Keeping+The+Lines+of+Communication+Open

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Learning is highly social, with students learning from one another, learning from students in other classrooms and schools, and from other individuals in the community and world. Again, there are a host of simple, free web-based tools that make this possible!

Click here to join the backchannel: @http://todaysmeet.com/techitu

=Social Learning= Interesting Article About Social Networking There are a host of simple web tools that make communicating with others a breeze! Using online tools, students can interact with the teacher, each other in the classroom and even others from outside the classroom. We will discuss tools such as Blogs, Wikis, Microblogs, Skype, Back Channels, & Google Sites/Docs/Forms. >
 * **Blogging**
 * [|Learn about blogging with students.]
 * Sue Sheffer’s blog for elementary students: [|The Purple Teapot]
 * [|Tween Tribune]
 * Kathy Cassidy
 * [|Grade 3 Example]
 * [|Practice BLogging]
 * **Wikis**
 * Examples of Educational Wikis
 * [| Pennsylvania from A-Z]
 * Interest Pages
 * Getting Tricky With Wikis!
 * **Skype**
 * [|Skype in the Classroom]
 * [|Mystery Skype]
 * Granny Cam (Retired Central York School Teachers Connected With Elementary Students. Mrs. Sue Sheffer works with a student as she visualizes the student's writing piece.)
 * Skype An Expert (Example: Third Grade students Skyped with aeronautics engineer and world record holder, Ken Blackburn about the science of flying paper airplanes.)
 * Skype an Author
 * **Microblogs**
 * [|Twitter]
 * [|Community Tools explained from Discovery Education]
 * Edmodo (The video on the top right side of the home page gives an easy explanation of site.)
 * **Back Channels**
 * [|Todays Meet] (No sign in needed, just URL to join...rooms can stay open for up to a year, limited number of characters when typing.)
 * Excellent description of Today’s Meet: [|About Todays Meet]
 * Easy to understand FAQ about the site: [|Todays Meet FAQ]
 * Guidelines for backchannel: [|Backchannel Guidelines]


 * Response Gathering**
 * [|Wallwisher] (Student Example)
 * [|Primary Wall]
 * [|Corkboard Me]
 * Wiffiti

=Communicating with Families= Home/school communication is essential. Simple, free web-based tools make communicating with families a breeze!
 * Newsletters online (wiki, blog, public google doc, website)
 * Example: [|3rd grade Teacher, Missy Rhodes, created a reading blog].
 * Example: [|K-3 Art Teacher, Pam Speaker created a blog to document lessons and art creations.]
 * Example: School Wikispace, use of Glogster too)
 * Example: [|Grade 3 Google Site]
 * [|Mrs. Kelly, principal at SW uses Posterous blog.]
 * Edmodo (Share public link and/or create a parent account.)

Citation: Blogs vs Wikis