Concept+Mapping

Concept Mapping
XTimeline

** 1. //x//timeline ** is a free web-based timeline. At this website you can create and share timelines with pictures and videos.

2. This technology promotes student engagement because students are creating timelines for classroom use. (This is the top level of Blooms.) It may also be that students are looking at timelines that are already created.

3. It add pedagogical value to traditional instruction because it is something that can be produced using technology at a much faster rate than the traditional creation process. It also allows for easy collaboration and sharing of created timelines.

4. Students learn more (acquire knowledge) when doing rather than just reading information. Using //x//timeline requires students to organize data, look at events, and use good number sense.

5. Some educational uses would include:


 * Historical events
 * Biographies
 * People in History
 * World History
 * How communities change over time
 * History of an organization/business

6. Pluses and minuses: It would be advantageous to use this tool with students because it requires them to do the work. The more they do, the more they learn. It also requires them to become familiar with technology. A minus would certainly be the need for adequate resources. Computers are not always readily available so this may need to be a scheduled project. Because students are at different levels with their understanding of technology, a great deal of differentiation would need to take place. In other words, some could complete this project very quickly while others may need a great deal of instruction. J

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Created timelines: []

[|Wordle]

1) Wordle is a toy for generating “word clouds” from text that you provide. 2) Wordle provides both student engagement and entertainment. Students would greatly enjoy creating a Wordle due to its endless possibilities of shapes, fonts, and colors. 3) Wordle can take the place of traditional brainstorming techniques while promoting 21st century skills. It promotes creativity and takes the place of traditional pencil and paper activities. 4) While students do not directly gain knowledge about content through Wordle, it is a great presentation method to share the knowledge learned and can help students retain what they learned. 5) I believe that Wordle could be used in K-12 classrooms. Wordle would be useful for the following educational uses:  · Brainstorming    · Developing word lists    · Summarizing writing pieces    · Descriptions    · Self-reflection    · “All About Me” activities    · Spelling practice/Vocabulary    · KWL charts  6) Pluses: Wordle is visually appealing and motivating. It allows for differentiation and promotes creativity. Minuses: Wordle does not have a spell check and could be difficult to complete with younger students due to a lack of typing skills. The saving abilities in Wordle are limited as you can only save your creation in a public gallery or as an image.

Mywebspiration.com

Title of Report I. Operational Definition for the tool A. My Webspiration allows you to map out ideas, organize with outlines and collaborate online with teams or colleagues. It strengthens organizational skills, and transforms your ideas and information into knowledge. I. Promote student engagement A. Visual thinking is a body of methodologies that uses diagrams to represent ideas, concepts, process flows and relationships. Generally, ideas and concepts are represented by images and text, and connected by lines to show association and represent flow. I. Adds pedagogical value to traditional instruction A. Computer time lines are an engaging activity for students. A. Students build upon new and previous knowledge A. Imagination and application call for upper levels of thinking. I. Aid students in technology education A. Technology, has progressed Timelines at an accelerated rate A. Technology has advanced the ways a timeline can be used. A. Technology has opened up a whole new world of digital time lines. I. Educational uses in the classroom A. Timelines are a great way to put the life of a famous historic figure in perspective. A. Students can create timelines showing the important inventions in history. A. Can provide detailed information about world history I. Pluses and minuses A. An obvious minus is accessibility of computers. A. A plus is Time lines allow readers and writers to visualize key features. A. A final plus is they are relatively easy to use.

MindMeister

1. Create an operational definition for the tool.  MindMeister is an online collaborative mind mapping tool. It caters to the needs of a variety of users; from students to professionals.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> 2. Does the technology promote student engagement or merely entertainment? <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> This type of technology promotes student engagement as well as provides a certain amount of entertainment. Students would use MindMeister to create a mind map on a given topic, thus engaging them in their learning. Additionally, the interactive capabilities and students’ ability to add graphics, pictures, etc. provides an entertainment value as well.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> 3. Analyze whether this technology adds some demonstrable pedagogical value to traditional instruction. <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> MindMeister does add value to traditional instruction. It provides an interactive and personalized method of mapping their ideas. Additionally, the use of technology adds a motivational aspect for students that traditionally shy away from the traditional forms of idea mapping. This would replace traditional idea mapping using paper and pencil.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">4. Assess the use of this particular technology to aid students in the acquisition of knowledge and not just information. <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">If the student were to use MindMeister to create an individual mind map, they would not necessarily be acquiring knowledge, as it would simply serve as an organization of their own knowledge. However, if students utilized the collaborative capabilities of MindMeister, they would be acquiring new knowledge. If two or more users open the same mind map at the same time, they are able to add information to the mind map in real time. This collaborative learning environment, in which multiple students are able to add information simultaneously, allows for student knowledge acquisition.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">5. Suggest some educational uses for this tool in the K-12 classroom. <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> This tool can be used in a variety of ways. <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> · Pre-writing or planning stages during writing <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> · Word Families <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> · Main Idea & detail (for use in reading and content areas) <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">· Vocabulary mapping (definitions, synonyms, antonyms, etc.)

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">6. Discuss the pluses and minuses of using this tool with students. <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">+ Motivational tool for students <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> + Creates an organized view of student ideas (great for first graders!) <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> + Simultaneous users allows for peer collaboration <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> - Requires time to teach students how to appropriately navigate the interface. <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> - Using the “free” version has pop-ups, which limits the size of the tool bar, making editing a challenge.

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