PicLits is a great tool for incorporating creativity with effective writing. The students can find pictures of something they like, thus making the writing part more personal for them. They get the chance to “write” what they know and love. Having a limited number of words to choose from really forces them to think outside the box and make a sentence work. However, having a selection of words can also help students make stronger sentences by using words they might not have considered.
Scratch is nice for getting students to think critically. Getting to create puzzles not only enhances their own learning experience, but also the experience of others. I think it’s great for students being able to teach other students. Someone who is good at math might be able to make a game that will help teach other students who aren’t so great at math. The same can be said for science, literature, history, etc. As the website said, it is also good for getting students to work collaboratively to create functioning games or puzzles.
I’m not sure Voki has any educational value. Blogs are great for getting students to communicate with each other and share information, but I don’t think adding a talking avatar helps. Maybe some people like having a voice talk to them rather than having to read.
Posted by dcrovitz on October 20, 2009 at 2:53 pm
I tend to agree with your overall assessments here.