Xtimeline is a website that allows people to create, share, and discuss timelines. Xtimeline was created for education and entertainment purposes. It is not solely designated as an educational website but serves as a fun way for students to create and post a timeline for classmates and many others to view and provide feedback. The website also allows for students to view others' timelines about subjects that may be discussed in the course. Xtimeline is provided free of charge and is supported by advertisements and donations. There is a blog for xtimeline and there are numerous posts from teachers who use xtimeline for projects in their classrooms.
Links to pictures of technology artifacts.
As mentioned previously, xtimeline is provided free of charge and is simple to setup. It only requires an email address, a display name, and a password for your timeline account. Which for a class, you could make a class account and share the password with the students. The account than has a dashboard type feature where a teacher can delete/monitor the items being posted. The settings on the timeline or account can be public or private. Thus, the discussion can be made by only the classmates, those of choice, or open to everyone. Also, there is the option to have the timeline approved by an editor. The editor approval is required for the first timeline created on a new account. The events placed in the timeline can come from numerous types of sources. The source can be listed for those reviewing your timeline so they can seek additional information. Also, images and media clips can be added to the events posted on the timeline. I created an account AlyB51 and did a very brief creation of a partial timeline called Subway Restaurants.
As mentioned previously, xtimeline is provided free of charge and is simple to setup. It only requires an email address, a display name, and a password for your timeline account. Which for a class, you could make a class account and share the password with the students. The account than has a dashboard type feature where a teacher can delete/monitor the items being posted. The settings on the timeline or account can be public or private. Thus, the discussion can be made by only the classmates, those of choice, or open to everyone. Also, there is the option to have the timeline approved by an editor. The editor approval is required for the first timeline created on a new account. The events placed in the timeline can come from numerous types of sources. The source can be listed for those reviewing your timeline so they can seek additional information. Also, images and media clips can be added to the events posted on the timeline. I created an account AlyB51 and did a very brief creation of a partial timeline called Subway Restaurants.
Description of and rationale for how the technology might be used with and preferably by students. The use of xtimeline would be for students to create timelines about concepts or individuals discussed or reviewed in the course. The creation of timelines gives students an opportunity to gain more information and insight on how the object, person, or concept began, has evolved, and will continue to evolve. The student has the freedom to create a concrete product to share what they have learned. They are able to analyze the topic they are investigating and apply what they already know about the topic to where it came from and what it could possibly lead into. When the students have the ability to dig deep into a topic they can better understand that it did not come out of the "clear blue sky" and realize that in many cases the topic may have struggled to get to where it is today. They will more likely be able to explain the topic better and apply and analyze it's parts more efficiently. Investing the additional time into the topic will also allow for more appreciation and will more likely remember or recall what the topic is and what it entails. As an overall benefit it may lead students to appreciate concepts, ideas, objects, and people more because of the process they or it went through. Xtimeline allows students to create high-quality timelines that are interactive and can be evaluated by numerous people. It gives the students the ability to add photos or videos to events in their timeline. The site is very easy to use and the timelines can be broad or very specific depending on how much effort the student will be expected to put into it. Again, the timelines can be discussed by numerous people. Quesitons can be posted on students timelines that would promote reflection or more indepth analysis of their topic. Also, the students have the ability to explore many others' timelines on the website. The students could pick a timeline and check it over and see if they have questions or detect that something may not be correct. They then could comment on them with their concerns and research the correct explanation or answer.
Consideration of struggles for implementation (student, systematic, and/or hardware).
Possible struggles for implementation would include the number of computers available, the quality of internet, and the bugs with the site itself. The site did have some outage issues in its history. The site requires that the students have computer access and if there is not access for a computer for every student there is the option for group work. However, with group work I do not know if it is possible for two people to edit the same timeline at the same time, thus would be a struggle for implementation. Also, there have been comments made that the site has been known for acting up when numerous people are on the site at the same time. The server becomes too busy and freezes when a large number of people are working on the site at once. However, those types of comments were made about a year ago and numerous updates and new versions have been implemented, since then. The last concern that was brought up is the text formatting available when creating a timeline. There are no options for formatting the text such as underlining or bolding key terms. This may cause an issue when organizing information or presenting it in a way that emphasizes key points.
Possible struggles for implementation would include the number of computers available, the quality of internet, and the bugs with the site itself. The site did have some outage issues in its history. The site requires that the students have computer access and if there is not access for a computer for every student there is the option for group work. However, with group work I do not know if it is possible for two people to edit the same timeline at the same time, thus would be a struggle for implementation. Also, there have been comments made that the site has been known for acting up when numerous people are on the site at the same time. The server becomes too busy and freezes when a large number of people are working on the site at once. However, those types of comments were made about a year ago and numerous updates and new versions have been implemented, since then. The last concern that was brought up is the text formatting available when creating a timeline. There are no options for formatting the text such as underlining or bolding key terms. This may cause an issue when organizing information or presenting it in a way that emphasizes key points.
Consideration of the biases and trade-offs of the technology.
There are a number of biases and trade-offs associated with xtimeline. The website is funded by donations and advertisements. The advertisements make up a fairly large part of the webpages used when creating the timeline. Thus, allows for a lot of additional distractions for students. Normally distractions can occur while working on the computer and the internet but these distractions are right in front and easily accessible to the students. However, the other side to the trade-off is that the site is free for use. Also, the creation of events written description feature has very little text formatting. The students would need to proof read and edit what they are submitting very thoroughly because it does not detect grammatical errors as word programs would. This would emphasis good writing and proof reading practices. Since the site is online many students may limit their research to only internet sources to use in their timelines. This may limit the students' intellectual quality of research on the topic for the timeline. As with many other types of papers and research projects the students may just hunt for information and then copy and paste it into the timeline description without even reading, thinking about, or analyzing the information. The students may also just "slap on" images that relate to the event so placing an emphasis that the images should support the text from a variety of perspectives. This intellectual disconnect would not benefit the student's understanding about the topic. The way to compensate for the trade-off/bias would be to have students note why they chose to use the event or person in the timeline. The students would need to engage in their structured and organized way of learning and performing activities. The xtimeline site is pretty open and broad so the students would need to practice structuring the information they find and presenting it in an organized fashion.
There are a number of biases and trade-offs associated with xtimeline. The website is funded by donations and advertisements. The advertisements make up a fairly large part of the webpages used when creating the timeline. Thus, allows for a lot of additional distractions for students. Normally distractions can occur while working on the computer and the internet but these distractions are right in front and easily accessible to the students. However, the other side to the trade-off is that the site is free for use. Also, the creation of events written description feature has very little text formatting. The students would need to proof read and edit what they are submitting very thoroughly because it does not detect grammatical errors as word programs would. This would emphasis good writing and proof reading practices. Since the site is online many students may limit their research to only internet sources to use in their timelines. This may limit the students' intellectual quality of research on the topic for the timeline. As with many other types of papers and research projects the students may just hunt for information and then copy and paste it into the timeline description without even reading, thinking about, or analyzing the information. The students may also just "slap on" images that relate to the event so placing an emphasis that the images should support the text from a variety of perspectives. This intellectual disconnect would not benefit the student's understanding about the topic. The way to compensate for the trade-off/bias would be to have students note why they chose to use the event or person in the timeline. The students would need to engage in their structured and organized way of learning and performing activities. The xtimeline site is pretty open and broad so the students would need to practice structuring the information they find and presenting it in an organized fashion.
Explanation of how the project meets the selected teacher standard and student standards.
The use of xtimeline projects meets the INTASC standard eight and ISTE standards one and two. The INTASC standard eight states that the teacher understands and uses formal and informal assessment strategies to evaluate and ensure the continuous intellectual, social, and physical development of the learner. The use of xtimeline projects gives teachers the ability to have students create and produce a timeline assessment of a topic and after posting the timeline it can be viewed and commented on. This promotes the continuous social and physical development of the learner in their chosen topic area. The students would need to produce an accurate, descriptive, and formal timeline but also be able to add some informal information to support or better describe the topic. The informal evaluation would be that, as mentioned previously, others can view and comment on their timeline discussing the accuracy of information presented.
Xtimeline also meets the ISTE standard one that states that teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-fact and virtual environments. Through the use of xtimeline teachers use their knowledge of the technology site to assign projects that promote that the students learn more about a concept or topic discussed through a virtual environment. The students advance learning by creating and designing a timeline that is supported by images or videos the students find that help intrigue others to learn from their timeline. In the end they learn more about the concept by using the technology to create a product to help them better understand a concept, object, or person and their history.
ISTE standard two states that teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessment incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context and to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes. The teachers use of xtimeline's explore option allows students to engage in digital-age learning experiences. They can view a structured outline of a topic that someone researched and learn about the topic more in depth. By having the students produce a timeline on xtimeline themselves they are able to design and develop a product in a digital-age assessment. They will gain additional knowledge about the topic and what it came through to get to what it is in present day. The use of the internet, books, and xtimeline website as tools and resources to construct a product about what they have learned and share with others who may want or need to learn more about the topic. The students will also gain the skills to better work with the xtimeline tool and how to navigate through a program that may not be familiar to them.
The use of xtimeline projects meets the INTASC standard eight and ISTE standards one and two. The INTASC standard eight states that the teacher understands and uses formal and informal assessment strategies to evaluate and ensure the continuous intellectual, social, and physical development of the learner. The use of xtimeline projects gives teachers the ability to have students create and produce a timeline assessment of a topic and after posting the timeline it can be viewed and commented on. This promotes the continuous social and physical development of the learner in their chosen topic area. The students would need to produce an accurate, descriptive, and formal timeline but also be able to add some informal information to support or better describe the topic. The informal evaluation would be that, as mentioned previously, others can view and comment on their timeline discussing the accuracy of information presented.
Xtimeline also meets the ISTE standard one that states that teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-fact and virtual environments. Through the use of xtimeline teachers use their knowledge of the technology site to assign projects that promote that the students learn more about a concept or topic discussed through a virtual environment. The students advance learning by creating and designing a timeline that is supported by images or videos the students find that help intrigue others to learn from their timeline. In the end they learn more about the concept by using the technology to create a product to help them better understand a concept, object, or person and their history.
ISTE standard two states that teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessment incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context and to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes. The teachers use of xtimeline's explore option allows students to engage in digital-age learning experiences. They can view a structured outline of a topic that someone researched and learn about the topic more in depth. By having the students produce a timeline on xtimeline themselves they are able to design and develop a product in a digital-age assessment. They will gain additional knowledge about the topic and what it came through to get to what it is in present day. The use of the internet, books, and xtimeline website as tools and resources to construct a product about what they have learned and share with others who may want or need to learn more about the topic. The students will also gain the skills to better work with the xtimeline tool and how to navigate through a program that may not be familiar to them.
Cite and evaluate educational research related to the technology use.
The article evaluated in regards to the use of xtimeline, an online timeline creating website, was titled "The Impact of Using Digital Timelines in the Social Studies Classroom." Although the article is focused on the use of digital timelines for social studies classrooms many other subject areas have history in their concepts or objects. Also, the overall conclusions are broad and not just specific to social studies. There findings were presented on both the student and teacher perceptions. They found that after the students used a digital timeline creator they overwhelmingly felt more engaged in the learning process than with other types of assignments. The students feedback noted that the digital timeline project increased their understanding of the topic and they would be more likely to retain the information when the project was finished. The teachers noticed that the students in both the advanced and the non-advanced class were especially motivated after using the digital timeline creator. A teacher also said that it was rewarding to watch the students use their creativity to produce a finished project. The teacher noted that unlike other projects this type of project resulted in less off task type behavior among the students because they were engaging their creativity into the project.
Reference: The Impact of Using Digital Timelines in the Social Studies Classroom. Elizabeth K. Wilson, Vivian H, Wright, Ann-Marie Peirano. Volume 2, Number 2, Summer 2007. Journal of Social Studies Research and Practice.
............Alyson Bechtum...........
The article evaluated in regards to the use of xtimeline, an online timeline creating website, was titled "The Impact of Using Digital Timelines in the Social Studies Classroom." Although the article is focused on the use of digital timelines for social studies classrooms many other subject areas have history in their concepts or objects. Also, the overall conclusions are broad and not just specific to social studies. There findings were presented on both the student and teacher perceptions. They found that after the students used a digital timeline creator they overwhelmingly felt more engaged in the learning process than with other types of assignments. The students feedback noted that the digital timeline project increased their understanding of the topic and they would be more likely to retain the information when the project was finished. The teachers noticed that the students in both the advanced and the non-advanced class were especially motivated after using the digital timeline creator. A teacher also said that it was rewarding to watch the students use their creativity to produce a finished project. The teacher noted that unlike other projects this type of project resulted in less off task type behavior among the students because they were engaging their creativity into the project.
Reference: The Impact of Using Digital Timelines in the Social Studies Classroom. Elizabeth K. Wilson, Vivian H, Wright, Ann-Marie Peirano. Volume 2, Number 2, Summer 2007. Journal of Social Studies Research and Practice.
............Alyson Bechtum...........
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