Reviewing+Widgets



=**What is a widget anyway?**= Find out what a widget is [|here].

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=So what do we think?=

Cool Text is a website that allows you to make buttons or different texts. The title on this page and the button on the left has been created on Cool Text. The nice thing about Cool Text is it allows you to sign up for a free account or you can simply make buttons and logos without signing up. If you sign up for an account you can retrieve the html code to embed in your site. If you do not sign up you can download the created elements as jpgs. Overall I found this tool very easy to use and very applicable. You are limited to the number of options you have, but overall for ease and use I would give it five stars. I could see using this widget in writing. Students like to make their writing their own and being able to embed creative text that reflects the topic of their paper adds more relevance.

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GeoGreetings is a websites that lets you great Google Earth greeting cards and send them to your friends for free. When you go to the site it allows you to type in what it is you want your greeting to say. Once you have typed it in then it generates your greeting card. When you click preview it shows where in the world they are getting your letters from and shows you the city, state, or country. The cool thing is that at the end when you preview your greeting it takes you there visually so you can see where on the map they are getting your letters for your greeting. I think this is a great way to show students on the map where places are in the world and then letting you have the option to view the places where your greetings are coming from. The creative process that the students are getting to choose the greeting that they want and then getting to see it visually made in front of them. They are also given the option to share their greeting to their friends or family. They are also given the opportunity to explore the map and zoom into the letters that were given to them so they can see where the letters are in the world. Overall, this site to me is very good and I would use it in my classroom!

Oddcast PhotoFace is a website that lets you upload a photo or avatar or select from the available photos and backgrounds. You can then add voice, background, expressions and movement as you create your own moving picture. Many opportunities for expression exist as students make the creation their own...no cookie cutter photos and voices here. Students could communicate by sending messages via their avatars. The creative process also allows for construction of characters as students do not have to use their own faces in the process. Inquiry can be tied to this program by having students create an avatar to represent a time period or to explain a scientific process. It's putting voice to figures in the same way children do with puppets or storytelling but in this case, it is via technology. Strengths include the options for students to create and morph the faces as well as adding voices. The biggest weakness is that this is a demo format. Oddcast has several different demo formats available. I was unable to get much additional information because the company wants you to call them so they can customize a package for you.

The following links take you to the creations that I easily made in a few minutes:

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Big Huge Labs, "Home of fb's Flicker Toys" is a treasure trove for the classroom teacher. Originally, the trading card creator link was chosen from the //Cool Tools For Schools// widget link. However, that link turned out to be part of the much larger Big Huge Labs site with activity links any teacher might find useful.

When considering the strengths of this site, the major one would be the fact that there are plenty of ways to engage student in creativity. That students are able to use their own photos to create projects is another plus. Many schools stress the development of student's writing skills. With programs like Magazine Cover, Movie Poster and others, students can do just that. There are plusses for teachers as well. Want to create something unique and special to recognize a student, group or event? Motivator, Magazine Cover and Mosaic Maker fit the bill. Finally, photos stay in the user's gallery once they have been uploaded and are readily available for use. In some cases tags may be created. All items can be shared, saved to the computer or purchased.

If there were a minus at this site it would be that it is sometimes difficult to know if your photo has been uploaded. Most often photos do not appear in the gallery until after the media piece has been created. Students may become easily sidetracked by the variety of media they are able to create. Some might consider that a minus.

Students will surely use the skills of inquiry, construction, communication, expression particitapating in activities which include the activity links at BHL. For example, students could make unique cubes using their photos. Groups could then roll the cubes to predict probability. Another example of inquiry would be searching out appropriate photos to represent certain subject matter, ideas or events in order to make a Mosaic or Pocket Album. Motivation allows students to combine photos and text to convey powerful ideas. Bilboard, Captioner, Calendar, Trading Cards, Magazine Cover and Movie Poster can all be used to focus on writing skills. In most instances the many programs can be used to communicate ideas and information using the combination of text and photos. As students select photos and text, where applicable, they are constructing a product as well as meaning. All products end up being a unique expression of the user's thoughts, feelings and ideas.

//Big Huge Labs// offers perks for educators and their students. Go to [] to check them out. You can also click the education link on the menu bar to access the information.

The photo below includes samples from Name Badge Creator, Mosaic Maker, Motivator, Magazine Cover, Photobooth and Trading Card.