Web 2.0 Digital Tools for Digital Kids

Pam — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 22:08:08 +0000

NCTIES 2009 Conference Session – Digital Tools

Howie DiBlasi shared numerous online tools during his NCTIES session. His website contains additional links, handouts, and powerpoints that I hope to find time to explore in the not too distant future.

He began by showing a revision of Karl Fisch’s Did You Know video.

Following a brief discussion about how students today are living in a digital world, he shared the following Web 2.0 resources:

Wikipedia

probably not completely up-to-date
only one source – students should use additional sources for information
suggests that students find out something in their community that is not already written up and post and article about it

After asking how many people were using blogs, wikis, and VoiceThreads, he noted that these tools are being used much more often now than a year ago. (See previous posts about blogs, wikis, and VoiceThreads.)

Ning.com

create your own network and decide who you invite
similar to a social network but used for professional reasons
very useful for administrators
- should create ning for their school
- use as communication device
- put all teachers in it
- upload docs, videos, collaboration group
need to unblock
then could open up to community and let parents communicate within the site

Imbee

a social network for kids
monitored by adults
designed as home or school site

Utterli

crossposts to several networking sites at once
send videos, messages, and texts from mobile phone

Twitter

teachers could use to post homework assignments every day
parents can follow and get news and homework daily
instant communication

Gizmos

interactive flash utilities for math and science

Delicious

keep students materials and sites organized by tags
use as network for older kids to share links

Fantastic Contraption

online physics game

GCast

create a podcast using your cell phone
use Audacity to change pitch to make it sound like you’re having a conversation with a different person

ePals and Gaggle

free email
191 countries and over 11 million students
walled garden (safe for students)
emails are all monitored
projects are already set up, like people and culture, global warning, habitats, etc.

Jing