Epals

= Communication Tool: EPals = Group Members:Rachel Gish and Shirley Kinney


 * Screenshot or logo**

Brief introduction of the tool
Epals is an online community that connects classrooms from around the world and enables students to communicate and work together online.


 * ===//Advantages of the tool//===

Epals is a great online tool for any classroom to use. It enables students, teachers, and parents to communicate and work together online. Epals has a program called "classroom match" which helps classrooms from around the world connect with each other. This can enhance lessons because students gain fresh perspective and learn about other kids their age from different cultures. Classrooms can work together on projects. Teachers can also use this tool to get help from each other by sharing ideas and lesson plans. Teachers can work together to make their lessons more effective and engaging. Epals also lets classrooms set up a school email for the students and teachers. The teacher is able to see any incoming and outgoing emails. This allows students to work together in a safe online environment and enables the teacher to see if the students are communicating. The SchoolBlog application connects teachers, students, and parents online. The blog is a great way to keep the class organized and updated about upcoming events. It is also only viewable by the teacher, students, and parents. This tool is very useful for teachers and parents who want to stay connected. Finally, the best advantage of using Epals is the LearningSpace. This allows students to work together online. It is very similar to googledocs, and allows students to collaborate on projects together in a safe environment.


 * ===//Disadvantages (limitations) of the tool//===

Epals has many different tools to use. The one disadvantage of this is that it might be overwhelming for younger students who are unfamiliar with the website. However, the site provides tours and tutorials for new members. Obviously, Epals requires the students to have computers and an internet connection. This is a disadvantage for students or schools without computers. Some people have argued that using an online tool like this might not be safe for students. However, EPals uses filtering systems and gives teachers full control of the students messaging and emails. This ensures that the students will interact in a safe environment.

Application of the tool in your subject area
An example of using Epals in the classroom would be online pen pals. If a teacher was teaching students about a different culture, or perhaps even a foreign language, the students could connect with a classroom from that culture. They could write to the students online and ask them to describe their culture or their daily lives. This really enhances the lesson because the students are able to learn about someone's actual experiences instead of reading from a textbook.

Find a tutorial on YouTube
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===//List of key features showed in the YouTube video://===

This tutorial starts from the very beginning and shows the key features of Epals. It shows you how to create an Epals account, then you are ready to get started! The video shows just how easy it is to connect with classrooms around the world, you simply click on the country you want and then choose a teacher from the list. It also shows the different forums that students can post to with Epals.

Useful Resources
http://www.friendshipthrougheducation.org/epals.htm This site provides a quick introduction to Epals and an explanation of how it can be used.

http://www.epalscorp.com/about/news/press_aug27_09.html This is an article about an award Epals is nominated for and it also provides a little information on what Epals is.

http://education.zdnet.com/?p=1546 This is one man's thoughts about Epals. He also provides a little more in-depth information about what you can do with Epals.