The Web 2.0 tool that I have chosen to explore and investigate more closely is Notely.net. Notely.net is an organization tool first and foremost, but it is also a collaborative tool as that is part of what makes a web tool a Web 2.0.
I have taken a screen shot of all of the features that Notely.net utilizes. On tab that I really like that I would use to create a classroom assignment would be the grades tab. The grades tab allows students to track their own progress in their classes. Hypothetically, I could have students get a grade printout from all of their teachers and they could actually keep track of how they are doing in their classes. This tab could easily be used in conjunction with the tasks tab. If students typed in all of their tasks as they were assigned and created a grade category at the same time, keeping track of their own progress would be a breeze. Also of note, there are applications for Notely.net for iPhone and a mobile version as well. Perfect for our tech savvy students.
Other features I like that I feel could be extremely useful are the uploads, journal, and links. The journal of course, is going to be something that you keep private, but a tool that allows uploads and links to be shared is amazing. For example, today in class a student asked me how to find out how many pages were in her novel that she returned to the library. If we were using Notely.net, I could have easily posted a link to her from amazon.com showing her how to look up how many pages were in her book. Another benefit with uploads would be targeted toward the incessantly disorganized student who inevitably loses the handouts that you give him or her. If a Notely.net network between teachers and students existed, the student would have access to the teacher’s Notely page where they could download the uploaded work.
All in all, Notely.net has an unlimited number of uses and I think teachers and students alike could benefit from its use.
I agree with you, Kelly, about the potential benefits of Notely. I, too, have those students who are forever and forever disorganized. They drive me bananas! Perhaps a tool such as Notely might be a place for them to start trying to get organized, especially if they enjoy using technology. I did not note that their were applications for one's iphone - that's a bonus. I too think that the grade feature is a great tool for students to keep track of their grades and know what they are doing, not waiting until halfway through the quarter. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteKelly,
ReplyDeleteI am a prime candidate for organizational tools! I enjoyed looking around your tool site and seeing what features it offered the users. I was very impressed with the intuitive layout of the site and the ease of use. While I do not have an iPhone, I would definitely use this tool on my iPhone to help me keep things in order and working efficiently even on the go. Thank you for showing another wonderful web 2.0 tool that anyone could learn from.