Blog Post # 8 Collaborative

21st Century Learning and Communicating Tools

I hope to teach K-2, so I searched for tools that I believe would be effective and beneficial to lower elementary students. I believe, all of the tools that I have chosen, involve the four C’s: Collaboration, Communication, Creativity, and Critical Thinking.

 Digital Storytelling connects students with classrooms and communities through stories written by the students. With digital storytelling, “Traditional writing, reading, and listening skills are reinforced, while 21st century ones (digital information, visual, and media literacy skills) are developed along the way”.

Tools that students can use to create their own digital storybook:

• Storybird is a collaborative storytelling site. I like this site, because rather than students adding pictures that relate to their text, they start out with the artwork, usually donated by artists. Students work together to choose illustrations, then use their imaginations to develop creative stories. 
•  Little bird tales is another digital storytelling tool. With this tool, students can upload their own pictures, use their own artwork, and add audio voiceover to their stories. 
•  Book Creator is an iPad app. Students can create a book in the app and then become published authors by publishing their books in iBookstore.

 I would use these tools in my class as a way for students to write their own stories or reflect on what they have learn. I would use little bird tales or book creator as a tool for the whole class to create a digital book together. One idea for a class book, would be to take pictures of the students while the class is
on a field trip, then upload each student’s picture and either have them write or do a voiceover about
what they learned and what they enjoyed doing on the field trip.

 Little bird tales Handout

 Collaboration Tool

 Primary Wall allows for teachers and students to share community “sticky notes”. The site is similar to Padlet, but is considered to be more elementary friendly. This tool can be used to share thoughts, ideas, and information when working in a collaborative environment. This tool can be used in
language arts, math, and phonics. Teachers can create a wall and ask students to list as many adjectives or verbs they can think of or list different ways to make the number ten. I would also use this tool as a way for students to share their ideas about projects they would like to create in class.

VoiceThread is an interactive collaboration and sharing tool, used to discuss any type of media collaboratively. It is used by teachers and student from K-12 and college professors and students as well. Teachers and students can upload images, documents, or videos to voicethread. Once they have uploaded their chosen media file, they can then add text, voice, audio file, or video comments. 

Voicethread enable students who have different learning styles to share what they are learning with the class. It is also useful for those students who may have a hard time expressing themselves or organizing their thoughts in writing, by enabling them to verbally share their thoughts with the class through voicethread.

Self-Evaluations:

Students can reflect on what they have learned and self-assess the quality of their work.

Digital Storytelling:

Students can create digital books, using their own artwork and vocally demonstrate what they are 
drawing about. 

Brief Instructions for Thread

Examples of Voicethreads