TLED 430 Module 3 Collaborative

Assignment
Web 2.0 Tools to Support Collaborative learning

Read the directions in Blackboard on how to complete this sheet.

My name: Dawn Belanger

Name of the tool ePals
Where to access https://www.epals.com/#/connections
this tool (web
address)
Brief instructions Teachers sign into the account and complete a profile. Choose “Find
of how to use the Connections” and type in the filters which include age group, country,
tool language, and subject. They would select the “connect” button and a list
of participating teachers will appear that fit the criteria chosen. They will
“invite” which teacher/class they would like to collaborate with. It will
notify the user that it has been accepted. The teacher adds in the
students with a username and password. Messages are exchanged
through “My Profile” banner and by selecting “My Connections” at the
top of the page. Short or long “experiences” can be chosen along with
the type of exchanges that can be cultural, language practice, or by
subject. Ready-made discussions and activities can be chosen or a
teacher can customize their own by “edit[ing] experience.” Discussion
posts and assignments are displayed on the page in order. If a student
would like to participate in the conversation, they click “add comment”
or “reply.” Teachers can have private discussions, if necessary. Video,
text, Power points, and images can be added to the comments/reply.
Teachers have the option of moderating responses before they are sent
by choosing this option in “security settings.”
Ideas for how the For Language Arts: Students can discuss Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s
tool can be used Stone’s setting, theme, plot, character analysis, interpretations,
in PK-12 conclusions, etc. (SOL 6.5)
For science: Students can share about cell structure, classification
systems, survivability of organisms in a certain environment,
experiments and/or field trips (SOL 5.5)
For History: Students can discuss historical, cultural, economic, and
political perspectives in world history with students who actually live in
those countries (e.g. Nepal, Brazil, Turkey, etc.) (SOL WHII.1)
Languages: Students can converse with students in Germany to discuss
their history, culture, time, family, education, transportation, holiday
practices, products, etc. While the collaborating class can practice their
English with your class. (SOL GI.7).
Positives and Positives:
challenges of 1. Students can communicate with students from other countries
using the tool 2. Teaches students basic computer skills
3. Password protected to keep out the general public
4. Teachers can moderate responses before they are posted
5. Teachers can change the “experience” anytime
Challenges
1. Scheduling the lesson with a collaborating teacher can be difficult
2. Students do not get to meet the collaborators face-to-face
3. Adding students in as “participants” can be time consuming
4. It is not recommended until about the 4th grade
Peer’s name: Amber Krueger
Name of the tool CueThink
Where to access http://www.cuethink.com/
TLED 430 Module 3 Collaborative
Assignment
this tool (web
address)
Brief instructions Teacher creates account. In the “Roster,” the teacher adds the students.
of how to use the Once they are added, the students receive invitation codes in their
tool emails. From the teacher dashboard, teachers can choose ready-made
problems for the students from a “bank” or they can customize the
lesson depending on the child’s educational needs. Teachers are able to
view student progress by accessing the “show reports” tab. The teacher
can also choose video tutorials of problems to help the students (breaks
it down for them to understand).The students will watch the tutorials in
how to use the tool. During a session, the students complete “thinklets”
by either drawing or writing. This allows the teacher to see how a
student works through a problem and can highlight or strike through
areas of the problem. They can also record video or audio to record their
thinking processes. Once the student completes the problem, it can be
stored in their profile for later reference. Students are also able to do
group work and are able to help each other with problems by annotating
on their peers’ page.
Ideas for how the Elementary: to show whole lessons, to instruct individuals and a group,
tool can be used can be tutored by a secondary group, break down math processes, use
in PK-12 reports to evaluate as a whole.
Middle to High school: encourages independent work and collaborating
mentoring, can reach out to a peer for help, assign different problems to
different students, can easily discover a student’s weakness.
Positives and Positives:
challenges of 1. ideal for visual learners
using the tool 2. the teacher can converse with an individual or a group
3. great for peer mentoring and review
4. students are able to engage each other
5. collaborative
6. enhances critical thinking
7. step-by-step break down
8. see how students solve their problems
9. contains helpful tools including visual/audio tools
10. more quiet students are able to share their work
Challenges:
1. learning curve is steep
2. instructors need more tools such as grids and tables
3. needs text to speech for ELLs
4. no student to parent/guardian sharing for a full collaborative effort
5. costly
6. limited: no K-2 math or for more advanced students
Peer’s name: Dawn Stahl
Name of the tool Voice Threads
Where to access https://voicethread.com/
this tool (web
address)
Brief instructions Due to the numerous applications, the website has video tutorials on
of how to use the how to use the tool for your need by going to the “Training” tab.
tool Teachers are able to present modules and PowerPoint presentations
through video to the students and talk over the top of the slides to
explain the material. Teachers can present the slides that they want not
necessarily in order. The students can interact with the teacher via voice,
audio or text by clicking “comment.” Students are also able to talk to
each other through the voice thread.
TLED 430 Module 3 Collaborative
Assignment
Ideas for how the High School: Students can build PowerPoint presentations. For History,
tool can be used students can make political cartoons, add their dialogue, or other
in PK-12 students could add dialogue. For English, while discussing 1984,
students are able to have discussions in text, audio, or video. For
Language classes, students can learn language through voice thread by
hearing how the words are supposed to be pronounced.
Positives and Positives:
challenges of 1. collaborative
using the tool 2. interactive for language
3. can add parts to the conversation
4. can listen to each other in for language classes
5. applications are limitless
Challenges:
1. not for younger grades because the usability is more advanced
2. has a cost
3. may be difficult for someone that does not have a lot of computer
knowledge