There are so many great technology tools…wikis, blogs, Google docs, podcasts, Moodle sites, VoiceThread, and on and on. Sometimes it’s difficult to know which tool to use for a given project or activity.
The best way to approach this problem is to always start with the question “What are the instructional goals?” and then to think about how to accomplish those goals. Sometimes the answer will be technology; other times it may be paper-and-pencil, f2f group discussion, or something else.
Here is a grid that outlines the main differences between things like wikis, blogs, document sharing, etc. with some thoughts on which are best suited to different classroom activities.
If you have your own tips to share about how you choose which tool to use for different activities, post your thoughts here to share with others.
I listened to a great presentation called Everything in One Place in which Wendy Drexler shares a Teach Web 2 Wiki. Anyone is invited to use the wiki to comment on the different tools using SWOT analysis. So, for instance, if you were interested in blogs you could see some examples and the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in the tools. I like your grid, too.