Word Clouds

Wordle. What a cool tool. And very helpful for generating quick graphics that might supplement any lesson in any content area. I generated a couple of Word Clouds, one for the 2000 NETS T Standards and one for the 2008 NETS T Standards.

Here's the NETS T 2000 Word Cloud:

 

And here is the NETS T 2008 Word Cloud:

In comparing the two World Clouds, it appears that the 2008 NETS T Standards have taken a slightly different direction than that established by the 2000 NETS T Standards. Most importantly, the standards now focus on learning instead of technology. In addition, technology appears to have been broken down into components represented by words like digital, tools, and virtual. Not everything has changed though - both sets of standards still focus on teachers, resources, and students.

Here's a Word Cloud based on the text of FDR's Pearl Harbor speech:



Relationship to Standards - the Word Cloud activity relates well to the following standards: 1(c) in that the use of Word Clouds promotes student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students' conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes; 2(a) in that the use of Word Clouds is an example of an educator designing or adapting relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity; and 3(a) the use of Word Clouds by an educator demonstrates fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations.