Internet Tools Finalization

Internet Tool #1: Diigo

             Diigo (https://www.diigo.com ) is an excellent and innovative internet tool made to improve productivity and increase workflow. Similar to bookmarking pages on the internet, Diigo offers more features that you can do when browsing the internet for research purposes by collecting information, annotating web pages, use highlighting and sticky notes on web pages, organize with diigo’s automated outlines, share with colleagues/classmates, and so much more. Diigo is short for “Digest of Internet Information, Groups and Other information”. At no cost, one could use Diigo with its most basic features, limited storage, and with adds. Price ranges start at $40 and up for standard usage to business. 
           Diigo can be used in the classroom by both educators and students. Finding resources, strategies, and ideas on the internet is now made easier and faster to do with Diigo. For example, an educator can find a resource that may be used to supplement a lesson or strategies that can be implemented in the near future. Diigo can also be used for professional development purposes where online resources can be easily collected, accessed at a later time, and then shared among colleagues. Whenever, an online website is highlighted or bookmarked, it is kept in one place for easy accessing even if the page no longer exists on the web. 
          For student users, Diigo would be best useful for research assignments and projects. Although it can enforce researching skills and assist in organizing one's research at all levels, I would recommend using and exploring Diigo in depth at the secondary level. Diigo can enforce annotating skills and increase reading skills by looking closely and taking note of key details, relevant evidence, and enforcing inferential skills. Students will also be able to learn and enforce organizational skills when it comes to deciding what to do with the information found and where it should go on a research paper/project through the making of Diggo's outline. 
          As both an educator and graduate student, I believe that the highlight of this website is the fact that you are able to annotate web pages and have the options of using electronic highlighters or sticky notes. We are no longer given the option to just bookmark a page of interest that will be easily accessed at a later time, but we can be reminded of why a bookmarked page was so important, the initial thoughts that were made at the time, and possible notes that indicate the significance of online information. Diigo is definitely an excellent tool that can be of great use in the classroom by both educators and students for various purposes.  

Internet Tool #2: Wix

          Wix (https://www.wix.com ) is a free internet tool that can be used to create and build a website from scratch. It does offer subscriptions for premium plans which offer bigger storage, larger bandwidth, no adds, etc. But even with the free plan, Wix has the necessary features needed to start a website. Wix has the features needed to customize a website to one’s own liking. With Wix, one has the choice to build starting with a blank slate or to choose from the available 500 designer-made templates. Wix is a drag and drop website builder that is pretty simple and easy to use. At any time, one could access and update their website. 

          Wix can be used for personal use or business where one could use it to promote an organization or start a business online. However, this could be an excellent internet tool for educators and students in the classroom. Educators can build a website for the purpose of communicating with parents and colleagues with what is happening in their own classroom, what is being taught, a calendar with dates to remember, links relating to homework assignments that both student and parents can access at home, upcoming lessons, etc. Educators can also use Wix to build a website for other educators where resources/strategies they’ve collected and used over time can be posted that may be of use for other educators. Wix can also serve as a teacher made blog to share what is and what is not working for other educators to read.  Schools as a whole can also build their own school website that informs parents and other stake holders of what the school is about, events occurring at the school, and upcoming events as well. 
         On the other hand, students can use Wix as a presentation platform for a group or individual project versus the usual PowerPoint presentation. I would recommend that Wix be used for grades 4-12 with provided parent permission for students below age thirteen since personal information will be used and put on the web. Students creating a website will allow them to take ownership of their work and be proud of their work. Students can also use Wix to build e-portfolios of the work they have done and reflect on throughout the year. For the purpose of building and applying technological skills, students can also use Wix for online daily journaling similar to a blog and at the same time work on their writing skills.  
         Overall, Wix is one of many excellent tools needed to build a website and can be easily used and implemented in the classroom. Educators will be able to promote learning and communication beyond the classroom walls, whereas students will be given the opportunity to use their creativity to design a website from scratch, take ownership of their work, and be proud of what they are able to do through the use of this simple tool. Students using Wix will provide them with an experience they can later use on their own. 

Internet Tool #3: WebQuests

          WebQuest.Org (http://webquest.org ) is an inquiry-oriented online tool for learning used by thousands of educators. It promotes the concept of when there’s involvement in the learning, students will then possess the skills needed to construct new knowledge. WebQuest is a classroom-based lesson in which information that students explore come directly from the world wide web. 
           WebQuest is a free tool that is useful in the classroom. A teacher can simply create his or her own WebQuest to fulfill a short lesson or a month-long unit. A teacher builds a web quest with resources that are preselected for students to spend time using the information versus having to look for it. On the other hand, WebQuest.Org allows educators to use readily available webquests that have already been made by other educators. To access the available webquests, one would  simply search for it based on topic or subject. For example, when searching for a webquest on the solar system or planets, webquest will take you to an external page of various webquests relating to planets. After choosing the desired webquest, one will find that the WebQuest consist of an introduction to the lesson, the tasks, process needed to perform the task, evaluation, and conclusion. 

           WebQuest challenges students to apply critical thinking skills, which also creates an engaging environment that students will enjoy and are more likely to learn from. WebQuest can have students work independently or in groups. Depending on the lesson, webQuest can incorporate group work that will have students collaborating together, enhance social skills, and promote motivation. Webquest tool can serve as a useful and efficient tool. It is efficient because it prevents students from wandering off to sites that may be a distraction or finding information that is irrelevant or false. In addition, students learn to refer to textual evidence to answer implicit and explicit questions relating to the lesson. Lastly, students are given the chance to apply technological skills in the classroom to become better inquirers of the 21^st century.
          In conclusion, WebQuest is an excellent tool most suitable for the classroom setting since we do live in a world that is changing to heavily rely on technology , enough that it is implemented in the classroom as part of the curriculum. WebQuest is an innovative tool that brings lesson delivery to a whole new level where learning still occurs and various skills are built and put to use. 

Additional Links to readily available WebQuests: 
Education World - WebQuests
https://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/archives/webquest.shtml
Teacher Web
http://teacherweb.com/tweb/WebQuests.aspx