For this assignment, I chose to explore the Web 2.0 tool called “OnTheRoad”. This tool enables you to create an online travel journal so that you can create detailed accounts of all your experiences. Keeping all of your family and friends informed about your latest endeavors is now a walk in the park!
Chronicling the details of one’s life and travels is important to many people. This tool gives users the ability to upload videos, photos, and write stories about each event. Once a user has created a new article, it is published as a blog and can then be shared with others. What drew me to this tool was the fact that if this had been in existence when I had studied abroad back in 2005, I would have taken full advantage of it. Instead of writing countless emails home to family and friends to update them about my experiences, I could have started blogging about it, and simply shared the URLs.
While experimenting with this tool, I decided to create an article about my initial impressions of my trip to Ireland. I was able to set my location, write an entry, and upload media. The format and ease of use was amazing. This application would be very easy for students to take full advantage of in the classroom, and the best part is…it’s FREE!
This concept of a travel journal could easily be adapted into the classroom. As an English teacher, one of the first assignments of the year could be to chronicle one’s summer vacation. You could provide a rubric, or a list of objects that the student would have to meet. For example, you could set a minimum of at least three entry posts. If the student didn’t go on vacation, have them create articles about a place they would like to visit, and detail what they would do. Students can also be assigned to edit/peer review the articles of their classmates.
The education benefits of this tool are great. Students are directly involved in the writing process, and they are learning how to effectively communicate in an online format. As the educator in this situation you have the opportunity to teach them safe practices about posting content on the web.
The image that I have posted to this blog is a screenshot of the article I created using “OnTheRoad”.
Tara Roe
Tara,
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like such a great tool to use!! I am planning on a trip soon with my husband and having a site like this will keep me from having to send countless emails as well!!
Telitha
Tara - this tool sounds great, I think there are lots of educational ways to use it. I am most excited about having them document a journey from a character's point of view. We read musician biographies in my band and music classes, and I will give students one option (out of many) to use this site to track a musician's life travels. Thanks for the great tool!
ReplyDelete