Dotstorming

 Dotstorming is a free real-time, group-sharing, brainstorming and decision-making web tool that can easily be used in every classroom.

Dotstorming is similar to Padlet and Realtime Board in that the teacher creates a board/wall that produces a web address for students to click on or type in for easy access. Users can add “post its” with their thoughts or ideas as well as upload images. I love to use virtual collaboration boards like Dotstorming for students to share their work with one another.

Dotstorming allows users to view and comment on each other’s posts. Students LOVE to read the feedback from their peers.

Users can also place votes on their favorite idea or image by clicking the “dot” under the post.  The post that has the most dots is the most popular.   As the creator of a Dotstorming space you can restrict the number of votes that each person can cast.

Another great feature of Dotstorming is the chat room. This is helpful for students working together, as they add ideas and upload images to a shared board. They can communicate with each other without leaving comments on the individual posts.

 

The Chrome App & Extension Database

Thank you to Kasey Bell for compiling and sharing 100+ Chrome Apps & Extensions for productivity and classroom integration.  Google Chrome can be customized to fit the needs of our student learners.

The magic of customization comes from the Chrome Apps and Chrome Extensions available in the Chrome Web Store. On the left-hand side, you will find categories, including a category for education.

What are Chrome Apps?

Apps are often enhanced shortcuts that optimize the website or app within the browser. Some require additional installation and set-up. Chrome must be running to access these applications.

What are Chrome Extensions?

Extensions are installed in the browser and give you added features and abilities to customize your browser.

Warning! Running too many extensions at once can slow your computer down. This list is a great place to start, but pick and choose what ones you need or want to try.  Be sure to grab the Extensity extension so you can turn extensions off when you do not need them.

 

ViewPure

Common uses for viewpure:

• Removing inappropriate ads and comments from videos to show kids
• Removing unwanted related videos at the end to show students
• Memorable URLs (youtube.com/watch?v=_JmA2ClUvUY vs viewpure.com/BabyDebate)
• YouTube search with a cleaner UI and filtered results
• Cleaner interface to view YouTube videos
  

  How do I purify a video?

  Step 1: Find a YouTube video you like.
  Step 2: Paste it into the field on the homepage that says “Enter YouTube URL or search term…”
  Step 3: Click Purify and enjoy.

Padlet

What is Padlet (formally Wallwisher)?

• Padlet is a virtual wall that allows people to express their thoughts on a common topic easily. It works like an online sheet of paper where people can put any content (e.g. images, videos, documents, text) anywhere on the page, together with anyone, from any device.

Key Features

• Customize the wall title and description.
• Customize the background (wallpaper).
• Choose how posts appear on the wall.
  • Option 1 | Freeform: posts can be put anywhere and can be re-sized freely.
  • Option 2 | Stream: posts are placed one below the other.
  • Option 3 | Grid-like: posts are placed in a grid-like format.
• Privacy Features
  • Visibility: allows you to customize how public you want the wall to be (i.e., completely private, password protected, hidden link (hidden from Google and public areas of Wallwisher), and/or totally public). This is a great enhancement to the tool, particularly for educators!
  • Moderate posts: requires you to approve posts before they show up not he wall for other readers. Again, this is a great enhancement to the tool as it allows educators to moderate student comments.

Expectations for Acceptable Use

• Before using this tool with students, it is essential to outline expectations for acceptable posts and provide specific examples of unacceptable posts.
• Share the consequences for unacceptable posts.
• Set specific rules on how students name themselves when adding a post. If students aren’t comfortable providing their real first name, have them create “pen names.” Create a list of these names so you can monitor student progress.

Click – WHAT IS PADLET? – for TUTORIAL.

Thanks to Keystone Area Education Agency for the write up.