Voicethread!

After watching the video of voicethread, I started getting excited. :) Voicethread seems like a great delivery technology for the classroom and the possibilities for this tool are endless.

Teachers can use this program to comment on students work in the classroom and students can even comment each others work.

With the variety of commenting features, this means that students can participate in whichever way they feel comfortable with. Teachers can also use voicethread to post an image of something students are learning about and have them comment it. For example if a teacher posts an image of the countries of the world, students homework could be to pick a country and comment an unusual fact about this country.

This program could best be used with students from grade 5 and up. Younger students could possibly get involved but parental help will more then likely be required.

In high school, we had to deconstruct images and explain why things had been structured the way they were. Voicethread would have been an engaging way to make this topic a bit more engaging for all the students in the class.

Voicethread emphasises the first principle of the Engagement Theory (Greg Kearsley and Ben Schneiderman, 1998) and incorporates communication, planning, managment and social skills to increase the motivation of students.

PRO'S -

• Fun
• Interactive
• Easy to use
• Accessible
• Engaging for all students

CON'S -

• The more comments there are, the more bandwidth hungry it becomes which means the longer it will take to load. This could be a hassle if all students are participating on the one image

USES IN THE CLASSROOM -

• In class projects
• Homework
• Communication
• Image deconstruction

Grace xx

Using Music On The Web!

At first I was slightly aprehensive towards Incompetech. I have never been a fan of downloading unless it's through iTunes because I don't trust many sites with that sort of thing.

I ended up downloading a piece called 'Kick Shock' which is a dance composition by Kevin McLeod that incorporates synth keys, synth drums, triangle and electronics. It didn't take long to download at all which was great and I really enjoyed it.

You can find it here -

http://incompetech.com/m/c/royalty-free/index.html?keywords=Kick+Shock

Incompetech could definatly be uses in media classes or classes where music is a component. When I was in high school, I did film and television as a subject. When preparing short films and animations, we had to use all our own music and produce our own sound effects if we did wish to include them. From a student perspective, this tool would definatly be helpful in situations like that.

Teachers can use Incompetech for preparing presentations for students and students could even work in groups to produce their own music to upload to Incompetech. Greg Keasley and Ben Schneiderman (1998) say that student collaboration increases motivation to learn and technology can facilitate engagement in ways which are difficult to achieve otherwise.

PRO'S -

• Everything under the creative commons liscence
• Free
• All archived to specific dates
• No registration
• Quick downloads

CON'S -

• No way to search for specific things your looking for

USES IN THE CLASSROOM -

• Student media projects
• Uploading students own work
• Classroom presentations

Grace xx

File Storage!

File storage would be a useful tool for many 21st century classrooms. The up to date and easy to use features provide a great alternative to handing in assessment items on paper. File storage would best suit older students, either seniors in high school or university. The need for younger students to use and access this program just isn't really there.

My File -

http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=5f01c1a687ba409eaaca48175a79d1c3e04e75f6e8ebb871

File storage can be used for group assessment items that just take to long to email around to everybody. Students can publish one file here where it can be accessed by other group members at any time.

Teachers could also use this program to send information to students. Students would then be able to access the file at home whenever they needed to.

This program could also be uses a communication tool between teachers and parents and even provide a way of communicating for students and teachers in their personal lives outside the classroom. Greg Kearsley and Ben Schneiderman (1998) say that the virtual classroom environment results in a better mastery of course materials, greater student satisfaction and a higher level of student-reported learning then traditional classroom experiences.

PRO'S -

• Easy to use
• Accessible
• Free
• Unlimited uploads
• No software to install

CON'S -

• Not all students have internet access outside the classroom
• Not all students may feel comfortable with files on the internet

USES IN THE CLASSROOM -

• Group assignments
• Communication
• Teacher-Teacher sharing
• Homework delivery

Grace xx