First Task: URL Shortening
I tried all of the shortening sites provided for both my school webpage and my grad course blog.
Shortening sites used:
While I see the value in these sites, my original web links weren't very long to begin with. To see more of an impact, I chose my link for my copyright-friendly Symballoo resources. The real power is custom-editing the name! Bit.ly is great for this!
Here is the original link: http://www.symbaloo.com/mix/copyrightfriendlysites
New Bit.ly link: http://bit.ly/1d79zSY
**Edited Bit.ly: http://bit.ly/picsvidsmore
This shows the impact of using a shortening tool! This will make life easier when reciting cites to students and anyone else. One thing is for sure about Middle School Kids--anything new is exciting! When I told the kids I made a new URL just for them, somehow they couldn't wait to write it down! It will be so much easier to share the edited class name to anyone, especially verbally. I'm thinking of my students and parents on parent's night--It's so much easier and less room for error to share my edited version.
One more sample:
For my Web 2.0 Career Concepts course, I customized my link in Bit.ly to: http://bit.ly/zepcareers
The original is: http://www.wilsonsd.org//site/Default.aspx?PageID=3432
I took a Google Training course and the instructor had the class take a survey. He put a Bit.ly link on the screen. It was very easy for the class to type in and quickly get to the Google Form through his Bit.ly link!
Final note: the Google shortener automatically gives you number of clicks on your page AND a QR code!!
Bit.ly also runs the stats of your site activity through the Stats link--very cool!
Second Task: QR Code
I think this is my new favorite thing!! I had no idea how easy it was to create these codes! In many of the URL shortening sites, there is also a QR code generator. Goo.gl tells you to simply add the extension ".qr" to a shortened html link and a QR is automatically generated. I was thinking what might be accessible to my middle school students, as we do not allow cell phones in school. I always want my kids to read current events on the economy, job market, and careers in general. Our local newspaper has a great Business Weekly section that kids should check out once a week. I thought a good place to put this QR is in the hallway, because before school and after school are the only times kids can have cell phones out. This way, they can quickly scan the code, which directs them to this weekly section of the paper. They then have to report in with me and the class about what is happening in local business. The QR below links you to this business section of the Reading Eagle newspaper:
This is the best tool I've used yet! Suddenly, students couldn't wait to access the Business section with their phones. What a great way to generate interest!I tried all of the shortening sites provided for both my school webpage and my grad course blog.
Shortening sites used:
- Goo.gl
- Bit.ly
- Tinyurl.com
- Ow.ly
While I see the value in these sites, my original web links weren't very long to begin with. To see more of an impact, I chose my link for my copyright-friendly Symballoo resources. The real power is custom-editing the name! Bit.ly is great for this!
Here is the original link: http://www.symbaloo.com/mix/copyrightfriendlysites
New Bit.ly link: http://bit.ly/1d79zSY
**Edited Bit.ly: http://bit.ly/picsvidsmore
This shows the impact of using a shortening tool! This will make life easier when reciting cites to students and anyone else. One thing is for sure about Middle School Kids--anything new is exciting! When I told the kids I made a new URL just for them, somehow they couldn't wait to write it down! It will be so much easier to share the edited class name to anyone, especially verbally. I'm thinking of my students and parents on parent's night--It's so much easier and less room for error to share my edited version.
One more sample:
For my Web 2.0 Career Concepts course, I customized my link in Bit.ly to: http://bit.ly/zepcareers
The original is: http://www.wilsonsd.org//site/Default.aspx?PageID=3432
I took a Google Training course and the instructor had the class take a survey. He put a Bit.ly link on the screen. It was very easy for the class to type in and quickly get to the Google Form through his Bit.ly link!
Final note: the Google shortener automatically gives you number of clicks on your page AND a QR code!!
Bit.ly also runs the stats of your site activity through the Stats link--very cool!
Second Task: QR Code
I think this is my new favorite thing!! I had no idea how easy it was to create these codes! In many of the URL shortening sites, there is also a QR code generator. Goo.gl tells you to simply add the extension ".qr" to a shortened html link and a QR is automatically generated. I was thinking what might be accessible to my middle school students, as we do not allow cell phones in school. I always want my kids to read current events on the economy, job market, and careers in general. Our local newspaper has a great Business Weekly section that kids should check out once a week. I thought a good place to put this QR is in the hallway, because before school and after school are the only times kids can have cell phones out. This way, they can quickly scan the code, which directs them to this weekly section of the paper. They then have to report in with me and the class about what is happening in local business. The QR below links you to this business section of the Reading Eagle newspaper:
Third Task: Bookmarklets
The Bookmarklet I chose was Quietube. One thing that drives me crazy about YouTube is all of the advertising and video suggestions that appear after watching a video. We are lucky in my district to have access to YouTube, but we must still monitor carefully due to the potential for inn appropriate conduct. That is why Quietube peaked my interest. All I had to do was drag and drop the button to the menu bar at the top, go to YouTube, find a video and click on the Quietube button in the Menu Bar. It is so easy!!! The YouTube video automatically appears in the "safe" window--not ads or extras for the students to see!! I will use this often as I project videos for the class. I can't tell you how many times I was projecting a video and something questionable in its appropriateness appeared. Quietube takes away the worry factor! Check out the print screens below to see a YouTube video in YouTube, then in the Quietube window. It was nice to show videos without the worry of what crazy and inappropriate ads or suggestions might show, and to just get down to business and the task at hand.
Regular YouTube
Same Video in Quitetube
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