
Getting a Google Account
For my colleagues, the College has a Google domain. If you're not sure of your account details, then speak to IT services.
For everyone else, or if you want a private account, Google accounts are free. Just go to Google and in the top right-hand corner is where you will find your Google account details, and / or sign-up.
Google accounts can also be used to access many more Google services and many third-party services.
Using Google Drive in class
I will be posting about the use of Google drive throughout this year, but if you want some ideas now, I would suggest checking out some of the thinks below:
Google Documents for Teachers
40 Ways to Start Using Apps in Schools
Google Tools for Schools: Google Drive and Docs
The Google Educast
Google Documents for Teachers
40 Ways to Start Using Apps in Schools
Google Tools for Schools: Google Drive and Docs
The Google Educast
Saturday, 25 January 2014
Collaborative Research Tools
Collaborative research allows the class to assist each other in finding sources. It also make life a little easier on the teacher, as you now have 30 people scouring the web looking for resources instead of one. Not that this makes you redundant. Students will still need to be show the best way to search, and how to critique their sources. Here I have included a number of eLearning tools which can facilitate collaborative research.
When I use Diigo, I create a Library for that topic and then add my students to that library (made easier by the education accounts). Students then research the topic and add bookmarks to the library.
Diigo also allows for students to highlight text on a website, and add annotations. These highlights and annotations are also added to the library. All members of the library can access the bookmarks, highlights and annotations. In addition they can add comments, and 'like' bookmarks. The highlighter is especially useful as it supports note-taking methods.
Diigo offers browser tools that make this process almost painless. It also offers many other features such as tag clouds, library searches, screen captures, read-it-later services, and web-based notes.
I love Diigo, but the amount of time needed for set-up and familiarisation means that it is best suited for long reseach tasks.
Pros: Many features; extensive collaboration; highlighting supports note taking techniques, tagging
Cons: A bit of set-up is required; students require accounts; familiarisation required
The nature of Pearltrees puts it somewhere between brainstorming and researching. These features, combined with it's collaboration ability, provides many classroom opportunities. For example, a new pearl could be created and shared with the class for a brainstorming storming session. Students can then assess the brainstorming results to distil a group of topics to research. Then the students can then research the topics adding the bookmarks to the Pearltree.
You can access Pearltrees with a Google, Facebook, or Twitter account, or you can create a Pearltrees account. Pearltrees has a browser tool (Pearler) that makes it easier to add pearls to your tree. Pearls are really easy to move around and copy.
Peartrees looks great and really helps students visualise relationships. It could work well for general research and for tasks where categorising is important.
Pros: Visually appealing; collaborative; categorising
Cons: A bit of set-up is required; students require accounts; familiarisation required; no highlighting
It is brilliant for a quick brainstorm, but it's ability to post URLs (web links) to it means that it can also be used to research. When you add a URL to the wall, Padlet embeds the relevant info from that page and adds it to the post-it.
Padlet doesn't have any of the more powerful features, and the wall can get quite crowded, so it's really not suited for any serious research. Never-the-less, you can go from having nothing to have student collaboratively posting research on-line in less than an minute. Just go to padlet, click create wall, type a title, and give the students the URL for the page.
Padlet doesn't require you to have an account to create or use walls, although having an account makes sure you never loose your walls. Log in using your Google account, or create a Padlet account. The best thing is, students will not need an account, you just give them the URL.
Padlet is a gem for quick research, or to expand on that 'techable moment'.
Pros: Realtime collaborative; quick; no accounts required
Cons: Few features; gets crowded
Diigo
Diigo is the first tool I turn to for collaborative research. It is one of the kings of social book-marking and offers some fantastic features. Diigo can be accessed using Google, Facebook, Twitter or Yahoo accounts, or you can create you own Diigo account. It also offers free educators accounts, which allow you to automatically set up student accounts and classes.When I use Diigo, I create a Library for that topic and then add my students to that library (made easier by the education accounts). Students then research the topic and add bookmarks to the library.
Diigo also allows for students to highlight text on a website, and add annotations. These highlights and annotations are also added to the library. All members of the library can access the bookmarks, highlights and annotations. In addition they can add comments, and 'like' bookmarks. The highlighter is especially useful as it supports note-taking methods.
Diigo offers browser tools that make this process almost painless. It also offers many other features such as tag clouds, library searches, screen captures, read-it-later services, and web-based notes.
I love Diigo, but the amount of time needed for set-up and familiarisation means that it is best suited for long reseach tasks.
Pros: Many features; extensive collaboration; highlighting supports note taking techniques, tagging
Cons: A bit of set-up is required; students require accounts; familiarisation required
Pearltrees
Pearltrees is an interesting take on social book-marking. When you bookmark in Pearltrees you place those bookmarks in within a tree diagram. This allows you to categorise your bookmarks as you go along.The nature of Pearltrees puts it somewhere between brainstorming and researching. These features, combined with it's collaboration ability, provides many classroom opportunities. For example, a new pearl could be created and shared with the class for a brainstorming storming session. Students can then assess the brainstorming results to distil a group of topics to research. Then the students can then research the topics adding the bookmarks to the Pearltree.
You can access Pearltrees with a Google, Facebook, or Twitter account, or you can create a Pearltrees account. Pearltrees has a browser tool (Pearler) that makes it easier to add pearls to your tree. Pearls are really easy to move around and copy.
Peartrees looks great and really helps students visualise relationships. It could work well for general research and for tasks where categorising is important.
Pros: Visually appealing; collaborative; categorising
Cons: A bit of set-up is required; students require accounts; familiarisation required; no highlighting
Padlet
Padlet (formerly Wallwisher) may be the least powerful of these tools, but it makes up for that in it's ease of use and speed of set-up. Padlet is essentially an online post-it board where people can add virtual post-it notes.It is brilliant for a quick brainstorm, but it's ability to post URLs (web links) to it means that it can also be used to research. When you add a URL to the wall, Padlet embeds the relevant info from that page and adds it to the post-it.
Padlet doesn't have any of the more powerful features, and the wall can get quite crowded, so it's really not suited for any serious research. Never-the-less, you can go from having nothing to have student collaboratively posting research on-line in less than an minute. Just go to padlet, click create wall, type a title, and give the students the URL for the page.
Padlet doesn't require you to have an account to create or use walls, although having an account makes sure you never loose your walls. Log in using your Google account, or create a Padlet account. The best thing is, students will not need an account, you just give them the URL.
Padlet is a gem for quick research, or to expand on that 'techable moment'.
Pros: Realtime collaborative; quick; no accounts required
Cons: Few features; gets crowded
Tools: Infographic Tools
Information graphics or infographics are graphic visual representations of information, data or knowledge intended to present complex information quickly and clearly. They can improve cognition by utilizing graphics to enhance the human visual system’s ability to see patterns and trends. Inforgraphics can be especially useful for topics which have a great deal of data.
Below is a selection of three tools you and your students can use to make infographics.
Students will require and account, so you will need to allocate some time to set these up.
Using easel.y is equivalent to drawing on a piece of paper. It won't generate anything for you. If you want to put a graph in, then you will have to draw the graph yourself. You can produce quite impressive inforgraphics, but you have to do every bit yourself.
When you are finished you can share the link or embed the infographic in a website.
Easel.ly is a nice easy way to introduce infographics into your class and is especially useful if you don't have to do any number crunching.
Easel.ly
Easel.ly is very aptly named, as it is a simple way to create infographics. It is more focused on graphic design than it is on data analysis. It is the perfect tool for students to create the equivalent of an on-line poster. There is a wide range shapes, objects and themes, as well as the capacity to upload your own images.Students will require and account, so you will need to allocate some time to set these up.
Using easel.y is equivalent to drawing on a piece of paper. It won't generate anything for you. If you want to put a graph in, then you will have to draw the graph yourself. You can produce quite impressive inforgraphics, but you have to do every bit yourself.
When you are finished you can share the link or embed the infographic in a website.
Easel.ly is a nice easy way to introduce infographics into your class and is especially useful if you don't have to do any number crunching.
Pros: Easy to use, sharing and embedding, templates
Cons: No graph creation, students need accountsVenngage
Venngage is like the big brother of easlel.ly. The interface is a little more complex, but this site is really about crunching numbers. The emphasis on data is evident in their slogan "Data meets design".
Venngage offers the usual range of shapes, objects, backgrounds and you can upload images, or import from the web. There is limited pre-created themes, although the user can save their own designs as themes. There are a limited number of maps you can use (although, not if you're in Tasmania).
The big place that Venngage stands out is in it's presentation of data. It has two features to express data; pictographs and charts.
The pictographs allows you to easily click and drag the image you want repeated. Then you merely need to double click and choose the number of row, number of columns, and how many units are full.
The chart feature has a wide range of options, from the trusty bar and pie charts through to bullet and tree charts. There is a wide range of them, The best part about the charts is the ease of getting data into them. Upload an excel sheet, choose the worksheet and then drag and drop the data onto the chart.
This tool is powerful enough to provide a wide range of analysis on pretty much any topic. If you have data, you will be able to create an infographic to express it.
Pros: Can represent any data, charts, pictographs
Cons: Limited templates, students need accounts, slightly complex interface
Venngage offers the usual range of shapes, objects, backgrounds and you can upload images, or import from the web. There is limited pre-created themes, although the user can save their own designs as themes. There are a limited number of maps you can use (although, not if you're in Tasmania).
The big place that Venngage stands out is in it's presentation of data. It has two features to express data; pictographs and charts.
The pictographs allows you to easily click and drag the image you want repeated. Then you merely need to double click and choose the number of row, number of columns, and how many units are full.
The chart feature has a wide range of options, from the trusty bar and pie charts through to bullet and tree charts. There is a wide range of them, The best part about the charts is the ease of getting data into them. Upload an excel sheet, choose the worksheet and then drag and drop the data onto the chart.
This tool is powerful enough to provide a wide range of analysis on pretty much any topic. If you have data, you will be able to create an infographic to express it.
Pros: Can represent any data, charts, pictographs
Cons: Limited templates, students need accounts, slightly complex interface
Thinglink
Thinglink is not actually an infographic creation tool, but it's capacity to turn static infographics into interactive ones rates it a mention here.
Basically,Thinglink allows you to place markers on an image. The viewer then interacts with these markers by hovering their mouse over them. The markers can contain text, or can be web links. The web links options allows the image to become very media rich indeed.
Thinglink is very simple to use and produces an interactive image that you can link to, or embed. Students will have to sign-up to create images. Images can be set so they can be modified by anyone, which allows for collaboration, but you can restrict access.
Thinglink allows students to create media rich, interactive infographics, which could be a nice change to PowerPoint for multi-modal presentations.
Pros: Simple, interactive, media rich, collaborative
Cons: Can't restrict collaboration, students need accounts.
Basically,Thinglink allows you to place markers on an image. The viewer then interacts with these markers by hovering their mouse over them. The markers can contain text, or can be web links. The web links options allows the image to become very media rich indeed.
Thinglink is very simple to use and produces an interactive image that you can link to, or embed. Students will have to sign-up to create images. Images can be set so they can be modified by anyone, which allows for collaboration, but you can restrict access.
Thinglink allows students to create media rich, interactive infographics, which could be a nice change to PowerPoint for multi-modal presentations.
Pros: Simple, interactive, media rich, collaborative
Cons: Can't restrict collaboration, students need accounts.
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