LEARNING ACTIVITY: BrainStorming
Answer Garden
Often times adults struggle to start a draft without a plan. The same is true, if not more so, for young students. People need time to process, brainstorm and gather their thoughts if they want to be successful with the writing process, problem-solving or any multi-step assignment. There are many Web 2.0 tools that allow for easy brainstorming. Answer Garden is a tool I learned about recently from a PD session myself, that allows for a quick collection of a collaborative brainstorm. A presenter, teacher or student can pose a question for others to digitally answer, without the need for an account.
Steps to Completion:
1. Go to Answer Garden and choose "Create". This allows you the user to create a topic or question for brainstorming.
2. You can allow 20 to 40 character responses if you choose to increase to 40 you must toggle this option. An account and password are not needed, however if you want to moderator responses or alter the question an password for that particular Answer Garden must be set up.
3. Give your students (or attendees) the address to your Answer Garden and they can participate. When participants answer their responses will be underlined for their own view. If multiple people respond in with the same response the response will grow in size to reflect multiple responses.
4. Facilitate a discussion around purpose for brainstorm and student responses.
Example Answer Garden: Reflects Student Response to Center's Procedures
Steps to Completion:
1. Go to Answer Garden and choose "Create". This allows you the user to create a topic or question for brainstorming.
2. You can allow 20 to 40 character responses if you choose to increase to 40 you must toggle this option. An account and password are not needed, however if you want to moderator responses or alter the question an password for that particular Answer Garden must be set up.
3. Give your students (or attendees) the address to your Answer Garden and they can participate. When participants answer their responses will be underlined for their own view. If multiple people respond in with the same response the response will grow in size to reflect multiple responses.
4. Facilitate a discussion around purpose for brainstorm and student responses.
Example Answer Garden: Reflects Student Response to Center's Procedures