Web 2.0; Technology to Use in the Classroom

Classdojo

1. This site is a class management tool for teachers, parents and students. This site has the ability for teachers to track students behavioral tendencies, along with attendance and evaluate group work easily.
2. For teachers the standard is the ability to customize activities with technology to help with different learning styles for each student. This is achieved with Classdojo because the teacher can develop a deeper understanding of each students ability to learn through using data from Classdojo.
3. Before using the site its important to know that using it to its full potential takes a lot of multitasking ability. the ability to monitor students constantly and make judgments on how they are working. It is a fast and easy way to create data but it does take effort.
4. This site is great for students, teachers and parents, students love the instant feedback and the ability to create an avatar. For parents they get an insight in to theirs child’s experience in the classroom. For teachers it provides data for each student, behavior, attendance, and participation wise, which is helpful in conferences with parents or principals.
5. This site does not have many limitations, the only one truly being that for it to work to its full potential students and parents need to be active users.
6. The age group best for this site would be 2nd grade-5th grade, for the best effect. The site can be used for higher grades, though it will become less effective the higher the grade level.

Instagrok

1. This site is a great research tool for students, by simply typing in a word or phrase a web is created of all things having to do with the subject. The site also lets you pin things to the web, so that a student wouldn’t forget an important fact for an essay or other assignment.
2. This site is good for the standard in which students need to be able to locate, organize, and analyze research. Instagrok, provides websites, facts and images, which are things needed for most research projects.
3. Something to know before using the site is before introducing it to a class, play around with the site so as to be able to show students proper use. With the sites many abilities it’s important to identify as many useful ones as possible so as to help guide students.
4. This sites strengths is the ability to present the information in a way that helps students create connections throughout the web design. Another strength is that it provides multiple mediums, connected to any topic or any connected topic.
5. A limitation I see is that it may take time for students to become well versed in how to use the site, due to the many things that are possible to do the research well. Another is that there is no protective ability where teachers can limit what they search for. Without Parental controls, more monitoring is needed for students.
6. Age group wise this would be most effective and useful for 5th grade-9th grade students. the reason I don’t include the upper levels of high school is by that time students should be able to research without a site doing it for them. this site is a good way to teach the ability to do research, not rely solely on the site.

Khan Academy

1. Khan Academy is a site for math and sciences activities and help. The site provides students of any grade and mat or science subject the ability to work on each part that make up a certain subject. Example a student would choose math, then grade level, then subject and then whatever specific part of that subject they want to review. The site has activities for younger students and videos to help older students.
2. This site follows the standard of critical thinking and problem solving for students. They will have the ability to identify which way they learn best, from information to the videos that provide help. They also follow the standard by being able to explore possible solutions and identify questions if they can not figure out a problem and the site doesn’t help they will be able to ask teacher for help later.
3. Things needed to know before using the site is that a teacher can also use the site for activities and be able to track student work.
4. The strengths of this site include that its a great activity to have students use after finishing other tasks without wasting time, they would be using time effectively. It’s a great site for students who need outside help and still get it at home.
5. The site can apply to all age groups, I feel it would be most useful for 2nd grade- 12th grade. Thought there are pre-k activities, I feel this site is better used for ages 6-18 years old.