Technology and Learning

Tool Project-Wordle

By: Lauren Bissler

1

Table of Contents:
Tool Anaylsis.page 3-4 Tool Demonstration
a. Picture Tutorial: How to Create a Word Cloud using Wordle.....Page 5-8 b. Tutorial: How to Take Snap Shots or Print Screen Photos...Page 9 c. Picture Tutorial: How to Navigate to a Video Tutorial in Internet Explorer.Page 10-11 d. Creating a Word Cloud using Wordle Assessment...Page 12-13 e. Wordle Assessment Guide...Page 14-17

Tool Implementation.page 18-26

References...page 27

Tool Analysis: Wordle

I. What is Wordle?
Wordle was created by Jonathan Feinberg in the summer of 2008. Wordle is a website that you can create visual representations of text through word clouds to illustrate your message or concepts (Wordle, 2011).

II.

Where Can You Get Wordle?

You can find Wordle by going to any search engine website (ex. Google, Yahoo, Bing etc.) and type in the word, Wordle. Or you can go directly to the website by typing in the URL within the address bar http://www.wordle.net/

III.

How Much Does it Cost?

The software for Wordle is free, however in order to access this website you need access to a computer and internet. When creating Wordle, you must download the software Java in order to produce your word cloud.

IV.

What Does Wordle Do and is Used For?

Wordle was created for people to create visual representations of text through word clouds that express their thoughts, ideas, emotions, knowledge, etc. through different fonts, color schemes, and layouts (Wordle, 2011). It can be used for a variety of ways (teaching, journaling, predicting, etc.) but I have found it especially useful when teaching new concepts.

V.

How Does Wordle Support Learning?

Wordle can be easily and quickly incorporated into the learning environment to help promote critical thinking skills on a particular topic and/or lesson. How? By creating word clouds on a specific topics (such as Volcanoes), a teacher can incorporate several different key terms (magma, plate, ash, vent, chamber, lava, etc) from the lesson, and have the student brainstorm and start thinking about what they will be learning in the new unit. This is a great way for visual learners to see all the words for the lesson or unit to begin formulating and gathering their ideas. Students benefit from learning through technology and will be more engaged in the activities and more willing to participate. (Egbert, 2008).

VI.

How Does Wordle Relate to Learning Theories?

Wordle promotes critical thinking skills. When given a word cloud of a topic, a teacher can ask the students to brainstorm what they will be learning this unit, which relates to the Constructivist Learning Theory. In a constructivist learning environment, its important to have students make connections based on their prior knowledge and experiences that relate to the lesson before teaching them the lesson. Also this theory encourages that teachers promote critical thinking and analysis by asking open-ended questions or through illustrations (ex. A word cloud through wordle). Teachers need to make sure that they provide the students with ample time to brainstorm independently, then with a partner to make connections and to construct their own meaning of the illustration and lesson.

VII. How Wordle is Supported in the Classroom?

In order to effectively implement technology into the classroom to support student learning, teachers need to focus and understand critical thinking in order to use technology to support it. (Egbert, 2008). Wordle inspires critical thinking skills to develop 21st century skills, whether through written language or research assignments that analyze, make predictions or inferences, or evaluate a variety of word clouds that pertain to the lesson. There are many activities that teachers and students can use wordle for supporting their learning. A few activities are (1) Pre-teaching a lesson, (2) Initiate prior knowledge, (3) Self-assessment (4) Support readings-language arts, science, social studies, etc. (Web2teachingtools, 2009).

VIII. Why Do I Think This Tool is Appropriate for the Classroom?

When planning for a new unit or lesson, I try to begin each lesson with an attention grabbing activity to get the students thinking and engaged in a new topic, which I automatically think of Wordles. I was introduced to this website at a professional learning in-service at my district two years ago. According to Pavios Dual Coding Theory, Pavio proposed that there are two separate memory systems for different types of information: verbal and visual. Pictures and words can activate information from the memory, and be more likely to be remembered because verbal and visual systems are connected (Lohr, 2008) In my experience, my students (students with disabilities) who are mainly visual learners seem to thrive with wordles since it grasps their attention and triggers their memory in order to get them thinking about a topic. Because wordles is a word cloud made up of vocabulary from the unit/lesson, it allows all students to make connections to the terms that they are familiar with, even if its just two or three words.

Tool Demonstration
Picture Tutorial: How to Create a Word Cloud using Wordle
Step 1: Locate your Internet Brower and double click on the icon.

Step 2: In the address bar (which is located at the top left of the screen), type in the follow URL: www.wordle.net and then hit the enter key on the keyboard.

Step 3: Click on the word, Create on the website in order to create your own word cloud.

Step 4: You will see a box that says, Paste in a bunch of text. Incorporate the all the information that you wish to be seen on the word cloud. Tips: a. When typing compound words, you must use the tilde character (~) between words. The tilde is located at the top of your keyboard next to the number 1 (in most keyboards). You will need to hold the shift button that hit the tilde key. b. In order for words to appear larger than other words, you need to type that word in several times. The more times you type it, the larger it will appear.

Step 5: When you finish incorporating all your text, click on the Go button to create your Wordle. a. NOTE-If you dont already have the software, Java on your computer, you will be prompted at this point to download it in order to create a word cloud.

Step 6: You should see your word cloud of the text you just incorporated. Tips: a. If you would like to change the font, color, layout, or edit your text, you can click on any of the buttons located on the top left of the word cloud.

b. If you would like to see random word cloud formats that will be create from your words, click on the button, Randomize located at the bottom of your word cloud.

Step 7: If you would like to print your word cloud, click on the Print button located at the bottom of your word cloud.

Tutorial: How to Take Snap Shots or Print Screen Photos

Step 1: On your keyboard, find the button that says, prt sc. It should be in the upper right corner. Step 2: a. When you are on the page that you want to take a snap shot, hit the Print Screen button. (By hitting the Print Screen button, it has taken a picture of your computer screen.) b. Then go to the Word document and then click on the paste button.

Picture Tutorial: How to Navigate to a Video Tutorial in Internet Explorer.

Step 1: Locate your Internet Brower and double click on the icon.

Step 2: In the address bar (which is located at the top left of the screen), type in the follow URL: www.youtube.com and then hit the enter key on the keyboard.

10

Step 3: In the blank search text box, type in, Easy Introduction to Wordle.

Step 4: Click on the first video that says, Easy Introduction to Wordle to watch the video tutorial on how to create a word cloud using Wordle.

11

Creating a Word Cloud using Wordle Assessment

Name: ________________________________ Directions: You will be creating a word cloud using the website, www.wordle.net. Since this assessment is performed individually on our own computers, in order to accurately assess that youre following directions, you are required to Print Screen or Snap Shot of each step and paste it underneath each stage. Steps: 1. Using either tutorial (picture or web-based) to guide you to how to navigate and use the Wordle website, open up a new website browser and go to the Wordle address. a. Take a snap shot of the homepage of Wordles webpage and paste it below. 2. Click on the word, Create on the website in order to create your own word cloud. 3. Next, you need to incorporate the following text into the top box that says, Paste in a bunch of text. a. Take a snap shot of this page after you have incorporated the following vocabulary and paste it below. Text: a. The following word is the main focus of the word cloud and needs to appear larger than the rest of the words. a. Volcano b. Compound words needs to appear together in the word cloud. a. Eruption Cloud b. Molten Rock c. Ring of Fire c. The follow words need to appear larger than the rest of the words, however not as large as the word, Volcano. a. Dormant Volcano b. Active Volcano d. Incorporate the following words. a. Lava b. Ash c. Magma d. Igneous

12

4. Youll Wordle should appear with the incorporated vocabulary. Change the layout of your word cloud so the words appear only horizontally. a. Then take a snap shot of the Wordle and paste it below. 5. Change the layout your word cloud so the words appear only vertically and change the color to Indian Earthy. a. Then take a snap shot of the Wordle and paste it below. 6. Congratulations, you have created your own word cloud using Wordle!

13

Wordle Assessment Guide:

Name: Pam Peck Snap Shot Steps: Step1: Homepage Step 3: Incorporation of Vocabulary in Text Box Step 3.1 The word volcano appeared larger than the other words. Step 3.2 The compound words appear together. Step 3.3 The following words (Dormant Volcano and Active Volcano) need to appear larger than the rest of the words, but not as large as the word Volcano. Step 4: Horizontal Wordle Step 5: Vertical Wordle with Indian Earthy Color

Correct X

Incorrect

Notes:

Did not include this step.

X X

X X

14

Name: Willie Harrell Snap Shot Steps: Step1: Homepage Step 3: Incorporation of Vocabulary in Text Box Step 3.1 The word volcano appeared larger than the other words. Step 3.2 The compound words appear together. Step 3.3 The following words (Dormant Volcano and Active Volcano) need to appear larger than the rest of the words, but not as large as the word Volcano. Step 4: Horizontal Wordle

Correct X X

Incorrect

Notes:

All the words are the same size.

X X All the words are the same size.

All the words are horizontal but the word, volcano. The words are not all vertical, nor is it in the color, Indian Earthy.

Step 5: Vertical Wordle with Indian Earthy Color

15

Name: Amy Dickson Snap Shot Steps: Step1: Homepage Step 3: Incorporation of Vocabulary in Text Box Step 3.1 The word volcano appeared larger than the other words. Step 3.2 The compound words appear together. Step 3.3 The following words (Dormant Volcano and Active Volcano) need to appear larger than the rest of the words, but not as large as the word Volcano. Step 4: Horizontal Wordle Step 5: Vertical Wordle with Indian Earthy Color

Correct X X

Incorrect

Notes:

X X

X X

16

Name: Michelle Ganito Snap Shot Steps: Step1: Homepage Step 3: Incorporation of Vocabulary in Text Box Step 3.1 The word volcano appeared larger than the other words. Step 3.2 The compound words appear together. Step 3.3 The following words (Dormant Volcano and Active Volcano) need to appear larger than the rest of the words, but not as large as the word Volcano. Step 4: Horizontal Wordle Step 5: Vertical Wordle with Indian Earthy Color

Correct X X

Incorrect

Notes:

X X

X X

17

Wordle: Tool Implementation

Option 1-School Setting I. Rational for Why Wordle Could/Should Be Used in the Classroom Setting.
Wordles can be easily and quickly incorporated into the learning environment to help promote critical thinking skills of Blooms Taxonomy through visual representation of text through word clouds to illustrate a message or concepts within all subject areas (Wordle, 2011).

II. Cultural, Ethical, or Other Societal Issues Related to Wordle

Wordles can be used in many different ways and for multiple reasons within other countries and cultures in addition to what I have suggested in this paper. When creating a word cloud, Wordle supports different languages such as, Spanish or French. However, it does not support the Chinese or Japanese language since it doesnt know how to recognize word breaks in those languages or the graphics. There is not a reliable way to detect individual "words" in those languageswhich can consist of one or more glyphswithout an enormous database (Wordle, 2009).

III. Possible Uses of Wordle

Creating word clouds through the website, Wordle can be used within all subject areas, such as: English, science, math, art, music, etc. There are a variety of ways that Wordles can be incorporated into the classroom setting to promote learning as stated below. a. Vocabulary Enrichment b. Summarizing Text c. Opening Discussion of a New Unit/Topic d. Brainstorming e. Surveys Results f. Guided Reading

IV. Types of Products that Students will Produce with Wordle

Wordle is not only a tool that can be used by teachers as an aid to assist in the learning process and promote critically thinking, it can also be used by students to facilitate their own learning and understanding. After reading about a specific topic or chapter in class, instead of writing a paragraph of five to seven sentences, students can summarize the information by creating a word cloud, using Wordle. Students can also incorporate the main idea of the selection by highlighting the key ideas with oversized text.

18

V. Assessing if Wordle is Useful and Worthwhile

Teacher or student based word clouds through the use of the website, Wordles can be a very effective form of formative assessment when measuring student learning and understanding. a. Teacher-Created Wordles: -Teachers can assess student understanding by giving the students a word cloud that incorporates key terminology and vocabulary for a specific topic and ask the students to write a brief outline using the words from the Wordle to describe how the terminology are related. b. Student Created Wordles: -Another way that students can be assessed is through the use of a word cloud is by having the students create a summary of the main ideas of the section or chapter. Students will highlight the main ideas and key concepts by the word size (ex. key concept of the text= larger the text will appear).

VI. Three Curriculum Standards that Wordle Can Help Students Achieve
1. Grade: Eighth Strand: Reading Topic: Key Ideas and Details Standard: a. Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot: provide an objective summary of the text. Wordle: a. Based on the standard above, students can create a word cloud through Wordle to summarize the text to include characters, plot, setting, etc. after reading a grade level passage. 2. Grade: Eighth Strand: Mathematics Topic: Geometry Standard: a. Understand that a two-dimensional figure is congruent to another if the second can be obtained from the first by a sequence of rotations, reflections, and translations; given two congruent figures, describe a sequence that exhibits the congruence between them. Wordle: a. Using the standard stated above, teachers can create a word cloud using key terminology and vocabulary for this topic and have students make connections to the text by describing all the information that they know about this topic through the Wordle provided. Since this standard has important key terms that students
19

need to know in order to successfully perform the operation, creating a word cloud would be beneficial to the students.

3. Grade: Eighth Strand: Social Studies Topic: Geography-Human Systems Standard: a. Analyze how the availability of natural resources contributed to the geographic and economic expansion of the United States. Explain how this sometimes resulted in unintended environmental consequences. Wordle: a. Using the standard that is stated in the above sentence, teachers and/or students can create a word cloud to explain the how the availability of natural resources help contribute to geographic and economic expansion. This skill will assess if the students truly comprehended the information that they read in the text.

VII. Two Types of Student Learning that Can Be Supported By Wordle

As stated above, there are several ways that word clouds can be incorporated into the classroom setting to promote student learning. Two types of student learning that can be supported by Wordle are: 1.) Critical Thinking, and 2.) Student Production. a. Critical Thinking: - In his Dual Coding Theory, Pavio proposed that there are two separate memory systems for different types of information: verbal and visual. Pictures and words can activate information from memory, and be more likely to be remembered since verbal and imaginal systems are connected (Lohr, 2008). In my experience, my students (students with disabilities) who are mainly visual learners seem to thrive with Wordles since it grasps their attention and triggers their memory in order to get them thinking about a topic. Wordles inspires critical thinking skills to develop 21st century skills, whether through written language or research assignments that analyzes, makes predictions, inferences, and evaluates a variety of word clouds that pertain to the lesson. b. Student Production: -There are many activities and lessons that can incorporate the use of word clouds from Wordle to promote learning. Wordles encourages students to use their critical thinking skills and analyze the text in order to effectively produce a word cloud that illustrates their understanding of the concepts being taught. Students can create their own word cloud to present information on a specific section, chapter, project, or topic. Wordle provides students with the
20

opportunity to express their learning in a different way through the use of word clouds.

VIII. Modifications and/or Accommodations Necessary for Students with Disabilities to Use Wordle
Depending on the severity of the disability, the students prior knowledge, and skills using a computer maybe limited and they may need additional support to access and use the Wordle webpage. The students may benefit from using a picture tutorial (like the one created in my tool demonstration) of step-by-step directions of how to incorporate words to create a word cloud using Wordle. For students who are visual impaired, they may need assistive technology to help them use the computer to create a word cloud and/or offer them an alternative assignment to complete instead.

21

Lesson Analysis and Adaptation Worksheet

1. Content Area: Written Expression 2. Topic: Learning about Wordle and creating a writing assignment to include key words on Wordle. 3. Location: Computer Lab and Classroom 4. Title of Lesson: Using Wordle 5. Intended Audience for the Adaptation: 2nd Grade The Lesson Works towards appropriate goals. Indicators * Content and technology standards are mentioned. * Standards are for the correct grade level and content area. * Objectives are aligned with standards. * Tasks focus clearly on obtaining the objectives. Comments 1. The content standards are identified in the beginning of the lesson and are correct for second grade; however there are not technology standards. 2. The task is broken down into separate components for the students to achieve in order to obtain the lessons objectives. a. Using a Smartboard, explain/show how to use the Wordle website. b. Students are to create a list of words on a writing topic to include in the word cloud. c. Input students list onto Wordle. d. Students are to create a short story using the key words from Wordle. This lesson plan required students to use higher-order thinking skills to formulate their own stories based on the incorporation of technology of Wordle. 1. The students are to formulate and create of words about the main topic (which is given to the students. - Ex. Winter). 2. Students are to apply their understanding of how to use technology (computer/internet) to incorporate words into Wordle.

Required the use of higher-order thinking skills and new literacies.

* Students are asked to do more than memorize or understand (e.g., summarize, synthesize, predict, etc.). * Media, visual, communicative, technological, mathematical, and/ or other nontraditional literacies are addressed.

22

Integrated the learning goals.

Includes a variety of resources.

* Communication * Production * Critical thinking * Creativity * Content * Problem solving * Inquiry/research * Students have choices of materials at different levels. * Materials are available in a variety of modes (e.g., graphics, sound, text, video) and media (e.g., books, films, photos, computer).

3. Lastly, the students are to create their own short, descriptive stories based on the word cloud list provided from all the key words that the students produced. The learning goal of this lesson plan is to have the students formulate key words on a main topic to input onto Wordle in order to creatively produce a well written story.

Engages all students actively in authentic tasks.

* Students have roles/tasks to perform throughout the lesson. * Connections are made between the task and real life. * Students must actively search for answers to essential questions.

Unfortunately, this lesson plan does not specify if the students to have a choice of assignments that are at different levels. Accommodations/Modifications: If this was my lesson plan, I would specify that the students with a disability would need a graphic organizer to help brainstorm their ideas prior to writing a short, creative story based on the list from Wordle. Materials: The lesson plan uses a LDC projector, computer, and a Smartboard in order to portray the images and text of the website, Wordle. This lesson has students (1) observing what and how Wordle works, (2) create a list of key words on a main topic (winter), (3) Input a few words onto Wordle, and (4) Create their own story based on the word cloud words. The students are to create a story about winter which they are able to make their own connections to since they have all experienced winter. (Unless you have a new student in class). In this case, I would state in the lesson plans a different topic, or provide that student with background information in order to perform the assignment.

23

Uses technology effectively, efficiently, and as a learning tool.

* The technology makes the task more authentic. * The technology makes the task easier to accomplish. * The technology helps students complete the task faster than without it. * The technology is secondary to the content and goals.

Addresses the needs of a variety of students, including ELLs and students with physical and other challenges.

* All students can access task instructions. * All students can access task materials and resources. * Students have different ways to accomplish the same objectives.

Includes appropriate assessments.

* Assessment is aligned to the standards and objectives. * Assessments are fair for all students and not based on one ability (e.g., writing). * Assessments allow students to show what they know/can do rather than what they cannot.

Using Wordle: 1. Helps the students acquire different key terms/ideas from their classmates. 2. Helps the students brainstorm and use other key terms (which they didnt think of) from the word cloud to produce a creative story. Using the word cloud to write a short story helps not only the visual learners within the class, but the students with disabilities, who are typically visual learners as well. This helps them be able to brainstorm their story based around the terminology. This lesson plan does not address the needs of a variety of students, which is why in the above comment areas I have stated what could have been done to help assist students with disabilities on this lesson. Accommodations/Modifications: graphic organizers, brainstorm with a peer/teacher, give the students sentence starters to finish, picture stories, limit the amount of key words used in their story, etc. The assessment for this lesson plan is on a 4 point grading system as stated below:
4-Student used all of the key words included in the Wordle Box and story had a strong and clear beginning, middle, and end. 3-Student used 75% of the key words and the story and the story had a beginning, middle, and end. 2-Student used 50% of the key words, but the story lacked key elements to make it a solid story. 1-Student used less than 50% of the words and lacked the structure to be considered a story.

This assessment does align to the standards and objectives; however it does not fairly represent the ability of all the students writing capability. The lesson
24

plan does not specify how many words will be included into the Wordle, so to have an assessment where the students are expected to incorporate 100% of the words from the word cloud at a second grade level is inappropriate. This assignment of having them use the word cloud to generate a short story does assess and allow the students to show what they can do. However, I think the students could benefit from the same lesson but at three different levels to meet the needs of all the students (including three different assessment guides). Scaffolding Techniques Some scaffolding techniques that would be beneficial for this lesson plan are: a. Show students completed examples prior to beginning activity. b. Using graphic organizers to help students brainstorm their ideas prior to writing a short story. c. Activate prior knowledge of the main writing topic to help students brainstorm. All these techniques would help address areas where students would have the biggest problems within the lesson plan as stated above. This tool can be used within the classroom setting, media center, and/or computer lab (depending on the equipment that is available at the school) for any subject area (math, English, science, art, etc.). If the technology is available or unresponsive, the students can create their own handwritten Wordle (this is where the scaffolding technique that is mentioned above of showing completed
25

Where the tool will be used

Technology isnt working Plan B

examples comes into play) on a piece chart paper. Then the students will still be able to gather ideas from other students while still creating a word cloud. The teacher will need to assist the students in creating an accurate word cloud.

26

Resources

Egbert, J. (2008). Support learning with technology. (2nd ed.). New Jersey: Pearson Education. Feinberg. J. (2011). Wordle. Retrieved from http://www.wordle.net/ Lohr, L. (2008). Creating graphics for learning and performance. (2nd ed.). New Jersey: Pearson Education.

Wordle: Inspiring critical thinking with word clouds. (2009). Retrieved from http://www.web2teachingtools.com/wordle.html

27