Purpose: ZooBurst is a digital storytelling tool that allows students to create their own 3D popup books.
Educational use: Students could use ZooBurst to tell stories, deliver presentations, write reports, or express complex ideas.
After searching the ZooBurst website and clicking on several links I was able to get many good ideas on how I could use this in the classroom. I am always searching for ways to make learning more meaningful and creative. We are just now starting to study the structure and function of cells. A common practice when studying cells is to use analogies to relate the function of the cells. Students could use ZooBurst’s 10,000 free images to customize their own 3D book of cell functions. I also learned that to utilize the premium features of ZooBurst it does cost money. The premium features of this web tool allow teachers to manage 250 student accounts. I had to laugh when I saw an example ZooBurst “book” of deforestation. The writing was actually in Spanish but the 3D images alone painted the perfect picture of what deforestation was about so I immediately saw the value of this web tool.
Purpose: Google describes Google Earth as a tool "allowing you to travel the world through a virtual globe and view satellite imagery, maps, terrain, 3D buildings, and much more."
Educational use: Widespread uses from Geography and History studies, and of course science classes , particularly Earth and Space Science.
I’m not sure it matters what grade level or subject area you teach when I clicked on the above website I found a wealth of information that I did not know existed. From a biology teacher perspective I will absolutely use the climate change link from Google earth. I viewed most of the videos from the climate change section and they were fantastic. I even strayed away from the above website and found several great websites of how other educators are using Google earth in their classrooms. Many of these sites had lessons ready to go utilizing some aspect of Google Earth.
Purpose: Poll Everywhere is a simple application that works well for live audiences using mobile devices like phones. As a poll is displayed to an audience, they submit responses by visiting a specific web site, by sending text messages to a short code number (22333), or using Twitter and indicating the option they wish to select. In the case of text messaging, their mobile carrier routes their text message to Poll Everywhere web servers where the vote is counted. Once counted, the vote is displayed in real time on-screen. Advanced uses include texting comments to a presentation, texting questions to a presenter, web voting, and SMS interactivity in print, radio, and TV.
Educational use: Teachers can use this web tool in a variety of ways. Simple multiple choice questions can be asked to check for accuracy on specific topics. The created poll question can even inform students if they answered it correctly. Short response questions could be asked as well. Another use would be for students to ask a question on a lesson or presentation. One suggestion from the polleverywhere website was to use the poll questions as an entry or exit ticket into or out of the classroom. There were a lot of cool features utilized when teachers were setting up the poll. The texting responders could be anonymous or it could track results as well depending upon how the teacher set it up. I responded myself via text message to the polleverywhere website and my answer showed up a second after I hit send! I know the students would love it. However, it would create more students with cell phones out and about as the lesson progressed so it would have to be monitored. As with most web tools, it does cost money to get more users involved. It was free for a class of 30 however.
Web tools
Web tool #1—ZooBurst
http://www.zooburst.com/
Purpose: ZooBurst is a digital storytelling tool that allows students to create their own 3D popup books.
Educational use: Students could use ZooBurst to tell stories, deliver presentations, write reports, or express complex ideas.
After searching the ZooBurst website and clicking on several links I was able to get many good ideas on how I could use this in the classroom. I am always searching for ways to make learning more meaningful and creative. We are just now starting to study the structure and function of cells. A common practice when studying cells is to use analogies to relate the function of the cells. Students could use ZooBurst’s 10,000 free images to customize their own 3D book of cell functions. I also learned that to utilize the premium features of ZooBurst it does cost money. The premium features of this web tool allow teachers to manage 250 student accounts. I had to laugh when I saw an example ZooBurst “book” of deforestation. The writing was actually in Spanish but the 3D images alone painted the perfect picture of what deforestation was about so I immediately saw the value of this web tool.
Web tool #2—Google Earth 3D tour
http://earth.google.com/tour.html
Purpose: Google describes Google Earth as a tool "allowing you to travel the world through a virtual globe and view satellite imagery, maps, terrain, 3D buildings, and much more."
Educational use: Widespread uses from Geography and History studies, and of course science classes , particularly Earth and Space Science.
I’m not sure it matters what grade level or subject area you teach when I clicked on the above website I found a wealth of information that I did not know existed. From a biology teacher perspective I will absolutely use the climate change link from Google earth. I viewed most of the videos from the climate change section and they were fantastic. I even strayed away from the above website and found several great websites of how other educators are using Google earth in their classrooms. Many of these sites had lessons ready to go utilizing some aspect of Google Earth.
Web Tool #3—Poll Everywhere
http://www.polleverywhere.com/
Purpose: Poll Everywhere is a simple application that works well for live audiences using mobile devices like phones. As a poll is displayed to an audience, they submit responses by visiting a specific web site, by sending text messages to a short code number (22333), or using Twitter and indicating the option they wish to select. In the case of text messaging, their mobile carrier routes their text message to Poll Everywhere web servers where the vote is counted. Once counted, the vote is displayed in real time on-screen. Advanced uses include texting comments to a presentation, texting questions to a presenter, web voting, and SMS interactivity in print, radio, and TV.
Educational use: Teachers can use this web tool in a variety of ways. Simple multiple choice questions can be asked to check for accuracy on specific topics. The created poll question can even inform students if they answered it correctly. Short response questions could be asked as well. Another use would be for students to ask a question on a lesson or presentation. One suggestion from the polleverywhere website was to use the poll questions as an entry or exit ticket into or out of the classroom. There were a lot of cool features utilized when teachers were setting up the poll. The texting responders could be anonymous or it could track results as well depending upon how the teacher set it up. I responded myself via text message to the polleverywhere website and my answer showed up a second after I hit send! I know the students would love it. However, it would create more students with cell phones out and about as the lesson progressed so it would have to be monitored. As with most web tools, it does cost money to get more users involved. It was free for a class of 30 however.