Project Based Learning- Tech tools

I have some new friends for project time!

My students are working on a project in response to a debate we viewed and discussed in class. I gave them lots of project choices and then encouraged them to pick their medium according to their own learning styles and multiple intelligences that we figured out at the beginning of the semester. This means there needed to be multiple ways for them to create their project. 

Sooo... I found, thanks to my Twitter PLN and other online resources, some great sites/apps/tools that helped the projects become differentiated (of course the typical methods- writing, making videos... were options as well). These were some that were the most popular:

Google Docs- Of course I knew about this one before and we have used it from the beginning but I am still blown away by how much it helps the students collaborate, makes feedback easier and forever eliminates the "I forgot my flashdrive at home/ lost the email where I emailed the doc to myself/ I have an old version and this computer won't open it/ I worked on a different computer yesterday and it's saved there" trouble.

Storify- Since this was a recent debate, some students are using Storify to create a log of responses to the debate on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Youtube as well as articles, videos, blogs and other Storify pages. They think this is a really cool interface and I love how they can analyze reactions to the debate freely by grouping and in-line commenting on the things they include in their Storify.

Sample of Storify made by CNBC

Pixaton- One artistically minded student decided to do the project "Pretend you are one of the debators. If you had 5 more minutes, what would you say? Why?" by creating a comic strip. He is able to use a medium he loves (art/comics) to answer a high level question in a fun way.

Knowmia Teach- This app originally created for teachers (I love it for flipping videos) is also available to students. I didn't want any of the projects to be presented in front of the class. I wanted student's to be able to give feedback and view the projects asynchronously. For this reason slide shows in the traditional sense were not an option. However, some students really love making them. Knowmia Teach allows students to import slideshows or create them in the app and then record themselves explaining the material. This is then compiled into a video. One of my guys brings his own iPad in and is loving using this app!

Sample screenshot from app- one of my videos