Zoho Writer Review

Zoho Writer is another online word processing program that is loaded with features. The format of the toolbar is very user friendly with many common editing tools out in the open. These tools are easily accessible, making this Writer a very efficient word processor from which to work. There are some pull down menus which include many useful features, but not always ones that would be used upfront.

Like most online word processors, Writer has a collaboration tool which is simply labeled as "share." I've used Google Docs in the past and I have to say that Google's method of sharing, to me, is a little easier to use. In Zoho, sharing involves entering Zoho ID's or the individual's email that you want to invite to work on your document. Initially, it was not clear if this individual had to be a Zoho member or if any email (from a nonmember) would work.

Another nice feature of the collaborative software is that you can view the different versions of the document. In Writer, you have to search a little for this feature. It is hidden in a pull down menu. You have to go to "Review" where you will find "History," from there you can view who changed the document and when it happened. You can also revert to a previous version, and view the differences between two versions. This helps make it a valuable asset for group assignments.

While this is a nice program, there are some downsides to it. Probably due to it being a free program, it is not capable of handling some of the nice graphical features found in Office. I uploaded my WebQuest review and found many formatting errors. While these can be fixed, it is a little irritating to have to spend time doing this. Paragraphs shifted, pictures moved, borders on screenshots didn't transfer, and callouts weren't formatted correctly. To be fair, this problem is not limited to Zoho. I tried the same test in Google Docs and found formatting errors there as well. While this can be frustrating, one has to remember that "you get what you pay for."

One major benefit of a program like this is that students can utilize it to develop a collaborative project. Multiple students can work on the same document at the same time from different computers. I have to imagine that they will get a kick out of watching other members type on the document. While members work on a shared document, there is a chat feature that allows them to communicate while they develop the document. This can be a huge advantage when trying to figure out how to format the document. It allows for every group member to have input into the assignment. It will also allow the students to work collaboratively at home as well as school. By using the internet instead of a hard drive to store the document, the students are able to access the document wherever there is an internet connection.

The benefits of Writer are many; however, there are some techniques the teacher will have to model to the class. If students were just turned loose in Writer, the teacher would be swamped with questions and student frustrations would be high. Zoho, as a whole, is a fairly large site. There are many different applications and some students would get lost. This is a program that requires the teacher to spend a couple of periods modeling how to properly use the site. Having the students perform some "warm-up" activities using key features (formatting, history, sharing, etc…) would greatly benefit the teacher and the students. Coming into a collaborative program like this, as student can get by with a basic knowledge of any word processing program; most have very similar features and layouts. However, having a teacher walk the class through how to share and view the document's history is very important.

In organizing a class for a project like this, the teacher must consider the abilities of the students. Most classes are very diverse when it comes to knowledge of technology. The teacher must consider this when forming the groups. Merging students who understand little of a word processor with a student who has vast knowledge in this area can create teaching moments for some of the students. In working with both the teacher and fellow students, those who have limited knowledge will grow through experience and eventually feel comfortable with the word processor.

To recap, Zoho Writer is a very nice, feature packed online word processor that incorporates collaboration skills into the student's work. Through use in the school setting, the students can experience a work environment that is similar to the real world. The students experience how many workplaces share ideas and develop documents. This will help prepare them for the world outside of school. The flexibility of online file sharing allows the students to be more efficient with their work. It extends the classroom outside of the school's walls. Students can work with other students at home via internet connections and the program's "share" feature. If this trend continues to develop, you may see storage disks/jump drives become a thing of the past as internet file sharing takes over.

Blogs in The Classroom

Blogs can be a very useful tool in the classroom. When given the chance, many students who are too shy to contribute to a class discussion will post their thought out in cyberspace for people to read. This faceless environment can be less intimidating to some students and may spur them to produce some thought provoking comments.

Initially, I would say that blogs would be great for simulation and problem solving. The students could use their blogs to post their solutions. Then the class could comment on the solutions. This would help students develop analysis skills.

Another strategy I think would work well would be the use of metaphors. Students could be given the task of creating new metaphors for concepts covered in class. An example would be the flow of electricity being compared to the flow of water. What would be a better metaphor that would project the same meaning? Blog posts and comments could help a student (or even better, a group) develop a metaphor that accurately depicts the flow of electrons from one point to another.

While I think these strategies would work well with a blog, I find scaffolding a little harder to work with. I admit I am learning about blogs, but I tend to view them as the end product. Since it is the end product, I think it would be pretty difficult to guild the learner through the blog.

I see blogs being used in my class to further explore the concepts that we are covering. I'd like the students to use blogs to go beyond what the book is covering. Instead of looking at what magnets are, have students blog about different ways that magnets are used in medicine. To further add credit, have them refer to sites where they have found additional information for their blog.

As for the bonus question: Using YouTube to solve a problem. I recently watched a video at a conference of a kid asking the world for help in starting a fire with a bow drill. In using a web 2.0 element like YouTube, the student's audience is literally now the world. The conference mentioned that the student had over 300 hits from all over the globe. If used properly a tool like this could greatly benefit the student...and the teacher.

Wikis

On this last assignment, I searched wikipedia for a page related to the building where I teach. I was able to find our high school, but not the middle school. So, I logged in and tried to create a page for the Kalkaska Middle School. It was a little strange as the editing format took some getting used to. After a short time, I had created the site shown above. As you can see, the site needs some revisions. I pulled much of the stats from school documents. When I awoke the next morning, it appeared that I needed third party references. So I spent the morning scouring the internet to find other sites not associated with the KMS to back up what was displayed on the page.

I realize that you probably cannot read the picture too well, but it should be noted that we met AYP this year and received our first ever "A" on the state's report card! This was a cause for celebration amongst the staff. We have a close knit group of educators working in the building. Many put time in above and beyond what is expected. It looks as if it may be paying off for us. Our reading scores have improved dramatically (on the 07-08 MEAP we were the highest in our ISD), and the staff is continuously working to implement new strategies for instruction and intervention.

Other additions the the KMS Wikipedia page included our count (approximately 330 students), major field trips per grade, and the location of the town.

The wiki page that I have created is geared for my 8th grade science class. It is titled moorescience8 and I've come to realize that it might be a great way for the 8th grade teachers to collaborate our curriculum. (Picked that up from the Warlick article.) I have to admit that at this point, the wiki seems very similar to a blog. Comments on how the two are different and how you would best use a wiki would be appreciated.

Courage

An observation:

I coach 8th grade boys basketball. I've been coaching ever since I started student teaching (Fall of 1999). I've coached boys at the Freshmen and 8th grade levels. Girls I've coached from 7th grade to the JV level. Today I saw something that really impressed me.

I had a staff meeting today, so practice was only for an hour after school (4-5). Along with this, we had about 60 kids out of school (flu, strep, you name it). So, I only had 5 kids at practice. Four of the five are good friends and get a long great. The 5th is a kid that doesn't hang with the others. Doesn't have the nice clothes, comes from a poorer family, you know the individual. Anyhow, with 5 kids, I figured it would be a great day to work on half court offense.

As practice moves on, it is obvious that the 5th kid is no where near the skill level of the other 4. Instead of hanging his head, as often kids will do, he worked his behind off to learn the plays. Never once did he complain or give up. If he didn't know how to throw a pass, he listened and tried his best. He improved. As this student worked and worked and struggled to be a part of this group, the group helped him. They encouraged him, showing him how to throw a lob pass. They helped show him how to curl off of a screen. They wanted him to succeed. As a coach, this made me very proud of my 5 dedicated players. It goes to show you that when the world looks dark and gloomy, and kindness seems to be on the brink of disappearing - you have 5 kids out there from different backgrounds that are working together to help each other succeed. Might sound sappy, but it made me very proud of the 5th boy to show such courage.