Authoring+Tools--Erica

Web Authoring Tools is an umbrella category for several programs, applications, and websites that allow users to create and share interactive content on the web using a pre-existing template or form. This means that you do not have to be an expert programmer or web page designer to create materials for your students to use in class or access on their own. Teachers can use their own vocabulary and/or content to make on-line quizzes, puzzles, games, tutorials, activities, etc. Most sites with Web Authoring Tools use some form of freeware or open source software and instructors can post to the web or make their materials password accessible only to their students. An example of such a website that I found is: [|www.reviewgamezone.com]. This site allows a teacher to write 10 questions and plug them in to several game formats such as Outer Space Attackers, Basketball, or "Wanna be a Millionaire". I may use this site in the future and simple enter items that I have previously used in worksheet form—the students will be practicing the same thing, but suddenly it seems less like boring drill practice.

My idea: Cheryl Prindle I like quia.com. It is a site with authoring tools that you can type your vocabulary into and there are then preset activities with that vocabuary. It has templates for creating additional games or activities. You can also use anything on the cite that other teachers have created. You can make pages for each subject/class and put specific things for each on it. Each page has it's own address so students just need the address for their page and can access it from any computer, etc. It costs me about $45 a year, but it is free acess for as many students as you want. I can take my students to the media center and have them practice individually - all at the same time.