While Zoho's focus is on office productivity, another product from the Zoho Corp stable, ToonDoo, originally deemed counter-productivein the workplace is defining new levels of productivity in the classroom! Ever since its launch in March 2007, ToonDoo has been creatively used in the classrooms of educators from all over the world. Today, they launch ToonDooSpaces, an effort to further facilitate the safe, creative and fun use of ToonDoo in classroom environments. ToonDooSpaces combines the creative and social features from ToonDoo with enhanced safety, security and monitoring features
A ToonDooSpace is actually an independent ownership-based domain space at ToonDoo and has a unique address such as www.yourname.toondoospaces.com. Members of a ToonDooSpace can enjoy all the creative and social features available at ToonDoo while administrators can enjoy the following additional features:
- Safety! Security! Privacy! No outsiders or outside content is allowed. Users can only view toons created by other users or administrators. All content and activity can be monitored by administrators.
- Ease of management and administration! Designated administrators can monitor and manage all aspects of their ToonDooSpace with just a few clicks. This includes creating multiple users in one go (no email addresses required), blocking inappropriate content, hiding inappropriate clipart, featuring selected toons, snd monitoring user activity.
- Customizable Homepage! An easy-to-use administrative interface lets administrators customize how their homepage will look to visitors.
- Special clipart! Characters, props and backgrounds specially created from an educational point of view are already available. Students and educators can also upload their own clipart to a special gallery (subject to administrator review and approval.)
- A true translation of ‘Who says learning can’t be fun?’
- A unique out-of-the-box approach to learning
- An engaging and fun-filled way for students to learn new concepts, skills or languages
- A powerful storytelling tool for students to express their creativity and flow of thought
- A productive deviation from the traditional approach to learning and teaching
- An effective medium to encourage collaboration between students
- An interesting method for educators to evaluate student learning
- An instrument to identify and encourage career oriented talent within individual students
- A powerful social network within schools
Read Kevin’s full review of ToonDooSpaces. You can read more testimonials too.All spring, my sixth graders (11 and 12 year olds) were fully engaged in the use of our ToonDooSpaces site. They would walk in the door and immediately ask: Are we going to make comics today, Mr. H? And they give a little shout of “Yeah!” with a fist pump when I say “yes”.
I think ToonDooSpaces and others are on the right track. Comics seem to be a natural platform for all levels of writers. My advanced students move into complicated stories and poems while my struggling writers are interested in the art-writing element of comics. It really reaches across different levels.”
ToonDooSpaces are currently available to all for a FREE 15 day trial period. Grab your free trial ToonDooSpace at http://www.toondoospaces.com/trybeforeyoubuy. You can also purchase the license for your own ToonDooSpace at affordable prices starting at $ 0.10 per user per month. For more information on pricing plans and license fee, see this pricing page. To learn more about ToonDooSpaces, visit www.toondoospaces.com or view this downloadable brochure.
This is a great idea. I'm gonna send my local schools the webpage url about this great new Toondoo Spaces.
This is a great idea. I'm gonna send my local schools the webpage url about this great new Toondoo Spaces.