Google Drive (Formerly Docs)

The resource for today is called Google Drive.

What is Google Drive?

Google Drive is a cloud storage system. You can store documents, photos, music, videos, and all sorts of other things on this drive. You can also create documents (like Word), presentations (like PowerPoint), spreadsheets (like Excel), forms (which are where kind of like surveys), drawings, collections, fusion tables (which are experimental), and scripts. 

Is it free?

Google Drive is free for up to 5GB of space. It's best to have a Gmail account for this, but it's not required. If you would like to upgrade and receive more space, it's $2.49 per month for 25 GB, $4.99 per month for 100 GB, OR $49.99 per month for 1 TB. 

What will Google Drive bring to your classroom?

This product can prove to be beneficial in all different grades throughout the education system. From using it in the Kindergarten classroom to collect information on families in a poll to using it in 11th grade classrooms to make a spreadsheet on mathematical statistics to a college student creating a presentation on a business proposal. This tool brings an easier way to create store your files in a cloud system for free, giving you access to your files from school to home to on-the-go. 

How do I use Google Drive?

Below, I will show you the various features of Google Drive.

On my own Google Drive, I have lots of files that I have accessed. Therefore, I have a wide variety of types of files. I have documents, forms, spreadsheets, PDF documents, and presentations. Below, I will show the front page of each type of file for you to see what it looks like. How to use each document is relatively simple and (at least, I do not believe) does not require a walk through description of how to use each one. Therefore, I will only show examples rather than detail how to use each type of format.

This is an example document.

This is an example PDF.

This is an example presentation.

This is an example spreadsheet.

This is an example form. The first one is what we see, the second is what they see (those who fill it out).

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How can I use Google Drive in my classroom?

Below is a list of ways that this tool can be utilized in the classroom:

-Allow pier editing with the documents
-Create a presentation on a virtual field trip
-Assign homework using the document feature
-Collect website evaluations in a spreadsheet format
-Use documents to create a brainstorming document
-Presentation on oneself to allow others to 'get to know' you
-Use the drawing feature to brainstorm for a research project
-Use google forms for surveys on what students want to read next
-Write a poem in the documents section to share with other classmates
-Use spreadsheet to share data on fitness (heart rate, blood pressure, etc)
-Use spreadsheet for reading response documents for student questions during reading
-Create a commercial about a new product that you want others to buy using presentation
-Assign homework that is collaborative due to the ability of Drive being accessed anywhere
-Vocabulary words - describe word, definition, how you use it, part of speech, etc. using spreadsheet

-Work on phonics/grammar instruction by creating a document with many errors for students to correct

Honestly, the possibilities are ENDLESS.

How would YOU use Google Drive in your classroom? Answer in the comments on this post!

Storybird

The resource for today is called Storybird.

What is Storybird?

Storybird is a website where you can make your own stories using images provided by other artists. You can create your own stories and then publish them for others to see. Students can use this website to read stories, make up their own, or work with a peer to develop a storybook as a group.

Is it free?

Storybird is free for all users. Each account requires a username, password, and an e-mail address. BUT if you are a teacher trying to create a class account, you can host up to 30 different people. Students will also be signed up via one e-mail account, not requiring them to have one in order to sign in. There are other options for the plans, though. This chart is below with all the information and perks:

What will Storybird bring to your classroom?

This product can prove to be beneficial in all different grades throughout the education system. From using it in the Kindergarten classroom to create a short story about a pet to using it in 8th Grade classrooms to tell a story about a fictional character to a college student creating a story for their younger siblings or cousins. This tool brings an easier way to create stories while adding a fun aspect to the activity of creating. The images also provide a great starting point for those who do not know what they would like to write about. 

How do I use Storybird?

Below, I will show you the steps of using Storybird.

Choose how you want your art to look for your story based upon your ideas OR based upon others - you can choose by art, themes, or challenges.

 

For my example story, I chose to use the art by Paul McDougall. Now, I have no idea who he is, but I liked his work!

Here is ALL of his work in one area. As you can see on the webpage, there's step by step directions.
Step 1. Start writing here.
Step 2. Find artwork here.
Step 3. Add or remove pages here.
Step 4. Invite others here.
Under the #4, this is also where you publish your finished story.

After you've completed your story, you then publish it. But, there's some things you can choose about the publishing. These details are:
~The summary
~Tags
~Whether the Storybird is private or public
~The age range for your story

Here's the example I created for another course:

The Christmas Present by ventres on Storybird

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How can I use Storybird in my classroom?

Below is a list of ways that this tool can be utilized in the classroom:

-Use for prewriting
-Create comic strips
-Work on poetry using the images
-Work on reading skills with younger students
-Use as social stories for students with disabilities
-Write a story about what you want to be in the future
-Practice writing stories in a foreign language classroom
-Presentation on oneself to allow others to 'get to know' you
-Use for writing a fairy tale or fable when studying those in units
-Create different movie trailers for books that have been read in real life
-Use for inferencing and have students look at pictures ONLY to tell a story
-Create a story using the 5 W's and How to encourage critical thinking skills
-Assign a group story for students to work on together to bounce ideas off one another
-Use as a teaser of what the days events will hold - specific subjects you're going to go over
-Create a series of stories (representing chapters) to create a novel in upper grade classrooms

Honestly, the possibilities are ENDLESS.

How would YOU use Storybird in your classroom? Answer in the comments on this post!

Prezi

The resource for today is called Prezi.

What is Prezi?

Prezi is an online virtual whiteboard where presentations are turned into cloud format. According to the website, "Prezi creates a visual storyboard format, with flow and narrative being intertwined with text." Prezi also has a feature where you are in a "meeting" of some sorts. This meeting allows up to 10 people to view and edit the same presentation at a time, allowing for collaboration on the production at hand. 

Is it free?

Prezi is free for anyone. There are other options, though, that come with different features. For example, the FREE version of Prezi makes your presentations all public, allows for 100MB of storage space for your Prezis, and the core features of sharing and editing. For $59.00 a year, you can go up to the Enjoy option. This option features private presentations (choose who to share with), you can use your own logo rather than the Prezi logo, premium support (receive help in less than a day), and 500MB of storage space for your Prezis. Finally, you can choose the Pro option. For $159.00 a year, you receive the same as Enjoy BUT you also have the ability to work offline securely and get 2GB of storage space for your Prezis.
Public = FREE
Enjoy = $59.00/year
Pro = $159.00/year
Beyond these, there's also educational promotional pricing. You receive the ENJOY license for free rather than $59.00/year OR the PRO license for $59.00/year rather than $159.00/year.
To start out with any of the above mentioned plans that are for cost, you may have a 30 day free trial to test it out. Otherwise, you will be billed yearly.

What will Prezi bring to your classroom?

This product can prove to be beneficial in all different grades throughout the education system. From using it in the Kindergarten classroom to create a presentation to tell others of your interests to using it in 4th Grade classrooms to tell about a famous American inventor to a college student creating a presentation on another Web 2.0 tool and how to use it. This tool brings an easier way to create "PowerPoint type presentations," visual aids, and slideshows in the classroom environment without having to hassle with the transitions between slides, giving your presentation a more fluid look with fun interactions. 

How do I use Prezi?

Below, I will show you the steps of using Prezi.

This is the main page when you log on to Prezi. As you can see, I have two Prezi presentations. The Storybird Prezi will be at the bottom for an example.

You will also be choosing a theme when you hit NEW presentation. This is where the planning comes into play. Find a style that best fits your presentation. If it's a walk through, you might choose something that has a solidified path. If it's a crowning type presentation, choose something that goes up like a crown.

This is the main page of a new presentation. Each one has a specific placement for the items you will add. For example, there's a space for a title, subtitle, and places for the information. In this presentation, there are 5 places for information to be input.

I inputted all my information for the presentation. As you can see, I have text and images, but I could have added videos and so forth. The addition of features is relatively simple, just double click and type, add pictures, videos, and so forth.

Should you want to change anything, you can also insert shapes, images, PowerPoint slides, YouTube videos, files, and other flow charts. You can also choose your frame for each object in the presentation. Finally, you can change your theme for the presentation based upon the different looks that have been popular around the Prezi world.

   

Here is an example Prezi presentation:

Storybird by Christina & Sara (The Story Birds) on Prezi

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How can I use Prezi in my classroom?

Below is a list of ways that this tool can be utilized in the classroom:

-Show rules of classroom
-Use for mind mapping with groups
-Present a timeline through the transitions
-Create a family tree using the tree template
-Create Prezi presentations on famous explorers
-Use for graphic organizers about topics in the class
-Use in scientific method discussions and presentations
-Presentation on the different countries around the world
-Create a presentation to introduce yourself to the classroom
-Use to tell and create stories in the early childhood classrooms
-Create advertisements for a book, character, or famous person (persuasion)
-Create a presentation about a science project showcasing the scientific process
-Use for vocabulary lessons with the word, a picture of the word, and the definition
-Create a webquest using Prezi presentations about topics across a variety of academic areas
-Create Venn Diagrams for the classroom when comparing two different books about the same topic

Honestly, the possibilities are ENDLESS.

How would YOU use Prezi in your classroom? Answer in the comments on this post!

Wikispaces

The resource for today is called Wikispaces.

What is Wikispaces?

Wikispaces is a large space on the Internet where you can share work and ideas, pictures, links, videos, media, and all sorts of other things. You can also embed files, HTML, links, videos, and other media, making it a versatile tool for the classroom environment. Wikispaces also encourages collaboration between groups as each member of the wiki can edit and share files. 

Is it free?

Wikispaces is free for anyone to create, BUT in order to make it public, you have to verify the wikispace by a code or paying $1.00. In order to have a Schools & District Private Label wikispaces, the price is $1,000 a year for 100 users. The same is true of Higher Education Private Label wikispaces, as well.

What will Wikispaces bring to your classroom?

This product can prove to be beneficial in all different grades throughout the education system. From using it in the 1st grade classroom to write acrostic poems across the classroom to using it in 9th Grade classrooms to embed photos of a Wordle about the American Revolution, to a college student embedding YouTube videos of their time spent doing a psychology study. This tool brings an easier way to create a local place to store and share information across many different curriculum areas.

How do I use Wikispaces?

Below, these are some of the features of Wikispaces.

This is the homepage when you first log in to your Wikispace. You can see the home, project, recent changes, pages & files, members, and manage wiki tabs. Each one has it's own job that I will detail below. Also, to the right, you see the "ALL PAGES" box, which is all the different pages of my specific wiki for a course I am enrolled in during this Fall 2012 Semester.

Here's the pages & files tab. It details the different pages as well as when things were created. You can also add a new page or upload a page. You can ALSO add a tag to each page, which then groups pages and gets you to the right resource based upon a specific word.

This is the member page. You can send out membership requests via e-mail, which will show up here. This is the great thing about a Wiki - you can add and delete who you want to be on the spaces.

The last feature I want to share is the Wiki Permissions page. This is IMPORTANT in the areas of who can view and edit your Wikispace page. This is where the verification code comes into play. In order to have a protected or public page, you have to verify your account by either applying for an education page OR pay $1.00 to verify. Or, you can even have a phone call with a code sent to you so you can verify. Since I was verified, I changed my Wikispace to protected where everyone can view, but no one except for the members can edit my page.


Here are the example pages I currently have set up on my Wikispace. The first page is my Technology Resources (which shows how links are embedded), Web Page Evaluation (which was a project I had to create, showing how a document can be embedded), and Wordle assignment (showing how to embed a picture):

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How can I use Wikispaces in my classroom?

Below is a list of ways that this tool can be utilized in the classroom:

-Write up book reviews to share with other students
-Classroom newspapers for students and parents to see
-Embed a Wordle on oneself to allow others to 'get to know' you
-Create an ABC book about a centralized topic with a page for each letter
-Class debate where students post their feelings about candidates or topics
-Create class encyclopedias on the different topics presented in a classroom
-Provide a links collection where you store student-friendly and SAFE links
-Set up virtual field-trips to have students research & create pages on each place
-What I'm really good at pages for students to discuss and let others know of themselves
-Create a class "books read" page for students to see different books that have been read
-Recipe books for students to share recipes for different holidays or from different countries
-Community nature guides where students share about the plants and animals in the community
-Create a timeline wiki page for the events during a famous war (WWI, WWII, Korean War, etc)
-Create fan clubs on famous people where students work together to add information about each person
-Multi-author stories where students contribute to each other's stories, taking them in different directions

Honestly, the possibilities are ENDLESS.

How would YOU use Wikispaces in your classroom? Answer in the comments on this post!

Edmodo

The resource for today is called Edmodo.

What is Edmodo?

Edmodo is an online collaborative platform for teachers and students to share content, connect safely, as well as access homework, assignments, quizzes, grades, classroom discussions and notifications. Edmodo is used as a platform for teachers to share videos, lessons, and other connections between different teachers around the world.

Is it free?

Edmodo is free for ANYONE. Teachers are required an e-mail address as well as name, username, and password. As a student, you must provide the group code, name, and username. An e-mail address is OPTIONAL. Parents may also sign up, but need a parent code to access.

What will Edmodo bring to your classroom?

This product can prove to be beneficial in all different grades throughout the education system. From using it in the Kindergarten classroom to take a poll on favorite type of animal to using it in 12th Grade classrooms to quiz about a book that was just finished in a literature unit to a college student answering and responding to others in a discussion board format. This tool brings an easier way to communicate with one another and collaborate in a safe, effective way. The format of Facebook is also incorporated into this, so many students will be used to the format and will easily transfer their skills to the program.

How do I use Edmodo?

Below, I will show you the steps of using Edmodo.

Here's the main page once you log in. You can see that it looks similar to Facebook in many different aspects.

This is the NOTE feature. Kind of like a status update.

This is the ALERT feature.

This is the ASSIGNMENT feature. You can assign something that you've created, title it, describe it, send a due date, and attach anything necessary.

This is the QUIZ feature. Below, I have created a quiz and you can see sample questions.

Here's a MULTIPLE CHOICE question.

Here's a TRUE/FALSE question.

Here's a SHORT ANSWER question.

Here's a FILL IN THE BLANK question.

Here's the QUIZ feature, again. This is the assignment portion.

With Edmodo, you have a notification panel. This panel lets you know of all the new things that have happened since you last checked in.

Finally, here's the POLL feature.

Like Facebook, students can comment on one another's posts to hold conversations. I commented on the poll post to see what would happen and it showed up!

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How can I use Edmond in my classroom?

Below is a list of ways that this tool can be utilized in the classroom:

-Use as a Science fair exhibition fair
-Lunch count using the polling feature
-Connect tutors to the students via Internet
-Student writing projects such as class blogging
-21st Century Field Trips (provide links and videos)
-Use for Project Based Learning and Inquiry projects
-Allow students to comment and then discuss grammar of the postings
-Create profiles for famous figures in U.S. history to role play their lives
-Practice writing foreign language sentences in a foreign language classroom
-Allow students to come up with assignments to make them "teacher for a day"
-Use the calendar to show students when things are due, when holidays are, and so on
-Use as an online book club (collaborate with other groups around the nation and world)
-Use for a research project about a day trip to a local amusement park OR an overnight stay
-Live chat with one another during special programs such as presidential debates, news shows, etc.
-Use with books such as Flat Stanley to show where Stanley has gone over Winter or Spring break
-Use for Science lessons to grab attention & interest as well as probe for information about the lesson

Honestly, the possibilities are ENDLESS.

How would YOU use Edmodo in your classroom? Answer in the comments on this post!

VoiceThread

The resource for today is called VoiceThread.

What is VoiceThread?

VoiceThread is a collaborative video making service that is completely free. According to the website, "VoiceThread is a collaborative, multimedia slide show that holds images, documents, and videos and allows people to leave comments in 5 different ways." These presentations can be shared on various websites, presenters can doodle on the presentation to let you know what is most important at different times, and comments are allowed from multiple points of entry to encourage communication and discussion.

Is it free?

VoiceThread is free for every e-mail address. There is NOTHING to install on your computer. You can (if you so choose) receive a single educator license, school license, or district/state license for a price. For the single educator license, you are allowed to create up to 50 different student accounts (no e-mails needed), work in a secure environment, create classes or groups, and can create unlimited voice threads or 50 per student a year. The price for this is $79.00 a year. For the school license, you are allowed to create anywhere from 350-1980 users. Of course, the price varies for these accounts anywhere from $450.00-$2055.20. The more users, the bigger the discount. You also receive the same benefits that are listed above for the single user license. Finally, for the district/state license, you have to call in order to receive a price. You also receive everything listed above, but you receive more, too! You receive reporting and analytics, advanced security controls, enhanced support package, custom homepage to showcase student work, and you can control student publishing rights. Depending on your needs, one of the above plans (or even the SINGLE free plan) might work!

What will VoiceThread bring to your classroom?

This product can prove to be beneficial in all different grades throughout the education system. From using it in the Kindergarten classroom to create a slideshow about the alphabet using pictures that start with the letters to using it in 5th Grade classrooms to talk about the United States to a college student working through a description of a plan using Bloom's Taxonomy. This tool brings an easier way to create "PowerPoint type presentations," visual aids, and slideshows in the classroom environment while adding different voice options to create interactive, fun presentations. 

How do I use VoiceThread?

Below, I will show you the steps of using VoiceThread.

Head to VoiceThread.com & click the "Sign in or Register" button to do either or. I already have an account so I went ahead and logged in.


This is your dashboard on VoiceThread. As you can see, I have 4 different VoiceThreads currently. At the bottom of this tutorial, you will see the State Project VoiceThread I created for a course in my undergraduate career.

Step 1: Upload your images, documents, or videos from your computer, media sources, URL, or webcam.

Step 2: Begin to work on the comments. I just chose a random photo from my computer to write a VoiceThread about. Click the COMMENT button at the bottom of the picture.

Here are your choices of how to record: by phone, video camera, record, or type.

Here's the example comment I made for this photo. I did a comment by text rather than by voice.

Step 3: Share your presentation! You can do this by sharing with different groups, your contacts, or simply get the link to share.

EXAMPLE

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How can I use VoiceThread in my classroom?

Below is a list of ways that this tool can be utilized in the classroom:

-Perform poems using pictures and voiceovers
-Presentation on oneself to allow others to 'get to know' you
-Create different movie trailers for books that have been read
-Create a video report on an animal, containing pictures and voice overs
-Create a video about a science project showcasing the scientific process
-Use the book "The Important Book" to influence important voice threads
-Create a slideshow on a specific state and it's symbols (state flower, animal, etc.)
-Write a review about a topic just discussed (what was liked and what was disliked)
-Vocabulary words - describe the word, definition, how you could use it, part of speech, etc.
-In an art classroom, inspect a piece of art on a slide by discussing the differing aspects noticed
-Summarize a story using the slide show feature to showcase different pictures from the stories
-Create mystery places by uploading pictures and having students write about where it might be
-What are they thinking activities (discuss what the person or people in the picture might be thinking)
-Create photo brochures with voice overs of countries that are being studied in a foreign language class
-Write a short fictional story using photos from the Internet and voiceovers using the mic or text features

Honestly, the possibilities are ENDLESS.

How would YOU use VoiceThread in your classroom? Answer in the comments on this post!