Monday, January 25, 2010

BP11_201025_Web 2.0 Tools 3


x Timeline! What a fantastic Web 2.0 tool I found. This is a super duper online tool that all of your students and teachers can use alike. It is completely free and only requires that one create a profile. (What web tool doesn't require a sign up these days?) After you create your profile, password, personal info, photo of yourself, etc., you are free to create your very own timelines.

If you would rather use a timeline that has already been created. There is are six categories of content areas to choose from. These include the arts & entertainment, history, science & technology, biographies, organizations, and a random category called "other". I really like that there are a few broad categories because it makes it a bit easier for younger students to search through. Sometimes they can not handle too many choices- it gets to confusing for them. Now if you are the type that prefers more refined searches, there is a tag cloud available to use in your search. The "other" category is also nice because it allows you the freedom of creating a timeline in any content area you wish. You are not limited to creating a timeline solely in the categories listed.

The best feature of Timeline is the ability to include text, images, and videos to you timeline entries. You are not just limited to making a timeline with dates and a few words. You can hyperlink your entries to further descriptions of the entry and to images or videos that pertain to the subject. This is especially great for students who need visual aids for low comprehension, Language Learners, or students with special needs requirements. Students are also sure to enjoy using multimedia in their timeline creations.

Timeline encourages writing and researching skills in a variety of content areas. It also aids students in comprehending when and where events in history occur. I encourage you to go to
http://www.xtimeline.com/ and check out some of the timelines that people from all over the world have posted. I even saw a timeline about the Beatles in Spanish! Very cool and a great way to expose students to Web 2.0 application that people from all over the world can use collaboratively.

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