Tools/Toolroom

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Revision as of 15:17, 4 September 2012 by SimonKnight (talk | contribs)
DRAFT - This page is not finished! It is here because we like to collaborate on content transparently, and give everybody a chance to comment as content is being developed! So feel free to browse and comment, but bear in mind that this content is evolving!

This is a holding page for our tools - CUT and paste into new document to move them, once this page is emptied, it will be repopulated from the Category:Tools As I go along I'm transcluding some of these back in.

ICT tools – what achieves your objectives?

Think about what you want your students to get out of ICT.

Just a few years back, software tools were stored on your computer but today you can find similar tools online. The tools offer the added value of giving your work an audience, getting feedback, sharing and improving it. Somewhere in the process, you can imagine that learning does happen. There is surely a resource in this list that will help you achieve your objectives. Several will chime with some teachers and not others.

We've provided a little guidance on how you might use some tools, or tagged them with ideas on how they may work. ICT is often not about what the tool can do, but what you do with the tool. For example, Google Drive enables you to share files but you could get students using it to engage in shared real time research. It then becomes a sophisticated tool to collaborate with. Weigh up a focused use, besides a 'hope for the best' use. Don't weigh up quality with hardware and features. At times you might let students choose their own tools.

Of all the words we’ve available to describe these tools, you ought notice that some are entirely absent. The words are enjoyable, cool, innovative and new way to learn. The key words are to do with what achieves teaching objectives. So do experiment, and even return here to share a use that enhances what we aim to do.

Pedagogy and ICT - A Review of the Literature

The Pedagogy and ICT a Review of the Literature article (Loveless, 2009; published by BECTA) covers the relationship between pedagogy and ICT use. This review attempts to offer frameworks for thinking about the ‘What?’, ‘How?' and 'Why?’ questions of teaching with information and communications technologies (ICT), offering a range of tools to help us to understand our teaching in local and global contexts, to help us, as Freire urged, to ‘read the world’ of our practice (Freire and Macedo, 1987). It covers a range of approaches to pedagogy, relating these to ICT and some particular issues raised in the literature (Adapted from Pedagogy and ICT a Review of the Literature, section Introduction).

ICT tools to gain feedback

Polls and surveys and assessment

 
Encourage students to chat in class - TodaysMeet
Tool details
Title Encourage students to chat in class
Topic
Licence / Cost / Platform

Web tool, ready for use

Subject / Categories
Teaching Ideas / Links
Link


 
Get feedback and involve the audience - backchan.nl
Tool details
Title Get feedback and involve the audience
Topic
Licence / Cost / Platform

This web tool is an Open Source(tool) project at MIT.

Subject / Categories
Teaching Ideas / Links
Link


 
Talk with your students online - Chatzy
Tool details
Title Talk with your students in an online chatroom
Topic
Licence / Cost / Platform

Online Tool

Subject / Categories
Teaching Ideas / Links
Link


 



 
Ask a question and measure the response - Kwiqpoll
Tool details
Title Ask a question and measure the response
Topic
Licence / Cost / Platform

Web Tool

Subject / Categories
Teaching Ideas / Links
Link


   

 
Comments powered by questions - Urtak
Tool details
Title Questions and discussion around a blog
Topic
Licence / Cost / Platform

Web tool, available as a feature plugin(tool) for the blog tool WordPress(tool)

Subject / Categories
Teaching Ideas / Links
Link


 


Find out who understands as you teach - UNDERSTOODIT.COM or POLLEVERYWHERE

 
Measure students' understanding in real-time - UnderStoodIt.com
Tool details
Title Measure students' understanding in real-time
Topic
Licence / Cost / Platform

Free for students, $3 a month for educators. Students use a web browser link or an app to respond.

Subject / Categories
Teaching Ideas / Links
Link

www.understoodit.com


 

 
Get feedback from the class during a lesson - PollEverywhere
Tool details
Title Get feedback from the class during a lesson
Topic
Licence / Cost / Platform

Web tool, free for small groups to use then rising in cost

Subject / Categories
Teaching Ideas / Links
Link

www.polleverywhere.com


    

Write apps for iPhone, iPad, and Android at BUZZTOUCH

 
Write an app for any mobile device - Buzztouch
Tool details
Title Write an app for any mobile device
Topic
Licence / Cost / Platform

Create iphone, ipad and android apps

Subject / Categories
Teaching Ideas / Links
Link

www.buzztouch.com


 

make an online questionnaire at GOOGLE DRIVE

 
Make a questionnaire - Google Drive
Tool details
Title Make a questionnaire
Topic
Licence / Cost / Platform

Online tool requires a Google account. The form tools are very flexible, it's free.

Subject / Categories
Teaching Ideas / Links
Link

   

Make an online test TESTMOZ (testmoz.com)

 
Share a test with a link - Testmoz.com
Tool details
Title Share a test with a link
Topic
Licence / Cost / Platform

Ready to use

Subject / Categories
Teaching Ideas / Links
Link

www.testmoz.com/


   

Categorise blog entries - Enquiry(i)Blogger for Wordpress

 
Get students to categorise their blogs - Enquiry Blogger
Tool details
Title Get students to categorise their blogs
Topic
Licence / Cost / Platform

Web tool that runs as a Template:Plugin within the WordPress(tool) blogging platform

Subject / Categories
Teaching Ideas / Links
Link


   

to collaborate on the web:

Document sharing

Message and video conference at “HALL”

 
Video conference and message using text - Hall.com
Tool details
Title Video conference and message using text
Topic
Licence / Cost / Platform

Web tool or desktop application

Subject / Categories
Teaching Ideas / Links
Link

www.hall.com


 


Create a study area at STUDY HALL

 
Use an online study area to support students remotely - Study Hall
Tool details
Title Use an online study area to support students
Topic
Licence / Cost / Platform

A web tool supporting use of facebook apps(tool) on Apple IOS and Android mobile devices

Subject / Categories
Teaching Ideas / Links
Link


A snapshot of the web introducing Study Hall:

 

Collect shared knowledge at WIKISPACES

 
Share knowledge; share the load of sharing it = Wikispaces
Tool details
Title Share knowledge; share the load of sharing it
Topic
Licence / Cost / Platform

Web tool

Subject / Categories
Teaching Ideas / Links
Link

www.wikispaces.com

     


Share documents at DROPBOX

 
Share and keep files online - Dropbox
Tool details
Title Share and keep files online
Topic
Licence / Cost / Platform

Web tool with an optional downloadable program to keep your files synchronised. Take care to 'move' rather than 'delete' files from a synchronised folder.

Subject / Categories
Teaching Ideas / Links
Link

www.dropbox.com


 

Co-create documents at Google Drive

 
Make a questionnaire - Google Drive
Tool details
Title Make a questionnaire
Topic
Licence / Cost / Platform

Online tool requires a Google account. The form tools are very flexible, it's free.

Subject / Categories
Teaching Ideas / Links
Link

   

to communicate

Word processor

 
Typing, collaboration(tool) and communication(tool)- Word Processor
Tool details
Title Typing, collaboration and communication
Topic
Licence / Cost / Platform

A web-based tool

Subject / Categories
Teaching Ideas / Links
Link


  ]

Presentation tools

Add information to school displays with QR codes

 
Label objects with notes and knowledge - QR code generator
Tool details
Title Label objects with notes and knowledge
Topic
Licence / Cost / Platform

Web tool allows you to create a code. A phone or webcam app is needed to scan the pattern

Subject / Categories
Teaching Ideas / Links
Link


   

to communicate using media

Keep an online notebook at PENZU

 
Keep a personal notebook online - Penzu
Tool details
Title Keep a personal notebook online
Topic
Licence / Cost / Platform

A web-based tool

Subject / Categories
Teaching Ideas / Links
Link

www.penzu.com


 

Make an activity for a whiteboard at TRIPTICO

 
Sort objects with an interactive whiteboard - Triptico
Tool details
Title Sort objects with an interactive whiteboard
Topic
Licence / Cost / Platform

This is a desktop application to install on a PC or Mac. See the author's video for a demonstrations of new features at: http://www.screenr.com/user/david_triptico

Subject / Categories
Teaching Ideas / Links
Link

www.triptico.co.uk


 

Make a class website at WEEBLY.COM

WEEBLY (education.weebly.com) is a way for a class to make a project website(i). Students have various ways, such as adding multimedia to help express themselves. The work involved can happen away from the public internet and in a safe space that is under control of the teacher.

Add a voice to an animated character at VOKI.COM

VOKI (voki.com) is a made for school tool where you choose an animated(i) character and give them a voice to explain a topic or tell a story. Students select an avatar and make them talk either by typing or talking. A class manager allows the teacher to set assignments and manage logins.

Set up a class group in FACEBOOK

FACEBOOK (facebook.com) has been used by teachers to set up a social network(i) group and connect with students. Facebook is common currency and as such is highly accessible to many. It may be rather close to home for others.

Broadcast your science project at USTREAM

While USTREAM (www.ustream.tv) looks like youtube done differently, it offers an edge in allowing a live broadcasting(i) over the net. A school or class could have a channel to broadcast with little more than a camera. USTREAM is used by big name broadcasters and families alike.

Writing – Blogs

Share this week’s science news on a blog

Still a popular approach to teaching, and still underused, blogging(i) is the easiest of ways to publish school news or lab discoveries. Blogging environments allow video and photos to be included alongside text. Each of the following blogging site alternatives offers an overwhelming range of features. See BLOGGER (blogger.com); WORDPRESS (wordpress.org) and TYPEPAD (typepad.com)

to present

Make a panoramic presentation at VUVOX

VUVOX (www.vuvox.com) is a tool to make presentations(i) such as photo panoramas(i) with hot-spots. Imagine VUVOX as a way to make a set of Powerpoint slides that scroll across the screen. You can add a range of media and interactivity to the result.

Brainstorm at WALLWISHER

WALLWISHER (wallwisher.com) is a notice board(i) where you can plan, discuss and brainstorm(i). Use it to add questions, post-it notes(i) and add comments(i). It is easy to sign up and use it immediately.

Make a timeline animation at KERPOOF

KERPOOF (kerpoof.com) allows primary age pupils to make artwork(i) and timeline(i) animation(i). It can be used to tell and illustrate a story.

Make a safety campaign poster at GLOGSTER

GLOGSTER (edu.glogster.com) is like an onscreen poster(i) where you can add music, photos, videos to record an event, or a science project. The posters can be published on social sites and this happen inside a teacher-managed login.

Brainstorm at CONCEPTBOARD

CONCEPTBOARD (conceptboard.com) is a ‘web space’ to discuss and brainstorm(i) ideas and documents for a project say, and as an alternative to trying to collaborate(i) via email. It was designed to enable team work and conferencing.

Record a conversation between animated characters at XTRANORMAL

First sights of XTRANORMAL (xtranormal.com) character animation(i) tool may deceive that this is for learning languages. However, XTRANORMAL enables students to make narratives(i) and conversations that explain almost any topic. We have seen it used to handle a question and answer session on student options. Animation is edited on a timeline. Voice can be added by talking or typing.

Presentations with pans and zooms - Prezi - prezi.com

Create presentations(i) with flair, import Powerpoints and share your work. Invite students to a meeting where they can co-edit a project, adding video or pictures. Embed a presentation in a blog; export to a self-playing file and publicise it using Facebook. (Free and premium accounts available)

Draw diagrams, collaborate and share - Cacoo - cacoo.com

Use a web browser to draw(i) a picture, flowchart or diagram with the help of a library of clip-art ‘stencils’. You can use the flowchart to create a teaching resource to share it with the rest of the class. A chat(i) window enables collaboration(i) with each other. Results can be exported to a versatile file or embedded in a blog page.

to collect data and measure

Sensors(i) are obviously tools for measuring in science, but why might they be better than regular tools? Are they more accurate; more convenient or less costly? On these points alone, they are certainly no better than an everyday device such as a thermometer.

Sensors and data loggers(i) are in part ‘special’ because they can display fast changes and measure with precision. A temperature sensor linked to a live graph can give us a better insight into how a cup of coffee cools. Sensors also extend the range of things we can measure - from timing a falling mass to recording human pulse changes during a race. Importantly, a live display of a changing measurement can provide pupils with a tacit understanding for the changes they will investigate.

An accelerometer(i) might give an insight into gravity by directly measuring it. Another sensor, called a light gate(i), might show how acceleration is derived from measuring distance and time. These examples aim to highlight that deriving some benefits from data logging may depend on the design of the teaching activity. The idea that is key is that the benefits from using sensors are not always automatic.

Nearby are examples to evaluate what sensors bring to science.

Data logging

[nearby DATALOGGING BOOK LINK].

to handle and analyse data

Handle data with a spreadsheet

A spreadsheet(i) probably found itself in school by accident, but in no time at all, its calculating(i) and graph(i) drawing abilities found it a secure place. In science teaching, a spreadsheet is a ready-made results table that quickly produces a graph. Graphs are a key tool for analysing data and a spreadsheet makes them with ease. In fact, spreadsheets can produce an astounding range of graphs. Our role as science teachers may be to encourage pupils to communicate effectively using graphs.

The ability of spreadsheets to organise, record and analyse data are aspects of exploring science. If you had a table of students’ personal data, you could sort it into order of shoe size, or work out the average size of the class. You could draw a bar chart to see how the shoe sizes vary across the class. Or draw a scattergraph to see if the sizes vary with height. You might also search for those with black hair and see if they have an eye colour in common. Students can similarly use a spreadsheet to sort and search for patterns in the properties of elements in the periodic table

It may be clear already that students using a spreadsheet in these ways have to work scientifically. They would need to define what they want to find out, collect data, organise it and analyse it. A case can be put that the use of a spreadsheet belongs, and probably deserves a place in science teaching.

Handle data with other software

Spreadsheets have an astonishing range of functions that help with maths or modelling. They appear to turn any mathematical trick so there may be an assumption that spreadsheets are the tool to handle all calculations and graphs.

However, there are other tools. Furthermore, they may be designed for tasks we need to do in school and actually do things that a spreadsheet does not do. For example, there are data handling packages designed for use with data collected from sensors(i). These packages can take reading at points on a graph(i); calculate(i) net changes; calculate graph areas; plot a rate of change against time and these things can often be done with less IT training and more efficiency.

to model an idea and visualise

Explain ideas using animation(i)

It is hard to imagine a really piece of communication that does not benefit from graphics. Numerous tools allow students to draw, photograph, and make video and animation. (SCRATCH; POWERPOINT). Some, if not many learners, adapt well to working with visuals and thus teachers can exploit this. For example

  • Make a step-by-step visual guide(i) to an experiment
  • Make a puzzle where you must put a series of steps in the right order
  • Animate(i) a story to explain what happens in photosynthesis
  • Animate(i) the orbit of the earth to explain the phases of the moon or the reasons for seasons.
  • Make a timelapse(i) movie of a plant growing towards the light
  • Write a dialogue(i) where animated(i) characters discuss(i) two sides of an environmental issue

Animation(i), models(i) and simulations(i)

Many science ideas are perhaps best experienced and animation(i) offers a way towards providing some experience. An Internet search easily finds free and commercial simulations of popular topics such as the heart cycle or kinetic theory. You may even have skills with animation tools (Adobe Edge; Sketch; PowerPoint; whiteboard(i) software) that allows you to create an animation for a teaching need.

One side point is that you will find the terms ‘models(i)’ and ‘simulations(i)’ used with varying amounts of accuracy. Each term refers to a distinct type of experience although the distinction is blurred in practice. A model and a simulation of say, animated solids, liquids and gases can look very much the same on screen. The simulation allows you to explore but the model allows you explore more. To qualify as a model of kinetic theory, it needs to let you inside it to play with assumptions it uses to work.

But how do you imagine that animation(i) might be used for teaching? Do you imagine that the teacher discusses the animation on the whiteboard(i)? Would it always be better that students use it for themselves? If so how would you structure that activity? Is there a space for students to makes their own animations? And does it always follow that learning with animation should entail some kind of inquiry(i) learning?

Modelling with a spreadsheet

An interesting feature of a spreadsheet(i) is its potential for teaching about ‘modelling(i)’. If you had information about the gravity force on celestial bodies, you could get the spreadsheet to work out how much you would weigh on each of them. This 'spreadsheet' could then be called a mathematical model: it provides an alternative to actually going to the moon to weigh yourself.

You can use a spreadsheet to build models as complicated as you wish. You can model the gas laws, chemical equilibrium and the Hardy-Weinberg distribution law. Nearby [IT in Secondary Science] is a model to show which methods of home insulation are cost effective. One could, for example, adapt this to compare solar panels and other home energy solutions.

Modelling offers a way to examine a hypothesis that arises at some point in your workscheme. Here are a few ideas that have been tried

  • Use a spreadsheet to examine braking distances of a car under wet and dry conditions. Experiment with a model of the use electricity in the home.
  • Experiment with a model showing your daily requirements for energy.
  • Use a spreadsheet to model heat loss from the home. Use it to find the most cost-effective methods of home insulation.

Model geometry with GEOGEBRA

GEOGEBRA (geogebra(i).org) is a tool for modelling(i) in geometry(i). An alluring feature is that you can change parameters on pre-built models using a mouse. You can indeed create models in a way much like drawing on-screen. Remarkably this ‘dynamic geometry’ application, conveniently runs in a browser, but can be downloaded to work offline on a PC.

Map your mind’s ideas at MINDMEISTER

MINDMEISTER (mindmeister.com) is an incredibly simple mind-mapping(i) tool. It lets you put ideas in boxes and link them together - as one does in concept mapping(i). A box can contain a picture or a document or a link to a web site. MINDMEISTER might be used to make a course ‘poster’. Furthermore, several people can work on the same mind map at the same time.

Create word and tag ‘clouds’ at TAGCLOUD

WORDLE (wordle.net) makes a ‘word cloud(i)’ showing the frequency of the words used in a document. You can ‘feed’ the website a web page of text; a blog or whatever text is in a clipboard. You could feed WORDLE with your entire work scheme or the collected work of the class. Typically the bigger the word displayed, the more frequently it has been used. Wordle can be used to make an informative cover page for a project, or to see how tediously tedious one can write!

A visitor to TAGCLOUD (tagcloud.com) may wonder how it is different to WORDLE above. However the words in tag cloud(i) are live links. You could make a cloud from the syllabus text and every tag might start a Google search. A tag cloud can be embedded in a web page and the words can be confined to a picture, say, of the shape a chemistry filter funnel.

to present

Describe your experiment on video

Video may already be the most popular way to communicate everywhere. Schools may be among the few places left. TBC

to find information

Internet

www.scoop.it/edu-search

To teach/work with coding

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NY1s-s5S3BGnVgGnwA18hTyMIYk4ZkkpVioFiewWFQE/

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