Pollmo - A Free and Interactive Polling Tool

Pollmo is a free and extremely easy to use on-line polling tool.  The unique feature of Pollmo is the visibility of a poll on any website.  To see how it works, try the poll below:

In these three simple steps, an interactive poll can be created.
1.  Visit the Pollmo website and complete the form.
2.  When ready, click on "Add to my website"
3.  Copy and paste either the embed code or URL onto your website or blog.  You are now ready to collect results!


Sample Classroom Activities:
1. Introductory Unit Activity - teachers can use a Pollmo poll to gather information about what students already know about a topic.

2.  Formative Assessment tool - teachers can use a Pollmo poll to determine whether or not students are understanding new material.


3.  Students can create a Pollmo poll to research a particular topic.  E.g. a Psychology class can determine patterns of behavior from among their classmates to see if they are similar to published results.


4.  Professional Development - to better cater to the needs of the attendees, workshop presenters can use a Pollmo poll to gather necessary information to potentially adapt their presentation.


This post originally appeared on The De-tech-tive 4 Teachers.

Twitter - An Educator's Dream PLN

In recent weeks there have been numerous commentaries championing the benefits of Twitter for educators. I would like to take the opportunity to personally echo those sentiments based on my own experiences.

It has been two years now since I opened a Twitter account.  However, I did not take full advantage of the opportunities Twitter offered until recently.  The turning point was last December when I received a smartphone as a Christmas gift.  Since then, it has been an absolutely amazing experience.  The difference?  Having a smartphone has allowed me to 'check in' on a more regular basis which has made my connections on Twitter more personal and as a result, more rewarding.  The sense of community with like-minded individuals who share the same passion for education as I do is incredibly powerful and motivating.  In fact, not only do I feel more valued, but more importantly, I feel empowered.  As each day goes by, my confidence continues to grow to the point where I am much more willing to share with others my ideas and opinions on a wide range of educational topics.  Believe it or not, aside from the aforementioned benefits, Twitter has actually given me something of even greater value.

The single greatest thing Twitter has given me is another opportunity to continue my love for learning.  

Honestly, I can not express enough, how much I love to learn.  I know it may sound corny, but I absolutely love the challenge of learning something new.  In fact, my students have embraced this idea and have taken great pride in teaching me new things.  If that is not a win-win situation, I do not know what is!

As a result of my Twitter connections, I have been introduced to some fantastic people and resources.  Below are links for a small sampling of the educational resources I find incredibly helpful:

http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.ca/ - Lisa Nielsen
http://tomwhitby.wordpress.com/ - Tom Whitby

http://cybraryman.com/ - Jerry Blumengarten

In addition to learning new things, Twitter has presented me with some special opportunities.  Please click on the links below to view a few examples of the opportunities I have enjoyed in recent weeks.

1.  Guest writer for 'Free Technology for Teachers' - Richard Byrne
2.  Feature writer for 'TeacherCast' - Jeffery Bradbury
3.  Interview for 'GlogsterEDU'

Another awesome feature of Twitter that I have taken full advantage of is to participate in chats.  To be able to discuss in real time current educational issues with others from around the world is invigorating.  The exchanging of, reflecting on and challenging of ideas for the purpose of improving the educational system and our own teaching practices is very energizing.  The Twitter Chats I like to participate in are as follows:

#sschat - Monday 7 pm EST
#engchat - Monday 7 pm EST
#edchat - Tuesday Noon and 7 pm EST
#ptchat - Wednesday 9 pm EST
#edblogs - Thursday 8 pm EST

For a complete directory of all educational chats on Twitter visit http://cybraryman.com/chats.html#edchat

Needless to say, the advantages Twitter offers educators are enormous.  However, to maximize the full benefit of any social media application, one must create and share their own content.  It is important to take an active part in the sharing of content, ideas and opinions because in order to truly feel a part of the educational community and thus expand our pedagogical practices and philosophies, one must put themselves out there.  It can be intimidating but you just have to do it!  'The De-tech-tive 4 Teachers' blog is my contribution to the already vast wealth of educational resources available on the internet.  I certainly hope that you find as much value in the content found here as I find in the information I find via Twitter.

As a result of the new connections and resources I have come in contact with via Twitter, I have embarked on an incredible journey the past few months.  It is absolutely amazing the opportunities that have been directed my way.  If you have not already, I strongly encourage you to sign up for a Twitter account.  I am confident that your experience will be a rewarding one. 

This post originally appeared on The De-tech-tive 4 Teachers.

Photo Credit: "Twitter-Cartoon-Bird." Cartoon. E-StrategyBlog. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 July 2012. 
     <http://e-strategyblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Twitter-Cartoon-Bird.jpg>.
photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/yourdon/3478186431/">Ed Yourdon</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photo pin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/">cc</a>

What are Twitter Hashtags?

Twitter hashtags can be very confusing especially for people who are new to Twitter. In a nutshell, a hashtag is any string of characters excluding spaces that follow a number sign (e.g. #cool or #whataretheytalkingabout). 

Additional questions about Twitter hashtags include:

Who creates them? Anyone can create a hashtag.

What is the purpose of hashtags?  To categorize key words or phrases which can be easily found in a Twitter Search.

What do they mean?  Clicking on a hashtagged word displays all other Tweets marked with that keyword.  A popular hashtagged word usually becomes a Trending Topic. 

How do you create a hashtag?  Compose a tweet.  Select a keyword(s) or phrase.  Insert a # in front of the selected keywords.  Viola!  You have a Twitter hashtag.

What is the hashtag etiquette?  

 - hashtags included in Tweets from public accounts allows anyone to search for that hashtag and subsequently view your Tweet.

 - Don't spam with hashtags.  Don't over-tag a single Tweet. It is suggested using no more than 2 hashtags per Tweet.

 - Use hashtags only on Tweets relevant to the topic.

Now that you have a better sense of what a Twitter hashtag is, I encourage you to try creating a hashtag with your next Tweet!


This blog originally appeared on The De-tech-tive 4 Teachers.

Wiffiti - the Interactive Message Board

Wiffiti is an interactive real-time message board

Wiffiti is a dynamic and interactive message board that displays real-time messages from various social media sources. 

Wiffiti is an excellent tool for teachers who want the ability to get immediate feedback from students. As educators know, checking for student understanding is a key component of the learning cycle. The feedback allows teachers the opportunity to direct future lessons to areas students are having difficulty with.

Another educational advantage of Wiffiti is students, especially reluctant learners, are more willing to participate in class activities as the risk to do so is minimized and the opportunities to contribute are more readily available. No matter what type of student you may have, Wiffiti encourages student engagement and a motivation to learn.


How to Get Started:
1. Sign up for an account here.
2. Create a new board by filling in the fields.
3. You are now ready to receive messages! Messages can be received 3 ways:
            - text message
            - Twitter
            - wiffiti.com

Tip: Before students start using Wiffiti, it is a good idea to discuss and set the expectations for shared content ahead of time as the messages can be anonymous.  

In recent months, Wiffiti has undergone significant changes as the tool has garnered a high level of interest from educators. To take advantage of this new market, the company that developed Wiffiti, LocaModa, has redesigned it for more educational applications. Currently, this beta-platform tool is undergoing testing and as a result, full access to Wiffiti is restricted to users who have signed up with specific educational email accounts.  For instance, services such as the G-rated filter and "zap" unwelcome comments feature may not be available.

Sample Classroom Activities:

1. "Ticket-out-the-Door" - before students leave class, have them respond to specific questions about the material covered or summarize the day's lesson.

2. Brainstorming - generating ideas as a class on any topic is quickly and easily achieved using Wiffiti. I really like that students who are having difficulty generating ideas can "steal" suggestions from others in a risk-free environment.

3.  Back Channel Chat - students can pose questions as a lesson is delivered.  The teacher can address those questions as a part of the ongoing lesson.

4.  Socratic Circles - to encourage participation of the outer group, students can forward comments or questions to the inner group via Wiffiti.

A final suggestion is the use of Wiffiti as a Professional Development tool.  Any of the above-mentioned activities can easily be transferred. 

Wiffiti is an excellent web tool that engages and motivates students to learn.  Click here to get started!

This blog is originally appeared on The De-tech-tive 4 Teachers.