Internet Tool Review #1: Dropbox
Dropbox (https://www.dropbox.com) is a cloud-based storage for all your files such as photos, documents, videos, and more! As a cloud-based storage, Dropbox allows its users to access their files at any time from any Dropbox connected device. This awesome online storage tool offers multiple plans and product features fit for individuals and businesses. (To learn more about Dropbox plans, click here). In addition to its great cloud storage space, Dropbox offers advanced collaboration and productivity tools. Thus, the advanced features Dropbox provides makes it the perfect storage space and collaboration tool for educators and students.
Safe and Secure
To elaborate more on Dropbox’s cloud storage features, users can save all their files safely with Dropbox’s advanced data protection. When saving your files onto Dropbox, it
Collaborate and Share
Moreover, Dropbox is made for creative collaboration. On Dropbox, users can send, share, and receive files. Educators and students will enjoy this feature when collaborating on assignments and presentations. Dropbox allows users to share a big file, such as PowerPoint, for others to view and provide comments. If users wish to allow access to edit, Dropbox
enables this feature by sharing a folder. When you share a folder, other users will have access to edit, delete, comment, and add the file to their Dropbox. This unique feature makes collaboration easy and seamless! Teachers can connect with their colleagues to share lesson plans and important documents. Teachers could also use Dropbox to share presentations, documents, and photos with their students, and vice-versa. Both teachers and students can easily manage the files they share on Dropbox and receive immediate feedback.
Dropbox Paper
Another great collaboration tool that Dropbox provides is Dropbox Paper. Dropbox Paper is an online workspace where users can write text, create task lists, code, and embed multimedia all in one space! Educators and students can use Dropbox Paper to connect and collaborate without the need to physically meet face to face. In this online workspace, you can brainstorm, collect inspiration, share rough drafts, videos, and images. For educators and students, Dropbox Paper is perfect for group work and projects. In one workplace, they can gather and share ideas, as well as provide quick feedback with Dropbox Paper’s comment feature.
Overall, Dropbox is an effective online tool for educators and students. As a Dropbox user, I would definitely recommend this product and its features to anyone! The cloud-based storage makes it convenient to save and access files from any Dropbox device. Also, the advanced collaboration and productivity tools make it simple for users to connect, collaborate, and share ideas.
Internet Tool Review #2: Diigo
Diigo (https://www.diigo.com) is an annotation multi-tool used to make organizing online information easier and more productive. Diigo, which stands for Digest of Internet Information, Groups, and Other stuff, innovates the way you organize and gather information from the web. When researching on the internet, Diigo instantly lets you annotate and save webpages. It provides collaboration tools that creates a unique experience to connect with other users and share information online. Therefore, Diigo makes a great tool for educators and students because it presents an innovative way to organize online research and information.
Annotate and Save
Diigo offers a free version, as well as plans with premium features to meet its users’ needs (To learn more about Diigo’s premium plans, click here). With the free version, Diigo users will have access to the annotation tool once it is downloaded onto a web browser. Once you have access to Diigo’s annotation tool, researching and reading information online becomes easier! Diigo allows you to annotate information as you browse the web. You can highlight text, add text or comments using sticky notes, bookmark, and collect pages. Educators and students will enjoy this amazing feature as they do not need to print pages to mark up.
Build a Personal Library
In addition, Diigo allows users to effectively organize information. You can build your personal library by bookmarking and saving your webpages into folders. You can use Diigo’s tags feature to label web pages into relevant terms for easy retrieval. Your personal library is
Another key feature Diigo offers to organize online information is Diigo Outliner. In a simple format, educators and students can create an outline to organize their ideas and research. You can retrieve the annotations and webpages you saved on your personal library to organize the information you will need for a research report. You can also add in-text citations in Diigo Outliner to cite your sources and create a reference page. When developing written reports, educators and students will find organizing their resources into one place with Diigo is effective and productive!
Collaborate with Groups
Lastly, Diigo also offers a collaborative research and learning tool with Diigo Groups. On Diigo Groups you can collaborate with others to create groups to share and annotate webpages. You can share bookmarks, view and share group highlights, notes, and post on the group forum. Teachers will find this as a great tool when sharing resources with their students to review and annotate. Students will also enjoy this feature when collaborating on group research projects. With this key feature, Diigo takes collaboration and sharing online resources to a new level!
In all, Diigo is a great online productivity tool for educators and students! It makes organizing web-based information easy and convenient in one workspace. I would recommend Diigo to anyone who needs an innovative tool to make researching, reading, and gathering online information more productive!
Internet Tool Review #3: WebQuests
WebQuests.org (http://www.webquest.org) is an all-in-one resource for educators to learn about and access WebQuests. A WebQuest is an inquiry-based lesson, in which students access the content and material to learn and work with from the web. Students will use online information and resources to complete a series of tasks designed to engage them in higher-order thinking processes. WebQuests allows educators to engage their students with quality lessons in a digital learning environment. This website serves as an effective education tool to engage both teachers and students in fun, innovative learning experiences.
Find a Webquest to incorporate in your lessons
On WebQuests.org, teachers and students can click to find numerous WebQuest lessons. This internet tool uses QuestGarden, which is a database system that holds over 20,000 created WebQuests. Searching for a WebQuest is simple and easy! You can search by typing in key words of a topic, or use the curriculum and grade level matrix to find WebQuests for a specific subject. Once you find the WebQuest that fits your lesson, teachers can share and assign them to students.
Create a WebQuest
Moreover, educators who want hands-on experience can build their own WebQuest lessons. As a QuestGarden member, teachers can design and develop their WebQuest lessons to use with their students. QuestGarden makes it easy for teachers to create a WebQuest with its step-by-step directions and examples. When creating their WebQuests teachers could also attach Word documents, PowerPoint presentations, and more! Teachers could also start with an existing WebQuest and then modify it to meet their students’ needs.
Send students on an online mission
Since a WebQuest is designed like a mission with tasks to complete, students will
enjoy exploring and learning online! On a WebQuest, students will: start with an introduction about the WebQuest; review the tasks they will need to complete; and go through a process to complete the tasks. On the WebQuest, students will be able to refer to an evaluation page to see how they will be assessed and graded to successfully complete the project. At the end of the WebQuest, students will then come across a conclusion page where they can reflect on their learning and extend their knowledge with extension activities or projects.
As you can see, WebQuests is an effective tool to motivate and engage student learning. WebQuest.org offers a variety of resources that educators can access to learn and discuss how to use this as a tool in their classrooms. I would recommend WebQuest.Org to all educators because they will see the benefits of teaching and learning with technology. Teachers will love how engaged their students will be in WebQuest lessons. Not only are these lessons fun, but it challenges students to be critical thinkers and problem solvers.
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