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Here's the link to my comment on Melinda Kraft's blog

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Here's my comment on Michelle Plank's blog

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Quizlet! A fun and interactive way to study. Give it a try!

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I have found the perfect addition to my SAT Prep/Semantics course-Quizlet! I immediately dismissed it because I thought it was 'another' quiz/test-making site. I was completely wrong! Well, partially wrong, anyway. Quizlet is an interactive site that incorporates electronic flashcards, gaming and quizzes, which appeals directly to today's student. According to Black (2010), "Today's students have grown up with the speed of video games and MTV. They have little patience for lectures, step-by-step instruction or thinking, or traditional testing...The learning focus remains on information, but the vehicles to access it have changed fundamentally." Quizlet offers the perfect way to incorporate the 'learning focus' and appeal through interactivity.

Quizlet is the modern equivalent to the flashcards coveted, or not, but previous generations. By allowing the students to work at their own pace, and interact within their norm, it gives the student control. "The one-computer classroom controlled by the teacher, often used as a 'center' for drill and practice...continues to be the prevailing reality in many new-millenium classrooms." (Fahser-Herro 2000). This tool gives the student the ability to use it at school, in a computer-lab setting or even from home, depending on how the teacher wants to implement it. I am using it in the computer lab to reinforce the vocabulary we have been learning. I find that the students are engaged and intrigued. Their natural competitiveness comes through as they vie for the fastest time in "Scatter"; the game that requires the students to drag and drop definitions and words. I even find myself consistently trying to beat my 'best time."

Quizlet also keeps track of the words that the students most often miss, so it serves both the purpose of studying as well as keeping track of words that need more attention. By giving the students the power to choose how they learn, gives them the power to learn.

References

Black, A. (2010). Gen Y: Who they are and how they learn. Educational Horizons, 88(2), 92-101. Retrieved May 5, 2010 from ERIC database.

Fahser-Herro, D., & Steinkuehler, C. (2009). Web 2.0 literacy and secondary teacher education. Journal of Computing in Teacher Education, 26(2), 55-62. Retrieved May 15, 2010 from Education Research Complete database.

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Here's the link to my comment on Michelle Plank's blog:

http://mplank8.blogspot.com/2010/05/bp12010052web20tool.html?showComment=1273786684797_AIe9_BEP3BTa3EElDnlUQRu5F-w3DWKS_9t1S5OfPIlh3j2_RumSkLvuvaeCbu0QddUszYv-JUUMRhRn2jczYDlh0urX7xFvWN-eiPf7qQw2fL_4p_fFvUYboYOlZQMu4IG7PJNQmmW6-pBQgBD3ZnCq9tXKBjuqrNCWvMfNgnW3KCgDcBphiHJjZgXJM1x2x8AvDAyIBrIctdSKEE44F-DEyqCcOZ9MAJQwv2zgRqyBlC72p5BISpU#c7134008507335246474

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Here's my link to my comment on Jessica Kolibas' blog:

http://jessica-kolibas.blogspot.com/2010/05/bp42010051web20tools.html?showComment=1273785490152_AIe9_BGBPPAU6PRo2Hmob8NLUKDkx73JEnXRYyBefOxZjAm1ilgKcaxhpaoxokUnv8XRgxCvob0iQRiRTKw6SLXKQI3Soy3VLASnqQlbOfy2ay1swecCBqbsa_YuU2cPxq4vzbgt7J-yNRo36ZflzECBvtDxqGQ_tIn1qgjuIJjj4B3L3ja1JwnYFqnjz4aRfCsRk9J87SfxUWoXvLd5IRisDYpS_flPRcc8FvK5v0fMbS_Jsv1X12o#c8478641943931002590

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Growing up, I was treated to cartoons solely on Saturday mornings. Kid-targeted television was sparse, which was fine because we played outside more or had 'pretend' games and adventures. Today however, cartoons are abundant and children have become more sedentary, whether we like it or not. According to Youssef (2010), "The real challenge comes from bringing a classroom full of 21st century students…face to face with texts that are removed from there present and past experiences not just by decades, but by centuries." In that light, as a teacher I need to approach my curriculum differently than my teachers did. I believe I have found something to make literature more appealing to my cartoon-laden audience-GoAnimate. You can check it out at GoAnimate.com.

GoAnimate is a free website that enables the user to do exactly what the title implies-animating. GoAnimate gives the tools to animate your own stories, or enjoy those created by others. It gives the creator the ability to interpret and create with a variety of settings, characters, movements, etc. The following is a user created animation of part of Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice"

http://goanimate.com/movie/09qSkuivy_UA?utm_source=linkshare&uid=0g-zectVPyM8

Using the animation is more appealing to the students especially when it is created by the students. I am using it for a project on Bram Stoker's "Dracula." I've given the directions to the project in GoAnimate to show the students what it looks like. This is it here:

http://goanimate.com/movie/0pbnWBkcKIcA?utm_source=linkshare&uid=0g-zectVPyM8

So many of our teens today rely on instant gratification. Long term projects generally are not appealing as a result. With GoAnimate, the students can preview what they have done immediately and continue to edit. This provides the stimulus they need to persevere.

With the advent of computer/Internet socialization, students find the anonymity appealing. Texting to someone, writing an email or posting on a blog or networking site opens up a new world to those who are fearful of speaking up. With a site such as GoAnimate, writing stories becomes easier and less stressful. It enables the students to write, edit and animate anything from a creative writing assignment to a persuasive or expository essay.

The user need not special skills; GoAnimate offers pre-made characters, backgrounds, actions, movements, accessories, etc. Text bubbles are created for the dialogue. The only thing lacking, in my opinion is speaking voice. Other than that, it's a fantastic tool!

References

Youssef, L. (2009). A Matter of Relevance: Teaching Classics in the 21st Century. College Teaching, 58(1), 28-31. Retrieved May 12, 2010 from Academic Search Premier database.