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Jenny Olechowski's Web 2.0 Reviews

Url: http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/essaymap/ Description: This site has an interactive essay organizer that allows a student to create an organizational essay map
 * 1) 1 Read Write Think: Essay Maps

Students can be given the website address and asked to complete the interactive form prior to beginning a written essay. There is an option to print the map which can then be required of the students for teacher-check before allowing them to begin thier actual essay so that feedback can be given.

This tool will allow visual learners to see a flowchart or writing path by highlighting their topic ideas, supporting statements, and to aid them in keeping their essay balanced and focused. This will also help learners that like to see the big picture all at once but tend to get lost in the logistics of explaining themselves with the written word.

Advantages to using this tool include an "overview" for the teacher to read/preview before reading the actual essay. It can also can be used as a checklist for students as they proofread their own or their peer's work. Finally, this tool also helps get students to put research into their own words in an environment that often shows me students "cutting and pasting" from the work of others.

Url: https://www.google.com/
 * 1) 2 Google Docs

Description: Online document creation, sharing and storage

Yes, students have access to a the school network to save their projects and work for classes. However, too often student excuses about the limited access (must be at school to work), program deficiencies (different programs/versions at home vs. school), corrupted files when transferring via email (missing or partial attachments, lost formatting) and loss of flash drives are used to get extensions on deadlines. With Google docs being a free, web-based utility, all students can potentially save their work and even share it directly with their teacher without the room for catastrophe.

Advantages to using this tool include aid in organization for those students with limited access to flash drives, programs at home, or those email-attachmently challenged students. It also allows teachers to directly have access to project files, groups to share access to files, and helps promote tech-literacy with students.

Consideration should be made for teaching students how to name files, share them, and use the programs involved with google docs. A little up front training could minimize technical difficulties and excuses that eat up tremendous time down the road.