Word Cloud: Wordle

Summary

            Getting the gist of a selection of text has never been easier. With Wordle users can plug in a body of text or a website URL to create a cloud of associated words. What makes word clouds effective is the way in which individual words are displayed. Instead of having a smattering of words that cannot easily be differentiated and read, Wordle displays words according to how often they occur in text. Words that were used the most appear largest and words that were used least appear smallest. Some words may appear to be the same size but if a large body of text is used, it is likely that words will appear in a large array of font sizes. Words are randomly placed but some adjustments can be made for style. For instance, users can choose to have words arranged horizontally or vertically, arranged in a rounded or straight edged cloud, in a particular font, or in certain colors. The background color on which the words are displayed can also be adjusted. Therefore, Wordle word clouds can be used for both informational and artistic purposes.

What I Learned

            I have used Wordle and seen Wordle used in the past. However, as I investigated it once more, I learned a new trick that I had not known previously. Once a word cloud is created, individual words can be removed. Often, when pasting in a large body of text, filler words will be used throughout the word cloud which can distract from the meaning of the word cloud overall.

How I Would Use It

            In the elementary school, Wordle could be used within the first days of school to create a classroom mission statement, list of rules, or classroom expectations poster by having each student make a list of student, teacher, and class expectations and/or goals. This could be done anonymously. The teacher would have to collect the suggestions and place them into the Wordle creator. Then, the students could see what ideas were shared among the class. The teacher and students could work together to incorporate the five words that appear the largest and most often (Wordle does not differentiate words by capitalization or word endings; you may see both, “student,” and, “Students,” in the same cloud.) into their class mission statement or document. Doing so would allow students to take more responsibility and ownership in the classroom. In addition, the teacher could work with the students to remove the filler words from the Word Cloud in order to use the product as a wall hanging in the classroom.

 

 

What I Did

            In my most recent investigation of the Wordle tool, I compared the word clouds of two documents. Fist, I copy and pasted the NETS-T standards from 2000 into the word cloud creator. I played with my creation so that the words would be horizontal for easy reading and that the colors would match the original document. I also rearranged the layout of the words until I found one that was aesthetically pleasing to me. I adjusted the design features and layout by clicking on the drop down lists available at the top of my word cloud and choosing options like, “mostly horizontal,” “straighter edges,” “custom palette,” “lots of variation,” and “re-layout with current settings.” There are so many options! Every time I found a style I liked, I would make a small adjustment and found that I liked that look even better!

NETS-T Standards from 2000

View Word Cloud Screencast

            Next, I copy and pasted the NETS-T standards from 2008. I made very little adjustments to the style of the word cloud as the random generator chose I style I already liked. The point of making two word clouds from document that had been adjusted over time was so that I could compare and contrast them to determine how ideas have changed. Since these documents deal with the technology standards in education, I was bound to see differences. Not only has technology (tools and use) changed dramatically over that eight-year span, but the field of education has changed.

NETS-T Standards from 2008

View Word Cloud Screencast

 

            By comparing the word clouds, I noticed two things. There was one word stood out above the rest in each cloud however, the word was different for each. The 2000 cloud emphasized, “technology,” while the 2008 cloud emphasized, “learning.” In addition, there was a greater range in text size for the 200 cloud; some words were very large and many were very small. In contrast, there was less of a range in text size for the 2008 cloud, almost all of the words were of a readable size with few being very large. These things suggest to me that the NETS-T standards have changed from emphasizing teaching about technology through limited means and themes to emphasizing teaching with technology in a multitude of ways.

Standards Reflection

            Using Wordle in the classroom best associates with standard 1 and its components within the ISTE-NETS-T’s standards. Standard 1 requires teachers to create incorporate technology that will facilitate and inspire students in ways that will enhance student learning, creativity and innovation. Wordle, allowing the teacher and/or students to present information in a unique, fun, and engaging ways, enables students to think about information in new ways that may advance critical thinking, creative thinking, and innovative thinking.

Image Grab:Jing

Summary

While I found Microsoft’s Snipping Tool to be an efficient tool for capturing an image, I was frustrated with it pen feature; luckily, Jing has a similar tool that offers two things the Snipping Tool does not. Like the Snipping Tool, Jing allows the user to capture a cropped portion of his or her active screen and alter the picture for emphasis. Unlike the Snipping Tool, Jing has text, frame, and arrow features. Many color options are available to adjust the way these features look on top of an image. Additionally, Jing has sharing capabilities. Using the ScreenCast option, the user publishes their image online and makes it accessible with a ScreenCast URL.

What I Did

            To use Jing, I downloaded it for free to my computer and went through a quick and easy set-up process. During the set-up process, I chose to have Jing start up with my computer. Now, when I turn on my computer, a small sun appears at the top of my screen. Clicking on the sun allows me to capture a new image and to view my history. An image is selected as with the Snipping Tool, by holding down and dragging the mouse to highlight the area of interest. The additional features are used in a similar way. Once I found an image I could use, I captured it, added frames, arrows, and text, the pressed the ScreenCast button as opposed to saving it directly on my computer. I had to wait a moment for the process to be completed. Afterwards, I decided to save the picture for extra measure so I right clicked on the image and choose, “save as picture as....” Jing creates all images as PNG files.

How I Would Use It

            I’m certain there are a million things that could be done with this tool. However, I think I would use it most to present labeled images to my future elementary students. For example, to teach the vocabulary associated with the features of coastal erosion for an oceanography unit, I can frame the features I want students to be familiar with, differentiate them by using a different color for each, and draw labels with vocabulary words using the text feature. To make sure no one gets confused, I can add arrows from the text boxes to the frames to make it clear.

I import Jing images just as I would any other image. After I have saved a Jing image and while I am creating a blog post, I click on the image of a Polaroid photo on my Blogger post tool bar which gives me the option to browse my files in My Computer. I find the image I want and select “Open,” then “Add Selected.” The image then appears within my post.

 

To access and capture free photographs I used Foter which provides hundreds of beautiful, quality photographs organized within searchable categories.

 Q&A

How/where do you save images on your computer?

Using Print Screen, the Snipping Tool, and Jing allows me to capture images to save to my computer. The Snipping Tool and Jing provide a saving option. Using this option, I usually choose to save my images to either “Pictures” or “My Documents” within My Computer. Otherwise, I simply save images by right clicking on the image using my mouse, and choosing “save picture as…”

How do you access you Jing history?

The little sun that appears when I have Jing open gives me three options when I scroll my mouse over it. Clicking on the center option will open up my Jing history. Here I can view, share, or delete any of the Jing images I have created.

How do you publish your artifact?

After creating my artifact, I can publish it by choosing the ScreenCast option. I can do this in at least two places. Just after selecting the image I am served the option to create the ScreenCast. Or, I can save the image and access my image in my Jing History where it once again gives me the option to create the ScreenCast.

What happens if you ScreenCast an item in your history?

The image I created opens up in a new window. Here I can copy the URL to the ScreenCast. This allows me to paste the ScreenCast in a location where it can be referenced by others.

How do you share your artifact with others?

To access my first image through ScreenCast, click here.        

To access my second image through Screen Cast, click here.

Standards Reflection

Using Jing to design new, digital resources that facilitate student learning applies to ISTE-NETS-T’s standard one part “a” and standard two, parts “a” and “c.” When a teacher is able to take a product and adapt it using digital tools, such as Jing, to create a new learning tool based upon their subject matter knowledge, they are not only meeting these standards but demonstrating their ability to think creatively, use tools innovatively, and invent new learning products. Such activity is bound to inspire young minds!

Self Portrait: Picassohead

The internet is not just for publishing works of literature, it’s for displaying art!

Summary

Expressing yourself can be difficult, but not when you have the internet at your fingertips, especially with websites like Picassohead. Picassohead offers a digital canvas and supplies the user with facial features that almost look like they have been copy and pasted from Pablo Picasso’s paintings. The possibilities are endless as you can use color on, rotate, resize, and flip each feature. If you look past the apparent uses of each feature it is possible to create complex facial characteristics and express complex emotions.
 

Before creating my own Picassohead, I looked at the website’s gallery. I was surprised at some of the ways people thought to use the creation tools. I knew that I had to be open minded about my approach if I wanted to create something unique like my fellow artists. Using mostly the eyebrow feature, I created the portrait displayed left.

To view my portrait on the Picassohead website click here.

            While my Picassohead may not look like me, it represents me in two ways 1) I made a curtain with lips to illustrate a stage; I’m a dancer and love to perform and 2) I went for a symmetrical look instead of taking a cubist approach as Pablo Picasso may have; I feel most comfortable when things are orderly.

           This website was fun to use as I didn’t even know exactly what my portrait was going to end up looking like. At the start, I was going for unique and original. I tried to look at the facial features in unique ways and to use them differently. To my surprise, I ended up with the most typical looking female! If I were to create another Picassohead, I’m sure it would wind up looking wildly different.

Learning Objective

            At one point during the creation process, I got frustrated that I could not move features once I placed them on the “canvas.” I would try to move a small object and the boarder of a larger object made it impossible for me to access what I wanted. However, I discovered that by sending the larger feature backward, I could access the smaller one. I had a feeling this would work as I am familiar with using the “Send to Back” and “Send to Front” options available for pictures and clip art in Microsoft Word and PowerPoint.

How I Would Use It

            Ice breakers can help you and your students to feel more comfortable at the start of a new school year and encourage classroom community. Since Picassohead has three step directions and only requires the use of a mouse, it is a simple, low-risk, activity for the computer lab which can allow students and even the teacher to introduce themselves to a new class.

Standards Reflection

            Picassohead.com is a virtual art gallery that can store your very own online creations. Using this tool in the classroom would meet Standard 1 “b” of the ISTE-NETS-T’s standards. Creativity is often expressed when old ideas are synthesized to create something new. By encouraging students to use this tool, students will become inspired by the ideas of a famous artist to express themselves and their ideas in ways never seen before. By stretching students’ imaginations through creativity, they are set on the road towards innovative and inventive thought.

Snipping Tool: Win/Mac OS

Summary

For various reasons I have used my computer’s “Print Screen” option to capture and share images of webpages for colleagues and students. One thing that must be noted about the Print Screen option is that, while pressing a few keys in order to capture, copy, and paste an image to share is a fairly simple task, with Print Screen, you end up capturing an image with superfluous details (the task bar, tool bar, scroll bar, etc.). To share an image without those details, you must find a way to crop the image which can take time and effort.

 

I was not aware until now that another option was available; the Snipping tool allows users to capture a cropped image of their active computer screen. With just seven major options, there is very little that is complicated about this tool. In addition to being able to select only the details you really care about, it also allows you to write a message and highlight text (there is also an eraser tool for undoing changes). My immediate reaction upon discovering this was, “Cool!” But, after practicing with it, I decided it was just okay. I’m not sure when I would really make use of the pen feature as it requires a significant amount of dexterity in order to create reasonably sized marks that resemble anything close to the English language. The computer's mouse is used to draw and works best to create simple exclamation points, question marks, and arrows. This tool would be significantly more useful if it included the ability to create text boxes such as those that can be created with applications like Paint and Word.

 

What I Learned

            Efficiency is key. Previous to discovering how to use the Snipping tool, I would use the Print Screen key, open PowerPoint, paste the image, find the cropping tool, crop the image, and enlarge the image. If the image wasn’t needed in the PowerPoint, I would then copy and paste it elsewhere. I almost can’t believe I have spent so much of my time going through this process. In the future, I will know to use the Snipping tool unless I need perfectly straight arrows or neat text.

            While the Snipping tool may prove to be an efficient tool for grabbing, collecting, and sharing educational materials, Snippers must be aware that copyright rules may apply for snipped images and text. I believe that I still have to learn where some of the fine lines between sharing and copyright infringement lie.



How I Would Use It

            Along with the pen, highlighter, and eraser options, users are able to save, copy, and send (email) their image. These options give the user the ability to either immediately embed an image in a project or to save it independently. The duel capability of this tool, I believe, is what makes it most versatile. For instance, I would use this tool to abbreviate lessons that rely on websites by selecting the most relevant paired images and text that is needed to introduce an idea, supplement students’ knowledge, or evoke curiosity and critical thinking.

             The Internet is full of great learning resources for kids but often there are not enough computers to go around or not enough time to get the class down to the computer lab. Information from these sites can still be utilized by teachers and students when the Snipping tool is used to selectively extract images and text. The snipped images can be used alone, in presentations, or on worksheets. Using the tool in this way can help teachers keep their lessons focused on what is most important, eliminating the temptation for teachers and students to become distracted by links and eliminating the possibility students will become enticed to surf the web.

             For instance, Time for Kids provides free articles and polls online. Stories can be snipped,

highlighted, and presented, or polls can be used for persuasive writing prompts.

Since the formatting, colors, and images remain intact, snips are easy to read and fun to look at. Anything that is irrelevant to the lesson can be blacked out using the pen feature.

What I Did

           While searching the web, I found something I would love to share with my students and include in a lesson. I then found the snipping tool, previously hidden away in the dark recesses of my computer, by searching through my programs in my start menu. After clicking on the tool, I was glad to see that I was served one direction ("drag the cursor over the area you want to capture"), short and simple! I was then able to choose the type of "pen" I wanted to draw with and the color. I made the image relevant to my needs by coloring it in using my mouse and saving it to my computer.

 

Standards Reflection

          This use of this tool meets ISTE-NETS-T’s Standard 1,  “b” and 2, “a.” Stories and articles such as those found on sites like “Time for Kids” are forms of digital literature that reveal real-world issues. They draw attention to these issues and with appropriate scaffolding from teachers, can be used to incite authentic problem solving from students.  In addition, while students may be engaged in learning experiences on individual computers, similar learning experiences can be had if teachers adapt websites’ resources for individual, small group, or whole class learning by providing snippets of the resources through alternate mediums.