Ten+Great+Ideas+What+Tools

Part 1
Tell us how you would use __one__ of these tools in your ministry. Include your name next to your example. Expected time to complete this assignment: 30 - 60 minutes

Example: Wordle As a team-building exercise, I would ask my youth ministers to each submit several words that they feel describe themselves. I would compile the words into a Wordle that would illustrate the combined gifts, talents and strengths of the team. (Claudia)

Delicious Dropbox SlideShare Wordle VoiceThread Skype GoogleForms Geocaching GoogleDocs Glogster


 * PLEASE POST YOUR EXAMPLE HERE, THEN CONTINUE TO PART 2 BELOW: **


 * Wordle** Can be used in RCIA to develop a word-picture image of different terms to describe sacraments, have RCIA catechumens/candidates describe first impressions of the celebration of various rites. In AFF Bible study we will be doing a topical study on the Holy Spirit - use Wordle to draw a composite of biblical images of Holy Spirit (breath, advocate, etc.), gifts of Holy Spirit, and so on.


 * Glogste**r: During this year's Parents' Orientation for our Faith Formation program, I told the parents that I was developing a Parents' Page for our website and asked them what would be helpful for them to find on that page. Among other things, they asked for a bulletin board showing upcoming events, program information, a place for question/answer, and a calendar of faith based activities in our and surrounding communities. I think **Glogste**r could be used to create an unique "poster board". **Claire Hamilton**

WORDLE: Some examples of how this neat tool can be used our ministry: 1) Catechists could ask children for their favorite name for Jesus (e.g. Prince of Peace, Emmanual etc...) 2) In Sacramental Prep such as Reconciliation, could ask the children for a word about their feelings before they receive the Sacrament and then again after they receive the Sacrament, 3) Re: Prayer, could ask adults (or children) for their favorite kind of prayer or a word that summarizes what prayer means to them. **Cara Stolarczyk**

Wordle: I tried Wordle unsuccessfully before so I am happy for this exercise. I would create a Wordle page describing the qualities of a Volunteer. I would then hand them out at our Volunteer Appreciation Meal. There can be be several variation depending upon the kind of service performed. Another twist to this would be to have other team members contribute words that describe an individual voulunteer and then combine these descriptive words in a Wordle page. Anne Marie Prangley

Skype: We could use this to include people who may not be able to make it to a diocesan meeting because of distance or illness. (Sarah P.)

GoogleForms: I plan to use GoogleForms to create pre- and post-tests for an online survey course developed using wikispaces. Jan Von Handorf

Skype: I have used this with a travelling catechist and also with out of state family. Ed Reising Googleforms: plan to utilize this on our website and as a way to get information on baptism and rcia registrations. Ed Reising

Skype: Could use this to connect missionaries with classrooms! If astronauts can do it, so can Sister in the bush! - Teresa Phillips

Google Forms will be a great opportunity to create online tests and quizzes. I have already shared this information with an adjunct instructor who is moving unexpectedly and is adapting his course for a hybrid online offering. Wordle will be an interesting addition to preaching preparation and I will share this with the permanent deacons I teach. During the homily preparation, a preacher could upload the preaching text or part of the preaching text into Wordle. The new and unexpected juxtaposition of words, and the ability to see the words "weighted" by the number of repetitions can offer new insights, new approaches and new understandings of the text. Susan McGurgan

Delicious- I feel I am learning about so many things that I think I can keep all the info in delicious for when I want it, I also really am interested in Glosgter. I do a lot of presentations and I think it will really add pizazz to my presentations. Also my high schooler is using it in English class for projects about books them are reading! terri kerley

Slide Share is a good idea for meetings and having material where people can access it if needed. Glogster was a totally new tool to me and it looks like great fun. I enjoy all the google apps I use. Deanna Bartalini

I used Google Forms to create an online registration for our Faith Formation program and people like it because it was easy. I would also like to use Google Docs to create chapter preview and reviews for the program. I would also like to use Slide Share to to store presentations for those who cannot attend. Joan Fye

Google Forms will be a great help with registering children for Vacation Bible School. The quiz / survey could be sent to parents or the parish for feedback on programs, ideas, workshops. I see this as being a great asset in my work. Kim Adamson

We use Dropbox and Evernote. Also, RSS feed subscription widgets on the webpage. We use Survey Monkey to register and poll. Our webpage also has online forms and we use PayPal for payment to various classes.


 * Google Forms**: I have developed Captivate lessons for online training and a costly system to handle the assocated tests to ensure completion. Google forms could replace that and make it possible to create online training with a free ability to capture information and determine pass/fail. Bob Wurzelbacher


 * Wordle** Each week the students can come up with words they heard from the Sunday mass readings and make a wordle. This could be placed on the parish website or on the PREP blog page or facebook page. Mary Pat Austing

Google Forms: I have a large home school program and I’m using a publisher that does not have interactive online tools. I am planning to use Google Forms to create an online assessment for students to complete to receive credit for their home school curriculum. Patti Kamper

Wordle I would like to use Wordle on the iPads that students use in class. It would be a great way to introduce topics, to create a prayer form, to have kids do some creative thinking on a given topic. Fr. Joe

SlideShare: There is a huge opportunity to reach our teens' parents as well as non-gathered teens in the parish through our new youth ministry website. A portion of the website can be dedicated to sharing recently discussed Catechatical topics through SlideShare. These presentations can also be referenced by the teens that were present, but want to review the material on their own. Marty McClain

Wordle - I think the RCIA participants would enjoy summarizing the session by creating a wordle that reflects what they have learned about a given topic. Eg, Jesus, human and divine--what does that mean? ME Singer

GoogleDocs (Drive) - I plan to convert all of my files to Google Docs. I will never have to remember to email myself documents that I want to work on at home, and the latest version will always be available to all staff members, again, without emailing them back and forth, waiting for each other, and being uncertain if we are all looking at the most recent modifications. Karen Burford

Wordle - For illustration of Powerpoint presentations and to summarize concepts. Delicious - to better organize and keep track of websites in various categories. Dropbox - Our local group of DREs/CREs is trying to get more familiar with the use of this tool to share ideas, articles, and materials for catechesis. Pat Ruthemeyer

Google Form and Wordle. I love the idea of using Wordle to give RCIA participants a visual of their thoughts on a class. I also really like the possibility of using Google Form for those who have to miss class - it would be a way to be sure they reviewed the week's work. Loretta Nazario

From Tara Dibble: Dropbox - to share documents in our office. Right now we pass a thumb drive around or email documents. More than once we've had issues with version control. Slideshare - I'm curious to see if I can use this for catechist training but it's a little daunting for me to match the slide show with the audio and therein lies my hesitation. Wordle - love it! We used it this past year during Communion season to create a bulletin cover with the First Communion children's names


 * vt (Voice Thread)** This is a great tool to enrich any topic. I am thinking of our returning Catholics program where voice thread could expand and build upon the discussion of a particular session and reach out to anyone who missed the gathering. Susan Bellotti

Barb Blanco
 * Glogster** is a great tool I'm hoping to incorporate soon. I am in the beginning stages of creating one for parents of bible study students to help them get a better feel for what we do during our sessions, post samples of videos used, website resources, clips of student interaction during meetings, and a question and answer section.

**__Wordle:__** I have used Wordle in my Powerpoint presentation during our New PSR Year Catechist Kick-off meeting. The Wordle consisted of words that describe a catechist. We also used the Wordle as the cover page for the Catechists’ packets. Wordles can be used as a collaborative learning tool. Teachers can ask students to describe something (i.e. Jesus) with one word. Teachers can write the words down and we can create a Wordle. At the next class session we can give a copy to the students. The Wordle can help reinforce the lesson from the prior week. Laura Sams

Part 2
Time to show off something you have done! Go to the Ten Great Ideas home page of our class wiki and add your own example of a great collaborative online tool. It can be one from our list, or one you have discovered on your own. We have added a few to get you started. __You will have to use your skills at linking and/or embedding a widget in wikispaces.com to complete this assignment.__

===Click here to return to the main Assignment Page for this module to complete Part 2 of this assignment. ===