Bloom's Digital Taxonomy

I encourage students to use higher order thinking skills (HOTS) by editing work, use advanced searches, collaborating with others, designing and publishing. A way I can encourage students to focus less on lower order thinking skills (LOTS) is to avoid simple google searching. This would involve a better focus on implementing advanced searches. Also, a way to use HOTS in the classroom is to have student buddies around the world the students communicate with via Skyping vs. email.

Digital Storytelling

I used Movie Maker to create my movie.

To create my movie I used pictures that were on my computer at school. The step-by-step process was easy to follow. I added credits, sound, and visual effects to create some interest to the movie. (It is not a great movie, but I did familiarize myself with the program.)
Some of my students have used Movie Maker during science class. They were able to select what method to display their presentations and several chose Movie Maker. They enjoyed creating the movies and showing them to their classmates.

Digital Storytelling: Link to Movie

http://webcast.mariemontschools.org/tPlay.asp?varPath=\ME\21st century assignment\Movie_0001.wmv
The movie is also posted to the Public Drive: WEBCAST, ME

"Other" Tools

Tools that I found:
1. Graphing and Charting Tools
a. ChartGizmo- free and can be used to make charts for websites, blogs, and network files http://ChartGizmo.com
b. Class Tools- crates Venn Diagrams
http://classtools.net/education-games-php/venn_intro/
c. Createagraph- can create a bar, area, line pie,
or an XY graph http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/createagraph/

2. Quiz and Poll Tools
a. eQuizzer- free web based quizzing program, manage, monitor and create quizzes http://www.equizzer.com/
b. Yacapaca- free, can use already created quizzes or make your own http://yacapaca.com/
c. Mystudiyo- interactive, can have feedback for each question completed http://mystudiyo.com/

3. Mapping Tools
a. CommunityWalk- at this website your can create personal, community, and professional maps, show the map on a website or blog, and add photos, videos, comments http://www.communitywalk.com/
b. OpenStreetMap- free, editable map of the whole world, it allows you to view, edit and use geographical data in a collaborative way from anywhere on Earth http://www.openstreetmap.org/
c. Scribble Maps- google maps, you can draw and customize your own map http://scribblemaps.com/#lat=42.314111&lng=-83.036825&z=3&t=Map&y=0&p=0

Wiki

I created a Wiki! The most frustrating part was coming up with a name for my Wiki because every single name I came up with was already in use. Once I was in it was a user friendly program. The help button was actually 'helpful' and well organized. I'm not sure but I think that Wikispaces and Google Docs were pretty much the same service. I could see myself using Google Docs more just because it is part of google.

Wordle Assignment

We have used Wordle in the classroom for spelling words and for our lunch group Circle of Friends. Using Wordle for spelling helps students practice typing the words in and then also having them printed to read and review. We used Wordle in Circle of Friends by typing the expectations of our lunch group. Wordle is a fun way for students to display creatively.

Google Reader

This assignment was really cool. I liked how I could browse and select news feeds to add to the google reader. Out of the 5 that I found, NASET News Alerts was the best. It had very good information and news stories. I picked it because it was an education based news feed.