Web Based Word Processing, Presentations and Podcasts

Web Based Word Processing

From the point of view of someone who has had to purchase Microsoft Office, multiple times in my life, I am very grateful for the development of web based word processing sites. Google Docs is likely the most popular of these programs and I, my children and students I work with use this freeware on a daily basis. This site allows you to create documents as well as use templates for resumes, brochures and projects and to edit these documents with the same features offered in the paid version of Microsoft Word.

Google Docs

Tool:	1	2	3	4	5	Totals
Simplicity					X
Learning Support		X
Versatility/Adaptability			X
Safety/Security					X
Availability					X	20

This site has many advantages in education. It is very simple for students to use. They must first have a Google account to sign in, but once that has been done they simply need to click "New Document" and they can begin typing. It also has an autosave feature, removing some of the frustration from lost student work. This program does not offer much learning support, but rather is a way to share writings or reflections. It is not very versatile, but does offer a talk to text feature that can help modify work for students with special needs. It also allow for collaboration between students, peers and teachers (or co-workers) opening up many possibilities for its use during assignments. Google Docs is very secure and documents are only accessible to the user unless they choose to share them to specific people and it is free and available on a variety of devices including mobile versions.

Web Based Presentations

With the popularity of web based software ever increasing, there are many sites that offer the ability to create presentations online. Rather than share more praise for the software that Google has to offer, I will convey some of the benefits and challenges when using Keynote. This site offers a wide variety of features for Apple users to create stunning presentations. 

Keynote

Tool:	1	2	3	4	5	Totals
Simplicity		X
Learning Support		X
Versatility/Adaptability					X
Safety/Security	X
Availability				X		14

This site/app is very simple to use and easy to teach to students. It can be very versatile and has many features to adapt it and would be a great choice to present information on any topic. It is easy to add pictures and text to slides and new updates now allow for real-time collaboration from different devices. This app comes pre-installed on most iPads and is free to use, however it is only released for Apple devices.

Podcasts

Podcast is a term combining the iPod listening device with broadcasting. This idea was originally called "audioblogging" and became more popular with the release of the Apple product. This process has given a voice to many that would not otherwise be able to share thoughts, opinions and information with the general public. Podcasts, in the more terms, is simply the process of recording audio and sharing in via the internet. This process, made simple through iTunes, can now be performed on through many different platforms, sites and software. Students at my school have benefited from listening to podcasts from The Walking Classroom, a program that provides enough MP3 players and headphones for the class. These devices are programmed with a variety of podcasts on different subjects that they listen to during a 15-20 minute walk. I have used the software Audacity to record and edit audio recordings and so I will share my thoughts on its uses.

Audacity

Tool:	1	2	3	4	5	Totals
Simplicity			X
Learning Support					X
Versatility/Adaptability				X
Safety/Security					X
Availability		X				19

Audacity is a great tool for recording and editing digital audio files. It is not overly simple and while older students and teachers may be able to figure it out with a little practice, I would not recommend it for younger students. While using the program itself may not provide a wide range of learning support, the information that can be conveyed through these means can cover any topic or unit that you are teaching and many files are free and available for anyone to use. Audacity is very safe and secure because it is not a web based software. For the same reason, I rated it lower on availability as you must have the ability to download and install the software onto a device in order to use it, something that we do not have access to do on school technology.