Flickr

· Flickr (http://www.flickr.com) is the Web 2.0 tool that I chose. It is an online photo management tool. The site has the following capabilities;

1. Upload pictures from desktop

2. Organize pictures

3. Share Pictures (Collections/Set) – This has a privacy feature where you can limit who sees work. It also has a copyright feature.

4. Mapping – Put pictures on map

5. Make Stuff with pictures

6. Keep In Touch – Discussion capability

· Flickr can be run on either a MAC or PC. To upload pictures you have the following options;

1. Via the Flickr Uploader

2. Via IPhoto, Aperture, or Windows XP Plugins

3. Via e-mail

4. Via various free third party desk top programs

The site relies on standard HTML and HTTP features, allowing for wide compatibility among platforms and browsers

· The first thought that came to mind with the effective use in instruction was a high school photography class. I spoke with my son’s friend who is an art student at THS and he uses this program along with others in his home in order to research, learn, and share ideas about photography. At the elementary level, I immediately thought of our art teacher and the ability to photograph student work and file via the collections/set option in Flickr. A set could be the grade level and the collections could be based on topic. This appears to be a great way to keep track and share work with parents. I also thought the Make Stuff option might be a great fundraiser for the school. What parent doesn’t love pictures of their kids on stuff?

· After my initial thought involving the art department, I then went to the core curriculum. In fourth grade our students in Baltimore County are to know where all the states are on a map. An instructor could have students bring electronic pictures of places in states they’ve been and these pictures could be put on a map with the drag and drop feature. This would personalize the learning. This could also be used in fifth grade when the students take their field trip to Philadelphia. As a math teacher, I immediately thought of geometry in our world. The students could take pictures of various geometric shapes and angles in our world and it could be uploaded into a sharing page in order to give a real world application to geometry.

· A Yahoo ID is needed to use Flickr. The biggest limitation is our own limitation in Baltimore County. All students must sign a release for any works or pictures to be used on the Baltimore County Website or in any other form of publication. I am not sure how this would transcend into the use of a Web 2.0 tool like Flickr.

· If Baltimore County would allow the use of a tool like this, there would have to be several guidelines put in place. A list of allowable members would have to be established in each classroom and at the school level. It would only be able to be used in the school level unless permission was released by parents and BCPS. There are several layers of management that would have to be gone through for this type of tool to be used

· I think this tool would be wonderful to use in the classroom and at the school level. However, I do think that all the red tape that would have to be gone through might be too much for Baltimore County.

Backpack & Wizlite

Scott’s Web 2.0 tools

Web 2.0 Tools

Backpack

The first tool I researched was called Backpack. http://www.Backpack.com. The function of this tool is essentially as the name implies. Backpack is a place on the web where a user can keep information organized. All sorts of files can be stored and organized at the site. PDF files, documents, photos and spreadsheets just to name a few.

The strength of Backpack lies in its application
for collaboration among teams. All members of a team can have access to your Backpack page, just like a social networking site. There is also a group calendar so everyone can keep track of the schedules of the other members of your team. Reminders of important meetings
can be e-mailed or sent as text messages to your phone.

Three applications of Backpack listed on he site that I found interesting were gathering and reviewing research, meeting and prep notes, and keeping a page of frequently needed forms.

Research Page
This example had some brief notes to inform the user of the content of the page and links to .PDF files with full articles.

Meeting and Prep notes

This example had a list of reminders for the meeting, files needed and important reminders of key concept to be covered. This use of Backpack would have been helpful to have for a meeting I had just this past week!

Frequently Needed Forms

The last example shows a place to archive frequently needed forms. This gives you access to files anywhere you have an Internet connection. This could also be a great way to back up files in case a computer cashes.

Backpack Summary and Recommendations.

All in all I thought Backpack was a terrific tool with reasonable pricing if the cost was shared among members of the team. Plans range from $24/month for a basic plan, which includes up to 6 users, to the Pro level that is 99/month for up to 40 users. A solo plan can be purchased for $7 a month, but the opportunity for collaboration is one of the key strengths of Backpack so going solo doesn’t seem the way to go. A 30-day trial is available but it appears that if you forget to cancel at the end of the 30 days you would be charged for the month. The fact that it costs anything is a drawback for me. Having used a service similar to this before, I found uploading and downloading speeds to be very slow. I cannot speak to this feature of Backpack without trying it more thoroughly.

Wizlite

WizLite is an Internet highlighting tool that allows a user to select and highlight text on any page on the Internet. These pages can be shared among small groups that are created by the user. This makes the idea of WizLite a very appealing one for student collaboration.

In Practice

WizLite works as an extension for the Firefox web browser and as a bookmarklet. A bookmarklet is a small application that is supposed to work as a bookmark or hyperlink to add functionality to a web page. All you have to do is set up a free WizLite account and verify your e-mail address and BINGO! At least that’s what I thought. As of the time of this writing WizLite is not supported by he latest version of Firefox. The bookmarklet functioned as a bookmark that when accessed, worked with some pages and at times loaded very slowly if at all. As a classroom tool this could be problematic. Another downfall of WizLite is the fact that it only works with old versions of Firefox and is not supported by other browsers such as Internet Explorer and Safari. When the software worked a user can highlight text and add notes to highlighted portions of the page to be read later. It is important to note that in order to read highlighted text and notes a social group needs to bee created. You can download Wizlite, create groups and create an account at http://wizlite.com/

Wizlite Summary and Recommendations.
It your computer lab has Firefox installed and you are willing to take the time to have your students set up social groups then Wizlite offers some intriguing possibilities for collaborative learning. There may be issues with access privileges so you should check it out thoroughly before planning to use Wizlite. User names should be chosen carefully to endure student safety.

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Letterpop

Letterpop

Letterpop (http://letterpop.com/ ) is a word-processing Web 2.0 tool that provides templates for quickly and easily creating online communications. Letterpop has templates for creating newsletters, birthday invitations, real estate listings, family updates, home-based business information (such as Pampered Chef Parties), club announcements, classroom news, online magazine articles, personalized photo collages, etc. The templates are provided and individuals may then insert their own text and pictures.

In order to use Letterpop, an individual must have access to the World Wide Web as well as all of the equipment necessary to access the World Wide Web (computer and modem, or other access device). It is also necessary to create an account by selecting a username and a password. There is a video on the letterpop site that explains step-by-step how to create an account.

Letterpop can be used by teachers not only for sharing information with students and parents, but it can also be used by students in instruction. For example, a teacher could add a class photo to the newsletter and have the students write about the photo. It is a fun and engaging way to integrate technology into writing. Additionally, it is very effective for education because it is similar to Microsoft Publisher, but simplified in that it does not have as many tools as Microsoft Publisher, making it less overwhelming for elementary students. Students could also use letterpop to write newspaper articles (summaries) about a particular story. For example, in the Baltimore County Grade 3 Curriculum, the students read “Dogzilla.” The students could use Letterpop to create a news article about the events that occurred in Mousopolis. Students could also use Letterpop to create a photo-collage. For example, students could use a digital camera to take pictures in the classroom or school of examples and non-examples of math concepts (examples of quadrilaterals and non-examples of quadrilaterals). They could then make a photo-collage of examples and non-examples for that particular topic.

Within education, letterpop could be used by students to create posters or presentations. In addition to integrating letterpop into the curriculum, other education applications of letterpop include teacher and/or student use for inviting parents to Back-to-School Night, American Education Week, or other class events. It could be used as a tool for quickly creating professional-looking class newsletters. An address book is available within letterpop, allowing teachers to easily create a mailing list of their students’ parents or anyone who may want to receive the newsletter. The newsletter may also be printed for those that do not have internet access. Letterpop’s easy-to-follow format and the minimal amount of time it takes to create a product within letterpop would be a benefit to faculty and staff members, perhaps making it a great Web 2.0 tool to share as part of a professional development session.

Letterpop, however, has some limitations. While it provides an easy way for teachers and students to design professional-looking newsletters, the template selection is very limited. You can’t edit the headline template or tweak image sizes. Students and teachers who are more creative thinkers may find it frustrating to be confined to these templates.

When using letterpop, it is best to have a well-developed plan in mind for the type of content one would like to integrate so that careful selections of templates may be made. Once a product within letterpop is created, a letterpop link is also created. Instead of e-mailing an attachment to others, the link can be shared. There is also a syndication feed (RSS) for published newsletters. RSS feeds are a way for readers to subscribe to newsletters and be automatically updated whenever a new one is created. This is a great alternative for members who don’t want to email out newsletters and for readers who don’t want to share their email address. There are also “profiles” on letterpop, allowing individuals to archive what they created so their work can be revisited by the teacher or students from other classes. Comments may be made by others regarding the newsletter, which may require the need for teachers to share some netiquette lessons with the students when posting comments about others’ newsletters. In general, letterpop serves as a great communication and collaboration tool.

References:

Broida, Rick (n.d). “Create Newsletters Online with Letterpop!” (Online). Available: http://lifehacker.com/software/design/create-newsletters-online-with-letterpop-226881.php

Bruno, D., Verner, C. and John Watson. Letterpop. Online: http://www.letterpop.com

TechLearning Blog (July 31, 2007). Available: http://www.techlearning.com/blog/2007/07/

TechnoTeach (August 15, 2007). Letterpop (Online). Available: http://tecnoteacher.blogspot.com/2007/08/letterpop.html

TeacherTube

www.teachertube.com

• What is it? What does it do?

Teachertube is a free online community for sharing educationally focused instructional videos.

It can be accessed anytime, anywhere, by anyone.

The community keeps the site alive by submitting original videos, uploading support files, and collaborating by giving each other input.

Users are encouraged upload educationally relevant videos and to make constructive comments.

There is a rating system that can be employed to show appreciation for videos of value.

Members have the ability to safeguard the integrity of the site by flagging inappropriate videos.

The site contains a blog that provides a space for teachers to interact and share with each other.

• What are the infrastructure and technical requirements for this tool?

Connection speed is an issue. Teachertube requires a broadband connection with at least 500+ Kbps for the best viewing and uploading experience.

TeacherTube servers can experience high traffic, which sometimes affects the speed.

• How can you use it effectively in instruction?

Teachers create videos that are educationally relevant and can be used to enhance instruction. These pre-created materials are available for free use. If there is a content topic that you are trying to convey to your students and you need an idea or a resource, Teachertube covers a wide range of topics. The idea of using brief video clips is very engaging to students. They are more likely to remember what they see on a video clip.

Teachers who use the site benefit from the opportunity to see what other educators are doing in their classrooms, and students can have the opportunity to showcase their work.

The site is open to members worldwide, so teachers can use the videos to bring far away places into the classroom.

• What are other education applications for this tool?

These videos can also be used to provide professional development or supplement the curriculum.

Students can be assigned videos to watch at home to reinforce concepts or to provide aid in with a particular subject.

Teachers can join and connect with people who have similar interests.

• What are the limitations and cautions related to use of this tool?

Some school systems filter out sites such as Teachertube.

Information is not checked for accuracy.

The videos can be viewed by anyone who registers for the site, so there is concern about using students in the videos. However, members have the option to make the videos public or private.

• What are the management considerations for this tool?

Teachers must spend time viewing clips to see if they are actually relevant to their curriculum.

There are hundreds of videos to sort through.

Zamzar

What is it? What does it do?

Zamzar is a free online file conversion site that provides users with the ability to convert songs, videos, images, and documents into different formats without the need for downloading additional software to the computer. Their mission statement is “to provide high quality file conversion for as many file formats as possible.”

The name Zamzar is explained within their home page, and is based upon a literary character from the book “Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka. The young character in the story; Gregor Samsa, finds himself transformed into a huge insect. The company based their name upon this figure due to “its powerful association with change and transformation.”

The site offers multiple features including a free component, as well as other packages that range in price from $7-$49 per month. The free version provides the user with the ability to convert files up to 100 MB in size, with the option of converting five concurrent files at one time. The fee based options include the ability to convert bigger files, access online storage options, complete faster file conversions, and utilize file management options. All levels of service (including the free option) have email support services.

Following a four-step process, the user:

1. Selects the files or URL to convert
2. Chooses the format to convert into
3. Enters their email address to receive the converted files
4. Then, clicks the convert function to put the process into motion.

(The user does need to agree to the Terms of Service held by the Zamzar Organization.)

What are the infrastructure and technical requirements for this tool?

Internet access would be necessary in accessing this website. Because the Zamzar site emails the user a link to access their converted files, a dial-up connection may be sufficient for simple word document downloads, but a Broadband connection would be more appropriate if the user is attempting to download larger files such as video.

The Zamzar Organization has created a web browser button that can be added to a user’s Bookmark Toolbar, so that converting files from a website can occur with just the click of their Zamzar button. To place this web browser button onto a user’s computer, Zamzar has provided step-by-step directions within the “Tools” section of their website.

How can you use it effectively in instruction?

This tool can be used to convert files from links on the internet as well as from a user’s computer. A listing of formats is provided on the site within the categories of documents, images, music, video, and compressed formats.

Zamzar also provides the user with the opportunity to contact them if there is a format requiring conversion that is not found within their extensive lists.

Zamzar supports the download and conversion of videos from a large number of popular video sharing websites including Youtube, Myspace, Google Video, Metacafe, etc. (A complete list can be found on the URL Overview page of the Zamzar website.) All of these conversion options could greatly assist the teacher in preparing materials for use within the classroom and/or within online learning communities.

What are other education applications for this tool?

Users could incorporate videos into PowerPoint presentations by using this tool. The video could be converted into a downloadable format that could be included within the slideshow to enhance the presentation and further engage the student.

The user could also take documents that are in one format (Microsoft Works) and put it into a more broadly used format (such as a PDF file).

BCPS employees may find the Zamzar conversion tool useful if they have created documents in Word 2007 (.docx) and need to convert the files into an earlier Word format (.doc) to be used on the computers within the schools.

What are the limitations and cautions related to use of this tool?

Storage, file management and the ability to convert larger files requires a monthly subscription fee to the Zamzar site.

The free utility is filled with pop-up adds and company advertisements.

Because the user must download files from email links, the connection speed of the user’s computer will determine how long it takes to access files from Zamzar.

What are the management considerations for this tool?

If a user is looking for a storage option or plans to download larger files in greater number, there may need to be consideration given to subscribing to one of the fee-based options on the Zamzar site.

Access to this site is currently restricted on the BCPS system. A teacher wanting to use Zamzar would therefore, need to plan ahead and access it from a computer outside of the school system to take advantage of this Web 2.0 tool.