Edvibes Blog

I have been stuck for a couple months on the easiest and safest way to share class pictures on the web. I started with flickr but found it just isn’t very easy for new users to pick up on and learn how to use. So recently I decided to try Google Picasa’s Web Albums with their public and private unlisted albums feature. (read more about What’s the difference between public albums and those that are unlisted? from Google’s FAQ Help section) I really liked the flexibility with their privacy options and it is very user friendly. I also especially like their easy to use embeddable slideshow feature.

Note: I make the decision on whether to publish and share pictures publicly by the following criteria.

*Is the photo appropriate and have an educational value?

*Does the photo reveal the complete identity of a student face?

See how we used picasa to share our some of our photos from our YMCA Camping trip from our class blog here.

WHY:

Let’s face it one of the biggest obstacles with implementing computers into a language arts classroom is if the kids don’t finish typing their paper in the period, they will never be able to find that file later. For example, my class is working on an expository essay. We have 4 mobile carts with 32 laptops per cart in our school, let’s say I signed out Cart A on Monday. The students didn’t finish typing up their essays so they save it on the computer they were working on. Now all the stars need to be aligned for the classroom to get back that same cart, that student needs to get that same computer they used the day before (hopefully it’s working and got a fresh charge), and be able to find their file (hopefully someone else didn’t delete it).

Solution: A Web-based Word Processer

How:

1)  Read What are WebApps, Webware, Widgets, Web-based, and Webdesks for a better explanation of these terms.  In a nut shell a web-based word processor is basically like a Microsoft Word running on the internet instead of on your computer.

2) Read Free Web-based Office Suites and Education

3) Set up a Zoho Account.  All you need is an email address.  Now this is why I decided to setup one account, using our shared email address that I mangage,  for all the students to share and use rather than having each one set up their own.  First, I didn’t want them using their personal email addresses, if they have them, to sign up. Second, I believe it is important to first model as a class. Maybe later on when they really catch on I will let them sign up for their own account, which most end up doing on their own from home on their own.

4) Model the basics of word processing: bold, underline, save, file new,  etc. the tool bar is basically the same as MS Word.

5) Have the students set up and save their own file using a class naming system.  We use Studentuser01MS (the 01 is the student number, the MS is their first and last initial).   Once every kid has created a file and named it correctly you will have a roster of all your students with their files in order.

6) Go ahead an type away.  From now on the students can login in using our class student account, click on their file, continue to type, save, print, cut and paste from this online office suite.

Again, later on I may decide to give the students their own account in school, but this has been working very smoothly so far.

Post a comment below if you have a question or suggestion on other ways to do this.

Web Conferencing, defintion from wikipedia, has finally become smooth and easy. These Virtual Meetings allow for live and synchronous 2-way collaboration online in real time. Most of these services offer white boards everyone can write on, chat, voice, webcam, and share slides, pictures, or what is on your screens or slides.

The business sector has caught on this technology already. But the education sector is just now picking up on it. There are some exciting possibilities with teaching and learning. For example, there are teacher professional development trainings and conferences like the K12 Online Conference . This was my first year attending this virtual and global conference, and I participated and moderated on numerous live presentations and conferences. I have also used these technologies to tutor my students in math after school from home and I know of college professors that are now holding their office hours via web conferencing.

So here are the two platforms that I use and recommend:

Vyew “is a FREE online meeting service that brings people and content together.
Use Vyew to host LIVE conferences or collaborate over time, asynchronously (a fancy word for “at your own convenience”).” (click here for more info on vyew and education)

Review: Very easy to use and 100% web-based no downloads required. Don’t even need to register for an account.

Elluminate “is a leading provider of live Web conferencing and eLearning solutions for the real-time organization. Serving corporate and academic sectors, the company ensures the best user experience through superior quality VoIP, communications that are in-sync regardless of connection speed, broad, cross-platform support, and advanced yet easy-to-use moderator tools”

Review: Has all the bells and whitles. They give a you a free account that allows you to host 3 users at once. Requires a download on to your computer.

Discussion:

What web conferencing services do you use?
How can we use them in and out of the classroom?