Symbaloo

Symbaloo is a web based visual organizing and sharing tool that allows you to bookmark websites, which you can share or just use for yourself.

Each website that you would like to bookmark, is arranged in tile boards, or as Symbaloo calls them - webmixes. These can be shared easily with others by clicking webmix details, allowing you to share a the URL link to your webmix, email to others, or embed the code in your website or blog.
A new iPad version gives you access to your Symabaloo webmixes on any iDevice.


Classroom Integration Ideas:

• Create webmixes about topics to share with your students. This would be a great for way elementary teaches to use with their students to use in place of bookmarking several websites on a specific computer. 
• Students research a topic, and  create their own webmixes, then share them with the class as a way of presenting their research. 

Tellagami

Tellagami is a free App that allows you to create a customizable talking avatar. Check out the video below for an example.

Easy to customize your own character's appearance from a side menu.  Use a background from one of Tellagami's pre-created, or upload your own background from your camera roll or an image you've saved.

To make your avatar speak, either type the text and choose from a list of voice types to read it out load or record your own voice.  Once it's saved in your camera roll on your iPad or other "iDevice", simply sync it to your laptop or email the video in order to share it.


Classroom Integration Ideas:

• A great tool for digital storytelling where students create an avatar with their own photos and voice to tell a story.
• Teachers can use Tellagami to introduce a new topic in place of themselves to their class.
• Students use Tellagami avatar to present a short book report.  

Mentormob

Mentormob is a free Web 2.0 resource that allows users to create "learning playlists" for their students or even colleagues. Essentially you can create a slideshow that contains websites, uploaded files, online quizzes, or self written information pages.

As you create each new "step" containing one of the above, a you will be asked to add a description of what that step includes.  The steps can be edited, moved into a different "play" order, or deleted.

Once the list is complete, simply share the playlist with others with the shortned URL that was created by clicking the share button. As students move through the playlist, a progress meter is displayed at the top of the page letting them know how many "steps" of the playlist is left.

One of my favorite aspects, is the ability to create a quiz anywhere in the playlist.  The questions on the quiz can be multiple choice or true false.

Classroom Integration Ideas:

• Teachers can create playlists of websites they want students to use for that day or week in class. Especially useful for elementary grades since students only have to type in one URL of the playlist.
•  Use a mixture of web pages, photos, and written articles to focus a particular subject. Then evaluate their learning with a quiz inserted into the playlist.

Best of TCEA 2013

Each February, some of technology's best and the brightest gather in Austin for the annual Texas Computer Education Association's conference.  Over the new few weeks, I will discuss some of my favorite Apps and Web 2.0 sites from that conference.

Chirp is a free app that lets you share information from one device (iPhone, iPod touch, iPad) to another using sound.  Chirp 'sings' information, letting you share photos, links, notes after the user uploads that data into Chirp. Any device within the audio range that is using Chirp is able to retrieve the data.  There is no need to pair devices. 

Classroom Integration Ideas:
This could be an easy way for teachers to share presentations or web links to students without the students typing any any URLs.

 
Two Web 2.0 resources that are related but perform different tasks are KeepVid and Quitetube.
KeepVid allows you to easily download video from Youtube and save it for later use.
Ouiettube simply removes all distractions such as comments, side ads, etc.

Classroom Integration Ideas:
Great way for teachers to preview and save videos to use in class at a later date. 

Scribble Maps

Scribble Maps Pro  is a free web tool that is great for editing and drawing on top of Google maps. Unlike Google Earth Pro, this site does not require any additional downloads.
[There is also a standard version that doesn't require registration with less features that is an easy way to check out the basic features.]

A toolbar allows you to add to maps by drawing shapes, create place marks, and place text.

 Included in the drawing menu are the following features:

• Pen tool - for drawing straight or curved line segments
• Polygon pen tool - for drawing polygons
• Scribble tool - 'free form pen' for doodling
• Line Tool - for drawing straight lines segments only
• Connected line tool - for drawing connected lines (no individual segments)
• Draw shape tool (for drawing irregular shapes)
• Draw rectangles
• Draw Circles
• Place text
• Measurement tool (measures polygons, and lines)
• Markers (a variety of symbols available)
• Image - link images to the map 

You can also search for maps that have been created by other registered users.


Once maps are edited, they can be shared with an URL link, exported as an image or KML file.

Classroom Integration Ideas:

Use Scribble maps:

• in Language Arts class by inserting place markers with descriptions on the locations from stories that are read
• in Social Studies review geography lessons by having students tag locations being studied
• to chart a Flat Stanley or Travel Bug project

Trading Card Creator

Trading Card Creator is a free Web 2.0 site that allows students to create trading cards on a variety of subjects: people (both real and fictional), place (both fictional and real), physical object, event, or abstract concept. 

There is also a free iPad app (Trading Cards).   

Either version is very easy to use.  After naming and choosing the subject of your card, insert an image for the card, and fill in information specific to the subject chosen (in case of a person this includes background, major events, development, and memorable interactions).  Once the card is completed you have to option to print, save, or share (via email) your final product. 

Classroom Integration Ideas:

Students can create a set of trading cards about 

• historical figures
• characters from a novel
• places or events being studied in social studies classes
• scientific objects
• original character creations of a students own design 

The cards could be used  

• as introduction points to lessons
• study cards for tests

Free App Friday - TapQuiz Maps World Edition

This Friday's Free App is a great tool for social studies classes to master geography.  TapQuiz Maps World Edition allows users to learn the countries of the world as well as the fifty United States through a fun and engaging game.  From the main screen users can choose from the following regions:

• North America
• United States
• Canadian Provinces
• Latin America
• Europe
• Middle East
• Asia
• Africa
• Oceania

Each region has its own quiz. Once the the quiz begins, just tap the answer to each question on the map.

A timer and overall score is shown during and after the review game, challenging students kids to improve their previous scores.  In most regions, there are various sub-regions resulting in 22 overall geography quizzes.