Prezi.com

26.5/32

I had visited prezi before but I had not created an account and actually learned how to use the tool.  I was very surprised on how easy it was to use.  I like the final product that is created too.  It seems like it will be better for the visual/spatial learners since they can see the progression and pathway of what the presentation is about.  The site lost points in signup/contract area because students must sign up individually and their account is not connected to the teacher account.  The site also lost points because only the basic version is free.  There is not a mobile app available for this site although there is an app for an iPad.  Prezi also lost points in the final products area.  The final product is extremely educational however in the free account you have to view and save it online.  I also deducted points because students can search published prezis and they might find inappropriate material there.    

Other positives about Prezi:

Very easy to use

Awesome tutorials in text and video

Livebinders.com

I found this website while searching for web 2.0 tools.  It is a virtual binder that can serve many purposes.  As a teacher I can organize all of my information into the binder to give to the students or I can have them organize information for me to view.  This website earned 28 points on the rubric.

Students must create their own account and they are not linked to the teacher.  There are currently no apps available for this website.  I think teachers would have to be creative when using this website for groupwork.  The group would have to have a shared username and password. The final product is extremely educational and can demonstrate mastery however it can only be viewed online.  There are no ads on this site.  Students are able to search other published binders and may find some binders that are not age appropriate.

Other positives about livebinder:

Free

No personal information is required

Can be used for multiple grade levels

Enhances curriculum

Superlame.com

24/32

Another website that I discovered was superlame.com.  This site allows you to upload photos and add comic book bubbles and other effects to them.  This would be a fun way to add some excitement to presentations.  There is no login required and no personal information is given.  The website is free to use and does not require any software to be downloaded.  There is no mobile app available.  Once a picture has been edited it can be saved and emailed to others or put into a presentation. Depending on the picture that is uploaded and the captions that are added Superlame.com can enhance curriculum.  There were advertisements on the bottom and on the side.  The advertisements contained material that could be considered questionable and not school appropriate. 

 Human Filters

I am very fortunate that I have access to several professional learning communities.  I learn the most from my peers in my classes here at Wilkes.  Through discussions I always learn about new technologies and new ways to implement previous technology.  We share what is happening in our classrooms and improvements that we would like to make.  I always leave my classes with a lot of new ideas to try that I learned from my peers in these classes.  We all share a common bond of wanting to improve ourselves and our classes.    

The third group that I benefit from is the colleagues that I work with, specifically the ones that I share an office with.  I work closely in my office with a group of 25 teachers who vary from kindergarten to high school teachers.  Even though we all teach different subjects and grade levels we share in the unique challenge of educating students in a cyber setting.  We are able to share websites and tools with each other that we have found successful.  We are able to work together to build lessons the incorporate new technology and ideas.   

The third group that I work with is fellow Social Studies teachers.  I’ve meet these teachers in a previous school that I taught at, my husband’s co workers, and friends that I met in college and at conferences.  We are able to share ideas about how to make our lessons better and ways to make our lessons have more impact.  We all share in a common challenge of trying to make history interesting and relevant to young adults.   

Improvements

I sent an email to livebinders asking them to consider making an account in which groups of people could contribute to a binder.  I think this would be very helpful for students who are completing group work to organize their information and materials.