EDMODO

Is a free micro blogging platform which us actually built for students and teacher. It also students and teachers to send files, documents, attachment etc. It also is like an online diary where teachers can send out reminders about sports day, assignments, money due! It can be compared to twitter or facebook - but strictly educational!

Features:
Safe
Teacher can delete inappropriate comments
Attachable files and homework
Communication between teachers and students
Alerts and reminders
Upload/dowload files and music
Intergrated to any learning area
Its free and simple to navigate
Dont need an email
Incorporates Gardner's muliple intelligences.

After the EDMODO presentation, I would easily say that this innovation is one of the few out of all the technologies we have been introduced to, that I would absolutely consider using in my classroom. Organisation is very important for me, and this innovation supports that exactly!

Voice Thread

Voice Thread allows users to upload photos, record voice messages, and add comments to these photos. It is sort of similar to a digitial photo album or multimedia slideshow that is very simple to use and user friendly.

The main features are:
Upload photos
Adding comments
Sharing with friends and family
Doodle - draw arrows, point out features etc
Muliple identities
Moderations -private or public?
Embed onto other websites

Voice Thread in the classroom?
Communication with students.
Intergrated through all learning areas.
Incorporates seaking, listening, writing, reading and viewing.
Facilitates speaking and listening activities.
Assessemnet evaluation tool.
Online dicussions.

2nd Life

Second life is a game. However, in many senses, more then just a game. Its a virtual world where you can interact with people from all over the globe. Much like the interactive game The Sims, you can chose your character, what they wear, what the do and who they communicate with. It has become so popular that real life businesses have created virtual representations of themselves.

Second life has many, many educational uses, and as Ive just recently found out, the international space flight museum has been created in the virtual form and allows residents (or users) to view a 3D version of the planets. There are lectures and teachers who also take classess in Second life which makes this innovation a very indepth and creative one.

This innovation is definitely something Id like to incorporate into my classroom and learn more about. The possibilties are endless!

Here is an example of how a librarian has used Second Life...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6D9I36zsec&feature=related

GAME MAKER

Game Maker is quite an interesting piece of technology that allows users to actually create games themselves. It enables users and students to construct, deconstruct and use mathematical skills in one program. after using this innovation I found it quite difficult to navigate and understand what it was i had to do. In the whole construction section, there are many elements such as your character (clown or ghost), music, creating your wall and timing etc.

As you can imagine it is VERY time consuming, and even at the completion of our individual game, I wasn't thrilled with what was created unfortunately.
in the classroom I believe this technology would need to be well researched and used by the teacher or a student before the rest of the class started using it. In saying this, technologically advanced student most probably would thrive on something of this nature. So all in all, teachers should be careful when incorporating this into the classroom, but not be opposed to the idea either!

Hot Potato Hot Potato!

Hot Potato is a program that teachers can use to create all sorts of educational materials for use in the classroom. It is exceptionally helpful in creating interactive tests, exercises or any assessment for that matter.

The main features of Hot Potato are:
1. Multiple-choice exercises
2. Short-answer quizzes
3. Jumbled-sentences
4. Crosswords
5. Matching/ordering
6. Gap-fill exercises

Hot Potatoes also comes with four major applications:
JCloze
JCross
JMatch
JMix
JQuiz

What is so good about Hot Potatoes is the user friendly element! After the presentation, I feel that I could quite easily incorporate this innovation into my classroom. It is not time consuming, nor is it irrelevant. Complete lessons could be set around it, or just as study or practice for upcoming tests and assessments.

Glogster

Glogster Poster's

Forget your boring classroom posters, and in come Glogster - a new poster creating innovation. It virtually is an interactive poster, where images, text, photos, music and videos can all be uploaded. It is also user friendly so nearly all people can use them quite easily. Perfect for schools, Glogster was created for teachers, students and of course classrooms!


www.glogster.com/what-to-do/ tells us all about how and what to do with Glogster...

What to do with Glogster?
Mix graphics, photos, videos, music and text into slick Glogs.Glog yourself every day!
Amaze your friends - send others links to your Glogs.
Pimp your profile! - share your creations on Myspace, Facebook, Hi5, Friendster, Bebo or wherever you want...
Find new friends by their style
Have fun browsing Glogs, comment on other people's Glogs and get inspiration


Glogster PLUS

• created for teachers
• no software to install
• can set it to private - privacy for children
• master account for teachers - can keep a check on each student!
• collaboration of work - students helpers
• send others links
• can be adapted to other Learning Areas - versatile

Glogster MINUS

• carried away with being creative
• targeted mainly at girls
• friends have ability to contact others - inappropriate language