Know which tool you want to use? Click the Technology boxes in the column below and follow its row across to see its strengths & weaknesses.
Know what you want to achieve? Click the Pedagogy boxes in the row below and follow them down to see which tool will help you do it.
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Easy, like an email attachment. But can your doc stand on its own?
Yes. Only teachers can upload files to course site. So definitely a push-tool.
Maybe. Use to give task. Collect student files through Forum or Assignment.
No. It's a distribution tool. No option for interaction or communication.
Maybe. Use to give task. Collect student files through Forum or Assignment.
None. This is not a learning activity, but information transfer.
Easy. Find the web address (aka url - the bit that starts with http://), copy it, paste it.
Very easy way of leading students to information. Can link directly to database articles.
Not directly. Option is to link to external student e-portfolios or blogs.
Maybe. Link to external tools e.g. Google Calendar, groups, blogs or wikis.
Maybe. You can link to external collaborative sites e.g. Google Docs, wikis or blogs.
6/6
Can do all of the above, depending on where you link to.
Easy. It's a standard forum, already set up in your course.
Yes. Include course updates, encouragement, timely links, etc.
No. The News Forum is limited. Students cannot post new topics.
You can start new topics. Students respond. Great for establishing course rhythm.
Limited because students cannot start new topics. Tip: Set up another Forum.
2/6 Not strictly learning activity. Test readiness for next class? R & U.
Use for many types of learning activities *
*Be creative with discussion Forums
It doesn't always have to be an in-depth class discussion. Other activity ideas: class debate, team discussions, report weekly project findings, web quests, role play & feedback, gather resources & reveiws, assessment support, Helpline, NZ's Got Talent (use the rating), rotated student-led discussions, weekly magazine,...
Easy. Forum has usable default settings. A name & description is enough.
Share resources as links or files. High message volume? Risk of losing info.
Forum is versatile & allows this, e.g. design a formative assessment activity.
Yes. Students communicate with you & peers. Interact as a class or in groups.
Yes. Students can collaborate & explore topics, discuss them & write together.
5/6
Understand, Apply, Analyse, Evaluate, Create.
Tricky. Decide on individual & group settings. Has some quirks. Get some training.
Yes. Use as information site. Allow editing only by teachers or by any participant.
Wiki is versatile & allows this, e.g. design a formative assessment activity.
Not suited for discussions. Use in brainstorming, planning, collaborative writing,...
Yes. Students can collaborate & explore topics, discuss them & write together.
5/6
Understand, Apply, Analyse, Evaluate, Create.
Default settings are good. Try to set it so the author's name is shown.
Use glossary to define terms or present info. Better yet, let the students add to it.
Glossary is versatile & allows this. But you need to design the right learning activity.
Not suited for discussions. Students can read other entries & comment or rate.
Only original author can edit an entry. Class can collect reviews, resources, etc.
5/6
Understand, Apply, Analyse, Evaluate, Create.
Tricky & takes time. Set up quiz, then questions. Consider your categories.
The quiz is aimed at assessment, not as distribution channel. Tip: use as self-test.
Quiz can be timed & secure. Has essay, mc, true / false, matching, & other questions.
No. Tip: use forums instead.
No. Tip: use forums or wikis instead.
6/6
Can test all 6 but this requires you to be creative in your assessment.
It can be tricky to set up, make sure you plan the lesson first. Worth the effort.
Great for presenting information in a branched, guided way.
Yes, allows grading. Use as branched quiz, scenario, case study, role play.
No. This is an individual activity, not a group activity.
No. This is an individual activity, not a group activity.
6/6
Can test all 6 but this requires you to be creative in your assessment.
Easy. Choose from 4 types. Both online & offline assignments are possible.
No. The assignment tool is not a distribution channel.
Yes. Set due dates & maximum grades. Collect assignments and provide feedback.
No. Only allows very limited interaction between teacher & student.
No. Currently it does not allow group assignments. Use forum or wiki.
6/6
Indirectly. Depends on your assessment design.
Tricky to set up. Know what you want before you build. Get some training.
Can be used for teacher to present info, but better to let the students add to it.
Database is versatile & allows this. But you need to design the right learning activity.
Not suited for discussions. Students can read other entries & comment or rate.
Students can share info & files in searchable way. Create joint collections.
5/6
Understand, Apply, Analyse, Evaluate, Create.
Very easy.
Maybe. With a little creative thinking it can be used to get students and class opinions on content or concepts.
Very limited. You can set it so the results are private, you will need to be very creative to make it work well.
No. This is an individual activity, even though depending on the settings others can see class results. Could follow up a class forum.
No. This tool does not allow collaboration between students.
2/6
May provide opportunity for students to reflect on their learning and therefore create new knowledge.
Easy. With good instructions: teacher time-saver. Can check cognitive presence without having to respond to individuals.
Maybe. In conjunction with other resources, it is used to check understanding.
Good. Use this tool to allow students to post answers, comments and opinions.
No. The communication is one way: student to teacher.
Limited. Students can post responses that can be viewed by others (depends on settings).
3/6
Understand, Apply, Evaluate.
Tricky. You need to set up glossary's and quizzes in order to use games.
No. It is not a distribution tool but used more for formative assessment.
Great. For formative assement. Students can have multiple goes and different questions will come up.
No. Tips: Use a forum instead.
No. Students can't collaborate with each other using this tool.
3/6
With carefully designed questions and/or criteria, games can be used at all levels.
Very easy.
No. It is not a distribution tool.
Maybe. It could be useful if the survey questions (which can't be changed) suit your situation.
Very limited. The dialogue is between individual students and their teacher, and is focused around closed question.
No. This tool does not allow collaboration between students.
2/6
Limited. May provide reflection on learning and therefore create new knowledge.
Easy.
Maybe. Can be used to post information and updates. Once established, students and teachers can post additional messages.
Good. Use this tool to allow students to post comments and questions about a topic.
Good. Suitable for simple sharing and gathering of information.
Limited. Students can post messages & comment on others. For more complex discussion, use the Discussion forum.
Quite good. Info sharing at lower levels. Can be used at higher levels by using a diary/logbook, or with indepth questions.
Easy.
No. It is not a distribution tool but can be used to give individual feedback.
Great. For assessing individual reflection.
Limited. This tool allows for personal communication between a student and teacher.
No. Students can't collaborate with each other using this tool.
Good.
With carefully designed questions and/or criteria can be used at all levels.
Tricky to set up the first time. Get some training.
Yes. Used for teachers to present information but can also let students present.
Yes, but you need to design the right learning activity.
Excellent. Highly interactive.
Yes. Students can contribute to eboard, web share and app share.
6/6
can test all 6, but this requires you to be creative in your learning activities.
Easy to use once installed and contacts/classmates added.
Ok for feedback and immediate questions, but there are better options.
Could be useful for roleplays and tracking decision process. Otherwise limited.
Great for immediate live communication with individuals and groups.
Good tool for groups to share discussions of projects and track input.
4/6
Remember, Understand, Analyse, Evaluate.
Simple to set up and use.
Ok for feedback, ability to see previous chats is handy, but overall there are better options.
Could be useful for roleplays and tracking decision process. Otherwise limited.
Great for immediate live communication with individuals and groups.
Good tool for groups to share discussions of projects and track input.
4/6
Remember, Understand, Analyse, Evaluate.
Easy to use.
Useful for questions and feedback.
Maybe for communication roleplays, but little else.
Best for private 1-1 communication.
Could be used well in pairs-based work.
4/6
Remember, Understand, Analyse, Evaluate.
Very easy.
Yes. However, recordings should be kept short and only allows a max of 20 mins.
No. It's a distribution tool. No option for interaction or communication.
No. The communication is one way: teacher to student.
No. This tool does not allow collaboration between students.
None. This is not a learning activity, but information transfer.
Tricky. Good if you have experience in audio files and RSS feeds.
Yes. Can have longer recordings and can edit.
No. It's a distribution too. No option for interaction or communication.
No. The communication is one way: teacher to student.
No. This tool does not allow collaboration between students.
None. This is not a learning activity, but information transfer
Easy. Very similar to normal email.
Yes. You can add all the emotion, candor, mood, expression and inflection of the human voice.
Maybe. Use to give task. Then collect student response either audio or text.
Yes. Good for interaction one on one with teacher and student.
No. Students can't collaborate with each other using this tool.
2/6
Not strictly a learning activity. Remember, Understand.
Easy. Very similar to a discussion forum.
Yes. But you should have education goal in mind.
Yes. This is versatile and allows for audio and text.
Yes. Students communicate with you and peers.
Yes. Students can collaborate and explore topics and discuss them.
6/6
Depends on content.
Tricky, but worth exploring.
Yes. Great for a web quest and audio web tour.
Maybe. Students could respond with comments to a particular slide.
Maybe. Asynchronous discussion could allow students to respond with comments on a slide.
No.
6/6
If you use all tools example comments.