Web 2.0

The closer I get to becoming an educator, the more resources I am exposed to. Cool Tools for Schools has multiple tools that will benefit me when I become a Family and Consumer Sciences teacher. I have searched and found 10 tools that I believe will best serve to help my students, and me as a teacher.

Slideboom is similar to Microsoft PowerPoint but it takes the presentation one step further. After creating a PowerPoint you upload it into slideboom. When it is published in slideboom, web users everywhere can watch your presentation. This would be useful for my classroom because I could embed the presentation into my classroom website or blog. I would give the presentation during class then students could refer back to the web if they have questions when completing homework. 

Haiku learning is a practically a web based classroom. Teachers can upload assignments, videos, or even Google documents for students to access. If the school district doesn’t already have an online grading resource, teachers can use Haiku to manage their student’s grades. This would be useful if I had to miss school one day and have a substitute. I could make arrangements for the students to go to the computer lab and complete an assignment online. If the school district has I Pads, the students could complete the assignment on that too because Haiku has a mobile application.  

 Addict-o-matic is similar to Google or other search engines. One can type in a topic or keyword and find information about it from multiple resources such as: Bing, Twitter, and YouTube. Each resource will give links to different articles related to the topic or keyword entered. I can use Addict-o-matic when I am researching to make a lesson plan. Students could also use this when researching for an assignment.

Clipgenerator is a program that makes video generating easy. From pictures already taken one can make a video with music added. The video will be like a slideshow and continuously play while switching between pictures. In my class (Family and Consumer Sciences) students can use Clipgenerator to show classmates their cooking process. While cooking in class, students will take a picture of each step which will lead to a final product. The students will form the video and show the class so multiple dishes can be made during one class and students can reflect on each video.

Tagul is like Wordle, a previously used resource in my Educational Technology class. One can input words to describe something and it will rearrange them and shape them to the fitted pattern. For example, to symbolize ones love for someone they can pick a heart shape then type words used to describe how they love the person. In my class students will use Tagul to describe themselves. This will allow me to learn about my students without them having to complete one of the dreaded ‘About Me’ worksheets. 

TeacherTube is similar to the familiar YouTube. These resources are very similar except YouTube contains only videos uploaded by educators for educational purposes. The website will most likely not contain inappropriate content so teachers will not have to worry about ads that pop-up. When teaching on the framework that covers sewing TeacherTube will be helpful. I can find a video on ‘How to Thread a Sewing Machine’ and let students watch it instead of doing it in class and hoping all the students around me can see what I am doing. 

Classroom Architect is self-explanatory. With this resource, one can design his/her classroom without having to physically rearrange furniture to see if the design suits their wants and/or needs. The interactive furniture and accessories make it simple to move, rotate, and add items with the click of a mouse. In my classroom I will use the resource to arrange my classroom before the school year. I will also give my students the opportunity to use the resource when we cover the unit on jobs under Family and Consumer Sciences. Students will imagine they are a teacher and create their dream classroom. 

 Sweet Home 3D also allows one to design and arrange a room without the physical lifting. With this resource one can create an imaginary room to visualize what it will look like when trying to decide on paint color, furniture, flooring, and other simple accessories.  This allows for the creativity of the inside or outside of a home. This resource will be helpful in my classroom when covering the framework on interior design. Students will learn the basic principles then put them to test when designing their own room of choice.

Map Skip is a simple resource used to show where a place is located. If ever confused, one can type in the location in the search bar and the map will quickly relocate to your desired location. To see the actual streets of the location one can drag the miniature person and place them on the map to switch the image to what appears to be like Google Earth. Students will use this in my class when researching about other cultures. When giving a presentation on information found, students will type in their location so the class can see for themselves what the atmosphere of the location is like. 

Our Story allows one to create a timeline then share it with others. The timeline can be shared privately or publicly. A significant picture can be added with the date to add personality. I will have students make a timeline of the births of their family members (including the family they live with: mom, dad, stepparents). This will help to compare families and determine the type of family each student has (nuclear, blended, or foster families). 

Hopefully, you now know a little bit more about these 10 resources that I will find most useful when becoming a teacher. Remember: to find other tools for teaching visit

http://cooltoolsforschools.wikispaces.com/