Exploring Web 2.0 Tools to Build Collaboration
Web 2.0 tool usage in classrooms has steadily increased in both in-person and online classes. In this session we will explore some of your favorite Web 2.0 tools, as well as a few new ones. Then, we will brainstorm ways that students can effectively use these tools to create projects and evidences of learning. Many of these tools allow for easy collaboration between authors, and we will investigate ways to create lessons to take advantage of these options.
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Why is collaborating online important to you?
Text or visit PollEv.com/bethanyvsmith to give your answer |
It's not about the tools...... But it kind of is
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Wikis
Wiki tools such as Wikispaces and PB Works allow for easy creating and editing of websites collaboratively. Best practice is to have students create Wikispaces accounts, but not required to edit a page. Revision history is available. Example student project: http://ed204fall2012a.wikispaces.com/ Google Drive Google Drive includes the products of Google Docs, Google Presentation, etc. Best practice is for students to have Google Accounts and allow for tracking of student work. The advantage of Google Drive is that users can simultaneous edit a document. Example Google Draw Concept Map project Blogging Blog platforms such as Blogger and Wordpress allow for students and class have group blogs around a subject or activity. Example Blog, Teaching Fellows in Costa Rica Voicethread Voicethread is a great tool to get students to either collaborate on a multimedia project, or as a way to solicit feedback from students in a multimedia form. School Improvement Project Voicethread Group Presentation |
STRUCTURING COLLABORATIVE ACTIVITIES
Can Group work truly be collaborative? Why do students dislike group work? Why is it important? Do we want group work to just be segmented work or true collaboration? When using tools that allow for online collaboration we have a whole new way to structure our assignments as well differing ways to grade and gather data on that work.
Structuring the project/assignment well
It is important that collaboration is valued in the assignment and therefore quantified. Is this a scaffolded assignment where students work independently and then come together as a group as experts? Or does it starts as a group project? Example group project rubrics that utilize Web 2.0 Tools. Connecting Standards Assignment & Connecting Standards Rubric
Collaborative Work Grading Policies
The advantage of using collaborative tools in grading is giving individual grades for group work. This can be done by using the Revision history or editing history of a product. Students need to know ahead of time that they will be graded this way and assessed on their own contribution and their communication with group members. Peer review can also be an essential aspect of this process. I employ a Google Form for students to assess their own involvement as well as their peers.
Structuring the project/assignment well
It is important that collaboration is valued in the assignment and therefore quantified. Is this a scaffolded assignment where students work independently and then come together as a group as experts? Or does it starts as a group project? Example group project rubrics that utilize Web 2.0 Tools. Connecting Standards Assignment & Connecting Standards Rubric
Collaborative Work Grading Policies
The advantage of using collaborative tools in grading is giving individual grades for group work. This can be done by using the Revision history or editing history of a product. Students need to know ahead of time that they will be graded this way and assessed on their own contribution and their communication with group members. Peer review can also be an essential aspect of this process. I employ a Google Form for students to assess their own involvement as well as their peers.
Does the tool I use matter?
There are many tools out there that do the same thing. Take for instance Wikis and Google Sites, why would I want to use one tool over another? Sometimes it is ease of use, but it could have implications on your rubric and grading practice. However, there are many assignments that are tool independent. The Connecting Standards Assignment could have been done with a collaborative Mind Mapping tool such as Bubbl.us or Popplet.
VoiceThread
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