Web 2.0 Tools #5: Storybird

Good morning everyone!
Welcome back to Web 2.0 Tools 4 Every Teacher!
I hope you all had an excellent Holy Week.

We are back for another Tool Talk!

We will be talking about this tool:

Storybird

Storybird is a Web 2.0 Creative Tool used for writing stories based off on pictures. Teachers can use this Web 2.0 Tool in their English Language Arts class in order to teach parts of a short story. Foreign Language teachers can also use this tool to enforce grammar meanwhile having students use creative writing skills to write a story.

Here is a picture from the Storybird Homepage:

As you can see, all you need is one picture to start writing your story.
As a registered educator, author, or creative writer (with an account) or as a visitor, you can also read other stories that people have written on Storybird.

Enough talking!
Let me show you what you can do with Storybird.
Check out this "How-To" Screenshot!

Here are some links to some of my personal favorites that I have read/am reading on Storybird.
Midnight
The Dragon Glass
Jamie the Dog

I hope you enjoy using Storybird in your classes to wake up the creativity that your students have.

Will you add this Web 2.0 Tool to your Personal Web 2.0 Toolbox?
Yes or No? Why?

Have a great day! See you on Thursday for another Tool Talk!

Web 2.0 Tool #3: Anki

Happy Thursday Everyone!
Just one more day until Friday!
You can do it!

Today, we will be talking about this tool: 

Anki

Anki is a Web 2.0 Creativity Tool, that is used to make digital flashcards to help you study for an exam.

There are two versions of Anki: one that is used on the computer (a free download), and the one that I will be talking about: The web version.

Like how I said earlier, Anki is used to make flashcards, Anki however uses two princples of education: Active Recall Testing and Spaced Repititon.

    -Active Recall Testing: being asked a question and trying to remember the answer.

    -Spaced Repition: emember things more effectively if we spread reviews out over time, instead of studying multiple times in one session. 

I think it would be better to show you how to make flashcards using Anki, than telling you how to...
Check this Screencast Tutorial

You can also look up different topics in the Anki Manual (Click on the link)

I hope you will enjoy using Anki as I am.

Will you add this tool to your Web 2.0 Toolbox?

Yes or No? Why?

Check back on saturday for another Tool Talk! 

Web 2.0 Tool #1: myHistro

Mystery Logo 1:     is actually: 

How is everyone doing today?

Today we will be talking about myHistro!

First let's see if my hints brought you all to the right answer:

My hints were these

1) This can be used as a Web 2.0 Creativity Tool

2) Teachers and students can use this tool
3) This tool can only be used in one type of class

The answers are Yes, Yes, and Yes

This tool is indeed a Creativity Tool and also a Collaboration Tool

Teachers can use this tool in their classes, and students can use this to make more innovative homework assignments for their class

And this tool can only be used in History or any other Social Science Class (in regards to Education)

myHistro is a Web 2.0 Creativity Tool that is used to create interactive timelines. As I said earlier, this tool can be used in History (World History, Art History, U.S. History, European History, and classes that are similiar), due to its function: the elaboration and creation of timelines.

Here is a slideshare presentation found on the myHistro homepage that gives brief instructions on how to use it to make timelines

These are what the experts say about myHistro: (fragments from myHistro website)

Like Projeqt, another Web 2.0 Creativity Tool, that I will soon talk about in a later post, one can integrate Google Maps (in regards to the location of their story/timeline), Youtube videos that talk about their topic, and  photos that they have downloaded.

Here is an example of what you can do with myHistro:

French Revolution 

Enough writing!
Let's see a tutorial video that will show step-by-step how to use myHistro, and how to create your own timeline.*

Will you add this tool to your Web 2.0 Toolbox?
Yes or No? and Why?

Comment below :)

See you all on Monday, when we look at a new Web 2.0 Tool!

*I will post the video soon, due to technical dificulties with the myHistro Photo uploads