Website Website EvaluationsEvaluations

Website Website EvaluationsEvaluations

Jennelle Kesteloot (Richie)Jennelle Kesteloot (Richie)Madonna UniversityMadonna University

RDG 5410RDG 5410

http://www.xtranormal.com/

Website #1

How Could I UseThis With…

• Students– Engagement, creativity, ELA, visual

learning• Parents

– Open house, blog, themed units, project-based learning

• Other Teachers– Professional development, workshops,

grade level meetings• Community

– Facebook (class page), blog, colleagues

Ease of Use• This website is very easy to use.

The directions are in English (not alien) and there are many ways to make it your own.

• It walks you through each step and explains what everything does.

Cost

FeaturesBasicFree

Educator$10/month

Professional$50/month

Online Movie Maker

Xtranormal Desktop

Actors and Sets Purchased Individually

Included Included

Premium Web Servies

Pay Per Use Unlimited Use Unlimited Use

Kid Friendly Environment

Admin Tools for Teachers

Actor Customization

Only Colors Only Colors Full

White Label Videos

Commercial Licensing Rights

Flexibility of Design• Every time you create a movie, you

get to choose the scene, actors, and the script along with motions and sounds.

• Every movie can be different and set in a different place.

• There are many different characters to choose from.

Security• The website recommends that the

users are 13 and older.

• To sign in, you need a user name and password.

Ability to Correct Mistakes

• Listen– Listen to your latest dialogue changes

• Preview– Generate a full-motion preview

• Save– Take a break and come back later

• Publish– Check out and post your movie online

Can You Add Media?• You can’t add your own media

such as sound, pictures, etc.

• You have to use what the website has available to you.

Website #2

http://phet.colorado.edu/

How Could I UseThis With…

• Students– Simulation learning in the classroom

(science and math)• Parents

– Additional resources at home (extending what we learned in school)

• Other Teachers– Workshops, co-teaching, different grade

levels• Community

– Blog with new ideas and what we are working on in the classroom

Ease of Use• This website is broken down by grade

level (elementary, middle, high, and university).

• For the simulations, there is an intro, lab, and game.

• There is “support” in the intro so the learner can comprehend the material before letting the support go.

Cost

• PhET provides fun, interactive, research-based simulations of physical phenomena for free.

Flexibility of Design• For the simulations, there is some

flexibility due to the manipulation of the materials.

• For example, in Balancing Act, the user moves the objects around on the screen and tries to balance out the scale.

Security• You can create a login with your email

address and password, but it is not required to explore the site or to use the sims.

• With the registered user, you can opt to receive newsletters four times a year.

Ability to Correct Mistakes

• During the intro of the simulations, you can see if your manipulations “work” or not.

• This is for the user to explore and understand the concept before heading to the game area.

Can You Add Media?• Like the first site, you cannot add

your own music, video, or pictures.

• The simulations are already set up with the predetermined objects for the users to use (based on the concept).

Website #3

http://blabberize.com/

How Could I UseThis With…

• Students– Use their pictures to tell stories

• Parents– Messages from their children at school

• Other Teachers– Brighten their day, fun moments

• Community– Blog, district email about upcoming events,

activities, and projects

Ease of Use• Very easy to use.

• Upload your own photo and select the type of recording you want (pre-recorded file, microphone, or phone).

Cost

• Blabberize is free for users to explore and have fun.

Flexibility of Design• There is flexibility in that the user

chooses the picture that he/she wants to use as well as the audio file.

• There are no pre-selected pictures to choose from with this website.

Security• Users are recommended to be 13

years or older to use this site.

• When you sign in with your user name and password, it allows you to see what you have previously made, things you like, and your friends (part of a social network).

Ability to Correct Mistakes

• With this website, the audio that is used is either pre-recorded on the computer, with a microphone, or off a cell phone.

• Because you are using your own audio, you can go back and re-record your message.

Can You Add Media?• Unlike the first two websites, YES

you can add media!

• The user will add his/her own picture and audio file.

Overview• The three sites that I chose to

evaluate can be used at multiple grade levels, in the classroom and at home.

• I had fun exploring all the different links and activities on the sites; I can’t wait to introduce them to my class.

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