I explored
several different bookmarking options for the digital portfolio. I chose to use a bookmarking Web 2.0 tool
because I find great resources on the Internet, but didn’t have a way to save
and organize them. Frequently, I would
copy the URL and paste it in a word document.
This method worked, however it was terribly inefficient. I found Symbaloo to be the easiest and most
convenient to use. It allows you to put
your most important links on one page that you can access from anywhere. The page looks similar to and iPad with
apps. You are able to customize the
icons, tile colors, and logos. When you
click on a particular tile it will take you directly to that website or
file. There are also webmix collections
that you can browse to find topics that are relevant to you. I created theme/topic pages that can be
accessed and used by my students (geometric figures, fractions, and information
for an opinion writing unit). I also
created a webmix with model info graphics, blogs, and information boards. I particularly like the visual appeal of
this tool. You can categorize tiles
based on topic or (as I did) daily activities.
For instance, I created a webmix to help cover the CCSS on fractions. The webmix includes materials to recognize
fractions which have red tiles, equivalent fraction games and lessons are in
green, the comparing ones are in pink, and the conversions from fraction to
decimal are in blue. When teaching I can
tell the students that they may visit any of the green tiles on a certain
day. This tool is an excellent way to
support and encourage 21st Century Learning. For example, I also created a webmix to
introduce opinion writing. I found
several articles, a couple videos, and a survey concerning school uniforms. The children will be required to look through
the resources and decide if they are for or against uniforms (critical
thinking). Based on their decision they
will pair up with a classmate and create an info graphic using Glogster
(communication, collaboration, creativity).
A link to Glogster, and a model info graphic are included on the
webmix. Also included in this particular
webmix are a video and activities on plagiarism, how to properly cite internet
sites, and how to effectively search the internet, so the children are also
learning about digital citizenship. The webmix allows for all the resources and
appropriate materials to be available in one spot.
Students can
easily use this tool as a visual organizer.
In my classroom I will teach the students to put their favorite math
games, kids’ magazines, links to their emails, etc… on a webmix. CCSS also requires the students to write a
research paper. I think this is an
excellent way for the children to research, save, and organize information that
they find relevant to their research topic.
I am very pleased with this Web 2.0 tool. The site is easy to navigate for myself and
the students!
Here is my
Symbaloo page:
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