Digital+Writing+Tools

Digital Tools for a Writing Classroom: Research, Grammar, and Writer's Workshop
I started teaching with the purpose of creating a 21st Century classroom, but I often felt guilty spending what felt like hours searching for digital tools as a first year teacher. This upcoming year, I want to execute on my vision to improve the feedback loops for my scholars and save myself time to focus on other important things like building relationships with parents and students. After reviewing roughly 25 tools and apps, these are the ones that I think have the potential to implement in my own classroom (and are cost-effective).

//Research//

media type="vimeo" key="39073143" height="281" width="500" [|CiteLighter] CiteLighter is a research and writing platform that allows for students to capture, organize, and cite information.
 * Strengths:** It automatically creates bibliographies based on information from the Internet, and it plugs directly into web browsers to allow for ease of use. Moreover, it gets students used to the idea of annotating and (hopefully) capturing the most important details. It's also compatible with Google.
 * Drawbacks:** Students will need an e-mail address to use this tool. There isn't currently a capture tool for PDFs.
 * Cost:** Free for basic. $80/year for CiteLighter Pro.

// Grammar //

media type="youtube" key="XG5NdUqABwI" width="420" height="315" [|NoRedInk] NoRedInk generates differentiated online grammar practice based on students' interests.
 * Strengths:** It's differentiated so students can actually practice in the areas where they need it. Teachers can then see the data without having to do any grading. Because students are selecting their interests, it actually addresses investment and motivation. It's fun!
 * Drawbacks:** The writing that students do isn't as authentic as it could be, and it's mostly confined to sentences (rather than paragraphs or essays). Data cannot be exported to Excel.
 * Cost:** Free. Currently in Beta for Premium.

[|Quill] Quill teaches English grammar by teaching students an intended word or device, and then having them create their own sentences and proofread. Additional practice is then provided if mastery has not been reached.
 * Strengths:** The proofreading tool is helpful, as grammar instruction is not ideal in isolation. Moreover, this grammar instruction is rooted in rigorous, (mostly) authentic texts, which is an innovative way to teaching grammar.
 * Drawbacks:** Most of the texts are fictional; non-fiction texts need to be incorporated. A narration or read-aloud tool would add value.
 * Cost:** Free.

//Writer's Workshop//

[|gClassFolders] gClassFolders is a Google Drive add-on that creates an electronic portfolio for students, sharing it automatically with the teacher. You can easily create assignments in the Class View and Class Edit modes that allow an entire class to have viewing or editing capabilities. This would be extremely useful for disseminating mentor texts, etc.
 * Cost:** Free

[|Doctopus] Doctopus is Google Sheet add-on that allows a teacher to mass-copy and share a starter-template with students, and manage an assignment on a spreadsheet. Teachers can also differentiate individually for students, and create copies for group projects. File names are also standardized to optimize a teacher's workflow.
 * Cost:** Free

[|Goobric] Goobric is an extension for Google Chrome that gives the teacher the ability to attach a graded rubric and have that data //automatically// populate in the Doctopus Sheet. Teachers can customize their own Goobrics and has them all in spreadsheet form to improve analysis and data collection.
 * Cost:** Free

[|Kaizena] Kaizena allows teachers to select text and share audio or written feedback. The user interface is great, and I think this product has a great amount of potential. I would want to pilot it with a class before adopting it completely.
 * Cost:** Free