Toolboxes

I enjoyed reviewing the toolboxes created by my classmates in their cozy groups.  I can imagine using several of these tools in an online high school Global Studies class, the focus of which is modern world history.

Survey Monkey or Zoomerang: I have frequently taken, but never created an online survey.  I am curious about how these tools compare.  I can imagine using these tools to get to know students, similar to how Datta Kaur began our assessment class.  This would allow me to gauge students responsiveness early in the class as well, because I have some concerns about how high school students will handle the responsibilities of fully online learning.

Similarly, I see eyejot as a tool to introduce the course and assess students technical savviness and responsibility.  Many secondary students will enjoy seeing and hearing their teacher and classmates.  This could also be used for oral presentations, but I would be much more likely to use WebEx, which the district employs, to assess student content understanding.  As noted in my group's toolbox, WebEx could be an excellent tool for assessing the depth and complexity of student content learning.  I like the idea of student presentations that allow immediate interaction and feedback with me and with classmates.  Students could create these presentations using Adobe Presenter, which would allow them to serve as learning artifacts and allow for other students to use the presentations as a resource.  I can also see myself using presenter to deliver information to students asynchronously.

My own experiences with this blog corroborate Shawn and Barbara's notes of Blogger's weaknesses.  I am not having as much luck linking this with my google sites e-portfolio and I am clearly seeing how this fundamentally another net for bringing people into the Google boat.  I am, however, enthusiastic about the use of student blogging as a formative assessment tool, and, at this point, would probably investigate Edublogs.

Thanks to all of the cozy groups for providing these toolboxes!