Communication Tool # 7 NeatChat

Neatchat

Neatchat.com is a secure online chat room by invitation only. The teacher can select students and then provide them with online study groups or homework help. The teacher can also do class discussion through this means trying to draw in students who are less likely to participate in class. During class time students could also invite pen pals, college professors, speakers they have met through other media and students in other classrooms for open topics. Students should take turns leading discussions. This might be a good beginning to looking at twitter.

Features: no software to install, private, ad free, safe, chat can be printed off, can delete or block users

EVALUATION RUBRIC FOR WEB 2.0 COMMUNICATION TOOLS

	LACKING	GOOD	OUTSTANDING
Learning Effectiveness	- Only lower order thinking skills or less than two higher order thinking skills are assessed - Experiences are limited to only the creator - The application does not extend learning beyond what the teacher has already taught	- Assesses  at least two higher order thinking skills - Provides real world experiences - When combined with teaching, the application extends the student’s learning	- Assesses higher order thinking skills (create, analyze, apply and evaluate) - Provides simulations and real world experiences - When combined with teaching, the application extends the student’s learning
Reliability & Support	- Student needs direct support over 50 percent of the time - The program is slow and lags - There are no fixes to human error with the exception of starting over	- Student is able to access the program with limited support - Efficiency in speed and design - Easily fixes human error with online help	- Student is able to access the program with no support - Efficiency in speed and design - Easily fixes human error
Ease of Use	- Program does not save work, student must print work out - Students have difficulty learning the tool - The tool provides only               single applications	- program automatically saves work - most students easily learn the tool - student can use up to 3 applications within the tool	- Program automatically saves work - Students at all levels are able to learn the tool easily - Student can use several applications within one tool (video, communication, presentation, audio)
Safety	-      Academic ads Academic links Secure environment Teacher control to share work & interact with other users	Ad free Academic links Individual login Secure environment Teacher control to share work & interact with other users	Ad free Academic links Individual login Secure environment Class roster to share work & interact with other users
Technology Requirements	Minimal cost No storage Collaborate on projects, documents Web-based Use on two platforms:  laptops iPads, iPods, Kindles	Free student & staff accounts Internet cloud storage Collaborate on projects, documents Web-based Use on multiple platforms:  laptops iPads, iPods, Kindles	Unlimited free student, staff & parent accounts Internet cloud storage Simultaneous collaboration on projects, documents Web-based Use on multiple platforms:  laptops iPads, iPods, Kindles
Curriculum	Common Core aligned K-5 Some content areas	Common Core aligned K-12 State aligned K-12 Scaffolds Numerous content areas	Common Core aligned K-12 State aligned K-12 Scaffolds Numerous content areas Taxonomy availability