I’m planning on handling my year-end “The Best…” lists a little differently this year, and wanted to share my tentative plan and, ideally, receive reader feedback. This plan is certainly not set in stone.
Starting at the beginning of September, I’m planning on sharing one major “The Best…” list each month:
September: The Best Online Learning Games — 2008
October: The Best Ways To Create Online Content Easily & Quickly — 2008
November: The Best Internet Sites For English Language Learners — 2008
December: The Best Web 2.0 Applications For Education — 2008
Each list will have approximately thirty sites that I will be ranking based on my own judgment and experience.
I’m also interested in experimenting with the “wisdom of crowds.” So, each list will be set-up as a poll that will allow votes from the same IP address, but be restricted by “cookies” so, theoretically, people will be blocked from voting twice.
My thought is to leave each poll open for two months so both teachers and students can participate in voting for no more than ten choices in each list. I thought that would give teachers enough time to incorporate this into their lesson plans if they so chose. There could then be a sort of a People’s Choice (Student’s & Teacher’s Choice?) Awards for the top ten vote-getters in each list.
I thought it would be interesting, and educational, for teachers to involve their students in trying-out these sites and determining which ones they thought would be the ten best. I could certainly see my students getting a lot out of it, including wrestling with developing their own criteria about which ones constitute the best sites.
I’d probably also come-up with a few other year-end lists that wouldn’t necessarily engage readers in voting.
What do you think?
Larry
This sounds like a feasible plan.
And of course, the world awaits your Larry Lists. You do such a fantastic job.
Thanks for all the work that you do to investigate and share the resources.
Kevin
Larry, do you get any sleep? These lists are wonderful resources.
One suggestion on the Readers Choice label. How about Learners Choices ? Your lists, the Internet in all its wonders, and lots of what happens in class have successfully blurred the lines between teacher and student for me. After 30-years-plus as a teacher, call me Learner!
Brilliant! Who doesn’t love a poll?
Can you add a way to categorize choices by grade or experience level? Plus, native language? What about subject or lesson taught? Sounds like too much but maybe we can add comments for this info to see the real world application?
So often I find one site is a better fit for Spanish vs. French native speakers or any such combo. Not sure if this is the way the site navigates or content. Is it cultural? I don’t know but trying them all helps 🙂
Also, some sites seem too ambitious. While they may have content for all subjects, often what looks good doesn’t translate so to speak. It’s hard for me to incorporate some material into the classroom as it is often broad in scope. Specific theme or subject seems to work best for me. Yet going off topic can yield aha classroom moments and unity.
Just some random thoughts.
Larry,
I’d like to add my thanks as well. My classroom has been a more engaging place for my struggling/reluctant learners because of your lists, and I know I’ve become a more effective teacher because of them. 🙂
I love the idea of “Harnessing the Wisdom of the Crowd”! Your sites are always so useful so keep it coming! Polls will certainly help to get the very best from your lists, it is a little hard to keep up with you!