Self-Assessments   |   Web 2.0   |   Online vs. F2F   |   Online Discussions   |   Accessibility   |   Assessment


The first tool I attempted to use, mindomo, was not easy for me to use as a Venn Diagramming tool.  The diagram above was designed using Creatley.  It's an intuitive little piece of software - I love it when I don't need to read a "getting started" guide to use a new tool.  I was able to sign in using my Google account, eliminating the need to fill out yet another account creation form.  The only feature I see it lacking at this point is an alignment guide.  The background has grid lines, however software that gives me a visual cue to show an object's alignment in relation to another object on  the page allows me to line up elements perfectly.  I didn't correct the titles above each circle to illustrate an error that can be made - things look lined up but are not.

I chose to step into the shoes of a high school student for this assignment.  I approached the diagrams from perspective of old school vs. new school paradigms.  I strongly feel that traditional, brick and mortar learning institutions contribute to high drop-out rates by forcing a "one size fits all" model on students.  In our nation's zest to improve instruction through contest-based funding and connecting teachers scores to assessment results, we lose sight of a fundamental step in needs analysis - that of audience analysis.  What do kids want from a school?  How do they want it delivered?  Education is a field that would do well to improve it's customer service model, rather than imposing its will upon the youth it serves.  Let's continue to explore and think out side of the box to identify modes of instruction that excite kids about the content and the process of learning while leveraging all the tools within our reach.