ICT Tools
The following list will detail the interactive web-based ICT tools we have used for this assessment, advantages and disadvantages for student (individual or group) and teacher use and which lessons these tools are used in.
In general, these tools have been selected for their user friendly, interactive and dynamic use, as well as the capacity to integrate with the individual informal formative assessment item (infographic) created on Piktochart.
Please click the images or the title of the website to be directed to the website homepage.
In general, these tools have been selected for their user friendly, interactive and dynamic use, as well as the capacity to integrate with the individual informal formative assessment item (infographic) created on Piktochart.
Please click the images or the title of the website to be directed to the website homepage.
Padlet
Padlet is a "virtual cork board" where people are able to collaboratively share their ideas and opinions about a central topic.
It has a beneficial use for students as it allows them to create a "hub" whereby they can plan projects and share information easily between groups, classes or even exclusively with the teacher. If the Padlet page is established by the teacher, then they will have the capacity to moderate the page and limit inappropriate use. Although, upon saying this, guidelines of use should be outlined to the students before use as well as acceptable punishments with consultation from the class. In what lessons are Padlet used?: 1, 2 |
SurveyMonkey
SurveyMonkey is a popular online survey site that allows for various methods to answer questions. Outside of a school environment it has even been used in professional trials and for tertiary education. It has become largely popular due to its friendly user interface and accessibility, which makes it ideal for student use. Through this interface students are able to create their own survey's to assess the learning of their peers or may complete some created by their teacher to facilitate self-reflection and revision. If used in a classroom setting, stringent rules should be applied so that students do not use inappropriate questions or list offensive responses.
In what lessons are SurveyMonkey used?: 1., 3 |
Canva
Canva is an online graphic design website that uses the "drag and drop" interface that is targeted toward non-professional designers. The simple, easy and stylistically pleasing website is ideal for student use as no prior experience is required to operate it. Canva permits the students free reign over their design and encourages academic and artistic spheres to seamlessly blend. Teacher's may also use this website to design engaging pamphlets or fact sheets for their class. As Canva is an individualised site and therefore students must have their own accounts to participate.
In what lesson is Canva used?: 3 |
Piktochart
Piktochart is an web based, interactive infographic and design website that is incredibly simple to use without prior experience or exposure. People are able to publish these infographics online to share publicly with anyone they please.
Its easy, user friendly interface is ideal for students to create attractive means of displaying compiled information. However, it does not have a distinct group function, so if group use is required team members would have to share log in details. Alongside this, teacher's would not be able to moderate use or content, which may result in inappropriate use. Therefore, teacher's should create distinct rules and reprimands for the appropriate use of Piktochart. In what lessons are Piktochart used?: : 1, 2, 3 |
Word Art/Tagual
Word Art (now renamed Tagual) allows for creation of creative and visually appealing "word clouds" that highlight important words.
Students benefit from Word Art as it allows them to express individuality and creativity through the formation of their own (or a group) word cloud that highlights the words that they perceive as important. However, students may need some direction from the teacher, as the interface is confusing to operate the first time. Although teachers can not moderate Word Art, it allows them to clearly identify words students believe are integral to information and observe student creativity. In what lessons are Word Art/Tagual used?: 2, 3 |
Google Docs
Google Docs is a free online collaboration service that allows students to combine ideas in the form of Word™, Excel™ and PowerPoint™ documents. For students this yields exceptional potential for planning and execution of group projects. As the document is easily shareable, there is a clear opportunity to incorporate the teacher for management, observation and review.
In what lessons are Google Docs used?: 1, 3 |
Kahoot!
Kahoot! is a fast paced, interactive and multi-media friendly quiz website that has proven highly engaging with a wide demographic of students. This website provides teacher's with the opportunity to "blitzkrieg" questions to assess schema, retention and learning or their students. The teacher is also able to observe the spread of questions and how they were answered by the class to assess their learning and attention.
There is also the added advantage that students find the "promise" of a Kahoot! quiz as a highly motivating factor, particularly in younger year groups. In what lessons are Kahoot! used?: 1, 2, 3 |
Creative Commons (Search Engine)
Creative Commons (CC) is an international non-profit organisation dedicated to legal sharing of peoples work for use or adaptation. They also provide the "digital denizen" with information about their rights and licenses in relation to stringent copyright laws and agencies. Alongside this, they provide their own search engine (which is linked to a variety of different search engines) so that people may peruse and use resources wisely and without as much fear of c
For students and teacher's alike CC can prove a useful ally in the search for applicable and valuable for various online resources. In what lesson is the CC used?: 3 |
QR Code Generator
QR Code Generator is a program used to create QR codes that are an interactive and simplistic means of accessing digital content with any mobile device at any time.
These codes may benefit students as they can connect students to any digital medium at any time, simply using the device in the palm of their hand. Teachers can implement these QR codes simplistically and they do not require a great deal of skill to produce. In what lessons are QR Code Generator used?: 1., 3 |
AnswerGarden
AnswerGarden is a collaborative word mapping tool that an entire class can use to create a word cloud in response to a simple question set by the teacher. AnswerGarden allows students to work together, co-developing understandings of topics and visualising the emphasis placed on certain answers that multiple students have contributed. Teachers receive visual feedback on the progression of students and can gauge what students care about most when studying any particular subject matter.
In what lesson is AnswerGarden used?: 2 |
ABC Splash
ABC Splash is an online, public multimedia platform providing anyone with full access to a broad variety of educational videos from around the world. As an entertaining means of information distribution it allows students to build knowledge of a subject that is both visually stimulating and formative to their learning experience. It can both complement the knowledge a teacher brings to the class or serve as a source of information that might otherwise be difficult to deliver via traditional methods.
In what lesson is ABC Splash used?: 2 |