::
Great Online Tools
Here follows a list of online tools we use regularly in the classroom. Most of them only need a couple of minutes to play around with before you can create amazing resources for your classes. If you find them interesting why not post a comment and tell us how you used them?
We hope you find them useful!
Johannes Ahrenfelt & Neal Watkin
Why not follow our updates on Twitter?
ToonDoo.com and Pixton.comOnline comic book generators such as Pixton.com can provide teachers with an opportunity to really engage students, challenge them whilst at the same time ensure that they progress. These type of websites also allows exam groups to think about audience, purpose, context and argument. ToonDoo.com This particular website allows the user to quickly register and then produce high-quality and varied comics in only a few minutes. Although there are very few differences between Pixton.com and ToonDoo.com, the latter offers more in terms of usability, graphics and sleekness. We have used both sites with both GCSE and A-Level groups with great results. See the following links for examples how we have used them:
Who made the greatest contribution to the Russian economy: Witte v Stolypin by innovativeict | www.toondoo.com
|
KartooKartOO We really like this site as it give students a visual of how search term link together and which sites link to a particular word or phrase. Here's an example.
VisuwordsThis website allows you to look up words to find their meanings and associations with other words and concepts. You can then produce a diagram of those associations as well as, if you're geeky, install the software on your own site! This is an example of the word 'freedom'.
Wordl.netThis interesting website was passed onto me from Tom T (thanx!), and it's essentially a 'collage' tool; excellent for presenting ideas and visualising concepts. Here are a few examples:
|
Latest News!
StaffroomProject.com
We have recently launched a new website named Staffroomproject.com. The intention is to create an environment where we, the teachers, have the opportunity to gain recognition for our work.
There are too many clichés and misunderstandings surrounding the teaching of exam groups and if education is to be improved then we need to tackle these head on. We are currently writing a book where we explore how we, as a teaching community, can improve the teaching and learning of exam classes. The site has been divided into chapter sections to help clarify and navigate the space - this is our first attempt so if you have any suggestions about alternative chapter titles then let us know.
Our key philosophy behind our book is that exam preparation should not destroy good learning and teaching. The aim is to provide practical examples as well as a rationale for wider use. Therefore, we will post our ideas on this site and you are welcome to download and use them with your exam groups. All we ask is that you add your own comments and ideas so that we can learn from each other and build up models of best practice. Those examples that are added to the final draft will be acknowledged clearly in the book.