Having students create their own graphic organizers with key words or phrases, multimedia, connections, color, and layout can be a great way for them to develop visual literacy and thinking skills, construct and represent knowledge, and show the connections between their ideas and understandings.<br /> <br /> In this episode, participants will be shown specific examples of three different types of graphic organizers for different purposes:<br /> <ul><li>Compare and Contrast Map</li> <li>Concept Map (in the form of an opinion composition)</li> <li>Hierarchy/Classification Map (in the form of a decision tree)</li> </ul>These three graphic organizers will be demonstrated using three tools which are free or readily available for most students:<br /> <ul><li>PowerPoint (not just a slide show tool anymore!)</li> <li><a href="http://prezi.com/profile/signup/edu/">Prezi</a> zooming presentation tool</li> <li><a href="http://edu.glogster.com/">Glogster EDU</a> multimedia poster tool</li> </ul>The ideas shared and discussed with participants will be consistent with the social constructivist classroom in a <a href="http://www.cast.org/research/udl/index.html">Universal Design for Learning</a> environment.<br /> <br /> <br /> <object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/5I0IxQgPtBk&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/5I0IxQgPtBk&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /> <br /> &nbsp;Right-click to download:<br /> <a href="http://www.archive.org/download/StudentCreatedGraphicOrganizerActivitiesToEnhanceVisualLiteracy_245/Tilt-StudentCreatedGraphicorganizers.mp4">iTunes Version (640 x 480, 29 MB)</a><br /> <a href="http://www.archive.org/download/StudentCreatedGraphicOrganizerActivitiesToEnhanceVisualLiteracy_774/Tilt-StudentCreatedGraphicorganizers.wmv">Windows Media Version (640 x 480, 39 MB)</a>