When one edtech door closes, another one often opens. Last year, I was excited to be introduced to Wakelet. In the months since, I've not only seen how Wakelet is more than able to fill the void that Storify left, but I have also been impressed with how it continues to mature and improve with new features.
How does it work?
Making a "Collection" in Wakelet is quick and easy; the interface is very user friendly. First, you need to create a free account. You can use Google, Microsoft, Facebook, or just use your email address. When you create an account, you will choose a name that will determine your profile's URL. (Here's mine as an example.) Once your account is created, you can follow other Wakelet users, and they can follow you. Your followers will be notified when you publish a public Collection, as you will be notified when the people you follow do the same.
As you create a new Collection, you begin to make choices such as the title and whether it will be public or private. Once you start a new Collection, what can you add? You can insert text, websites via their URLs, YouTube videos, tweets (you can search by username or hashtag), pictures, PDFs, and even include files straight from your OneDrive or Google Drive.
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| As you add certain content, Wakelet remembers them as "Bookmarks." This makes it easier to insert that content in future Collections. |
There are other Wakelet features that affect the viewing experience. The creator of the Collection can choose various ways of presenting the materials, including a "Mood Board" option. Another new feature utilizes Microsoft's "Immersive Reader" in order to read aloud your Collection! Lastly, if viewers are logged into their own Wakelet profile, they can copy a Collection to their account to edit and publish their own version as they see fit, assuming that the creator of the Collection permits this to happen.
Wakelet makes sharing a published Collection very simple, with built in tools for several social media platforms, as well as options like a shortened URL and a QR code.
Recently, Wakelet now allows multiple ways for users to collaborate on the same Collection. In theory, collaborators do not even need Wakelet accounts to interact in a Collection. Collaborators can be given access directly via their Wakelet profile name or email, or indirectly via URLs and QR codes. (Keep in mind that collaboration tools are in beta as of February 2020.)
Last but not least, Wakelet offers iOS and Android apps. This allows users to be able to create Collections from their mobile device, albeit the options are more limited than the full website version of Wakelet. I've created a Collection that demonstrates how the mobile app works, which is also embedded below:
How could you use it?
Teachers could use Wakelet to capture resources while at a conference -- the key tweets sent out from a hashtag, the Google Docs shared by presenters, and so on. You could also create narratives consisting of text, websites, and social media posts that chronicle a current event to share with students. Students could use Collections as a way of saving research, composing mini-"hyperdoc" essays, creating an online portfolio of learning artifacts, or collaborating with team members on resources while working through a PBL.
Downsides?
Storify allowed you to natively find and embed Facebook and other social media posts; I would like Wakelet to easily do the same beyond just Twitter. For now, the workaround would be to find the social media post's public URL and add it to your Collection as you would any other website.
As I mentioned above, I first discovered Wakelet last year at KySTE 2019 thanks to Stella Pollard, a wonderful educator and frequent presenter! Because Stella is an experienced user of Wakelet -- be sure to check out her Wakelet profile -- what better time to interview her, as well as share her thoughts on other edtech tools?
Stella, welcome to Edtech Elixirs! Please share your educator story.
I have been an educator since 2013. My journey began in Perry County Schools as a para-educator for a first-grade classroom. My husband and I moved to central Kentucky in 2014 where I was offered my first official teaching position as a middle school math and science teacher at Williamstown Jr. High School. I was offered a job closer to home in 2015 as a 6th-grade science teacher at Bondurant Middle School in Franklin County. I am currently an Instructional Technology Coordinator (Digital Learning Coach) for Franklin County Schools and I work with each of our 13 schools on effective implementation of instructional technology.
I have been an educator since 2013. My journey began in Perry County Schools as a para-educator for a first-grade classroom. My husband and I moved to central Kentucky in 2014 where I was offered my first official teaching position as a middle school math and science teacher at Williamstown Jr. High School. I was offered a job closer to home in 2015 as a 6th-grade science teacher at Bondurant Middle School in Franklin County. I am currently an Instructional Technology Coordinator (Digital Learning Coach) for Franklin County Schools and I work with each of our 13 schools on effective implementation of instructional technology.
How do you personally use Wakelet?
I started using Wakelet back in early 2018. I jumped onto the #WakeletWave because I was #NotAtISTE18 and needed a way to store all of the resources I found so I could come back to them at a later date. Since then, I have made Wakelet Collections for recipes to resources, lesson materials to videos, and everything in between. I love how easy it is to use on every platform (iPhone, Chrome browser, Chromebook, etc).
I started using Wakelet back in early 2018. I jumped onto the #WakeletWave because I was #NotAtISTE18 and needed a way to store all of the resources I found so I could come back to them at a later date. Since then, I have made Wakelet Collections for recipes to resources, lesson materials to videos, and everything in between. I love how easy it is to use on every platform (iPhone, Chrome browser, Chromebook, etc).
Have you seen students and teachers use Wakelet?
I have! I have seen teachers use Wakelet as a collaborative workspace for students to digitally share and explore the work of their peers.
I have! I have seen teachers use Wakelet as a collaborative workspace for students to digitally share and explore the work of their peers.
What is one of your favorite features of Wakelet?
I love the ability to automatically store your Screencastify videos directly to a Wakelet. It's quick and effective and in my role as a Digital Learning Coach, I am always making videos for our teachers. Since you can easily access your Google Drive inside of a Collection, this gives me the ability to share those videos quickly.
I love the ability to automatically store your Screencastify videos directly to a Wakelet. It's quick and effective and in my role as a Digital Learning Coach, I am always making videos for our teachers. Since you can easily access your Google Drive inside of a Collection, this gives me the ability to share those videos quickly.
Besides Wakelet, what are some other new edtech tools you are currently using?
One of my newest edtech tools that I have found recently is Actively Learn - it's similar to Newsela but has features that include: asking questions in the text, including specific notes for sections for your students while they're reading, the ability to embed a video or link to a different website, and more. In addition, it speaks directly to Google Classroom so there's minimal set-up for teachers to begin. Finally, one of my favorite things about it is that the free version is pretty solid.
I want to thank Stella for taking the time to share her wisdom. Be sure to follow her on Twitter, Wakelet and beyond! And be sure to share your creative ways for using Wakelet in the Comments below.One of my newest edtech tools that I have found recently is Actively Learn - it's similar to Newsela but has features that include: asking questions in the text, including specific notes for sections for your students while they're reading, the ability to embed a video or link to a different website, and more. In addition, it speaks directly to Google Classroom so there's minimal set-up for teachers to begin. Finally, one of my favorite things about it is that the free version is pretty solid.
What's your advice to teachers just starting to integrate edtech into their classrooms?
It's okay to not know everything about a tool. Students can and will figure it out long before we ever will. Don't be afraid to have your students try new things and give them the chance to input their voice in the assignments.
It's okay to not know everything about a tool. Students can and will figure it out long before we ever will. Don't be afraid to have your students try new things and give them the chance to input their voice in the assignments.
