SVCS Digital Learning Month
Week 1: Dotstorming
What is Dotstorming?
Dotstorming is a neat tool that combines a bit of Padlet with a polling tool. On Dotstorming you can create a space for people to post digital sticky notes. Those notes can contain text and or images. That part of Dotstorming is just like Padlet. What makes Dotstorming different is that once the notes are posted, you can have people vote for their favorite notes. As the creator of a Dotstorming space you can restrict the number of votes that each person can cast. For example, you could say that each person gets two votes and once those votes are cast they’re prevented from casting any more votes. After the voting is completed, you can sort the notes according to the number of votes they received. (http://practicaledtech.com/2016/01/24/dotstorming-collaborative-brainstorming/)
Users share thoughts on a board
Users can post unlimited ideas on the idea board.
Board Creator Invites Guests
You can invite guests with a link or by email.
Chat while you vote and post
Users can chat while they add ideas and vote.
What are people saying about Dotstorming?
"Share your board with a projector or interactive whiteboard. Put the URL link on your website for students to access. If you don't want to share the link that way, then use a tool such as Google URL Shortener, reviewed here, for students to type in (and reduce input mistakes). You may want to think about students using only their first name or their code to participate. Dotstorming does not show which posts belong to which student, so you may want to require that students identify their post and comment by putting their initials, their first name, or their code on their contributions to get credit. If you plan to allow all students to post to the wall or make comments, you may want to discuss Internet safety and etiquette and establish specific class rules and consequences. " G. Marland (http://www.teachersfirst.com/single.cfm?id=16997)
How to host a brainstorming session on Dotstorming.com