On the class wiki site, post your favorite new Web 2.0 tool that has not been covered in detail in this class that you have discovered in this course or elsewhere. List the URL, what the tool is, and why you find it useful using the wiki template page. No duplication allowed-each page must be an original new tool. This can be done after reviewing the Unit 9 material, which covers more Web 2.0 resources.
Blendspace is a great resource that allows teachers to create lesson plans that pull information from different areas including the following. Youtube, Google, Google Drive, Drop box, Educreations, Gooru, Flickr, Upload your own media or files, and add web pages, finally you can up load the common core standards that coincide with your lesson. To begin you click on the create lesson button. Once you click on the button you name your lesson then you can start placing information in your lesson from the various resources that I stated earlier. One of the nice things about this application is the ability to search directly in the website all of those resources as stated above. Even when you type in your lesson title you are given a bunch of resources that have already been upload to their data base. I was very surprised with the amount of resources that were already available. Also within the lesson you can create quizzes and tests that can be taken directly in the Blendspace website. You can change the template to have different view of how you want the lesson to look. The templates include Squares, Grid, Bars, Trio, or Mosaic and you can change the color view by clicking on Themes, your only choices are grey scale or color. The other part of Blendspace that is important is the creating of classes. When you create a class it gives you an access code that students can type in that gives them access to the lessons that you have created for them. When you have created the class and have finished your lessons your students that have the access code can start to do the lessons, it also gives you the ability to share your lessons with other teachers or the world as a matter of fact. A teacher can share their lessons on Facebook, Twitter, or by email, and they must make sure they click the class that is created when they share. One of the issues that I have found is the ability to collaborate is not there for the students, but it is there for the teachers. When I created the lessons and classes I almost made the mistake of clicking that I was a student, once that is clicked you can not go back to being a teacher. The teacher and students have very different functionality. This application is definitely appropriate for school, it is easy to set up, teachers can give the students specifically what they want the students to look at, there are absolutely no advertisements, and it is free. This application can be used with grades as low as third grade because the teacher can make sure what content is being delivered to the students through this application.
Educational Uses of Site
For schools that are 1:1 this would be a great resource and way to deliver content to the students. It is an educational resource and marketed as such. It is a site with many resources that are all appropriate to the educational setting. Teachers can use this resource as a place to store great lessons that can be share and accessed anywhere. No matter what the content that is being taught there are resources to be found and added to Blendspace.
Review of Site
It really reminds me of Google classroom. The biggest difference between this application and Google Classroom is the ability to share lessons and find lessons already up loaded to the site. Also the ability to search resources directly within the application. One of the issues that I have with the program is that students do not have the ability to collaborate on the lessons. As I worked with the application I found that this is really a great resource, but it is not the only place that a teacher should spend their time or energy. I think that it should be another tool that is available to teachers.
Unit 5.2A Assignment
On the class wiki site, post your favorite new Web 2.0 tool that has not been covered in detail in this class that you have discovered in this course or elsewhere. List the URL, what the tool is, and why you find it useful using the wiki template page. No duplication allowed-each page must be an original new tool. This can be done after reviewing the Unit 9 material, which covers more Web 2.0 resources.
Student Name:
Jeremy RossmanTitle of Site:
BlendspaceURL:
https://www.tes.com/lessons?redirect-bs=1Description of Site:
Blendspace is a great resource that allows teachers to create lesson plans that pull information from different areas including the following. Youtube, Google, Google Drive, Drop box, Educreations, Gooru, Flickr, Upload your own media or files, and add web pages, finally you can up load the common core standards that coincide with your lesson. To begin you click on the create lesson button. Once you click on the button you name your lesson then you can start placing information in your lesson from the various resources that I stated earlier. One of the nice things about this application is the ability to search directly in the website all of those resources as stated above. Even when you type in your lesson title you are given a bunch of resources that have already been upload to their data base. I was very surprised with the amount of resources that were already available. Also within the lesson you can create quizzes and tests that can be taken directly in the Blendspace website. You can change the template to have different view of how you want the lesson to look. The templates include Squares, Grid, Bars, Trio, or Mosaic and you can change the color view by clicking on Themes, your only choices are grey scale or color. The other part of Blendspace that is important is the creating of classes. When you create a class it gives you an access code that students can type in that gives them access to the lessons that you have created for them. When you have created the class and have finished your lessons your students that have the access code can start to do the lessons, it also gives you the ability to share your lessons with other teachers or the world as a matter of fact. A teacher can share their lessons on Facebook, Twitter, or by email, and they must make sure they click the class that is created when they share. One of the issues that I have found is the ability to collaborate is not there for the students, but it is there for the teachers. When I created the lessons and classes I almost made the mistake of clicking that I was a student, once that is clicked you can not go back to being a teacher. The teacher and students have very different functionality. This application is definitely appropriate for school, it is easy to set up, teachers can give the students specifically what they want the students to look at, there are absolutely no advertisements, and it is free. This application can be used with grades as low as third grade because the teacher can make sure what content is being delivered to the students through this application.Educational Uses of Site
For schools that are 1:1 this would be a great resource and way to deliver content to the students. It is an educational resource and marketed as such. It is a site with many resources that are all appropriate to the educational setting. Teachers can use this resource as a place to store great lessons that can be share and accessed anywhere. No matter what the content that is being taught there are resources to be found and added to Blendspace.Review of Site
It really reminds me of Google classroom. The biggest difference between this application and Google Classroom is the ability to share lessons and find lessons already up loaded to the site. Also the ability to search resources directly within the application. One of the issues that I have with the program is that students do not have the ability to collaborate on the lessons. As I worked with the application I found that this is really a great resource, but it is not the only place that a teacher should spend their time or energy. I think that it should be another tool that is available to teachers.