Have you tired Toondoo yet? A super user-friendly cartoon making site combined with my squirly seniors inspired me to set them loose with Toondoo. They each made a series of political or government-based cartoons, some about the Legislative Branch, some the Executive, and some about the government in general. They really enjoyed Toondoo and found it extremely easy to use. I even had two students who are more on the fringe than some, and they said a couple of times, “If school was always like this, I would like school.” So I thought that was pretty cool, and so did they. Turning the cartoons in was an interesting process, I chose to have them post them on our class wiki (I admit, I chickened out on having them post to a blog this time, but I think next year I will). Those who read directions did fine.
Once the cartoons were published, it was interesting to see that two of my students cartoons were selected as the “Editor’s Picks” for the day. My students noticed the first cartoon but said nothing until I mentioned the second. The student who authored the second cartoon was extremely proud that his work was on the front page of Toondoo, and his classmates were excited for him too. That was exciting to see.
I was disappointed to see that the comments left for the first editor’s pick student cartoon used a misspelling to leave a variation of swearing in their comments. I am sure I will write about that type of netiquette in a later post, but for now, I will just say that I am going to think differently now about how to best use these tools as I don’t want my students hurt, and we are part of a private religious school. I know the students did not say anything, but it bothers me.
Overall, I know I am a Toondoo fan. Check it out but know, as another blogger wrote a couple of weeks ago, it can be addicting…
No Time to Sleep 