💥 Symbaloo activity 💥

SYMBALOO :)

A "Symbaloo" is an online platform that allows users to organize and quickly access links to their favorite websites and applications through a visual dashboard. It functions like a kind of "virtual desktop" where icons (called "tiles") can be added, linking to various websites, tools, or online resources. This platform is very popular in educational settings and among individuals looking for a quick and organized way to navigate online resources, as it allows content to be customized according to the needs of each user or group.

What is Symbaloo used for?

Symbaloo is useful for organizing resources into visual categories, which makes it easy to quickly access frequently used tools and websites. It is especially advantageous in the educational field, as both teachers and students can create themed boards containing links to educational materials, learning platforms, creation tools, social networks, and other relevant applications. This setup facilitates learning by reducing the time spent searching for resources and improving organization.

How is Symbaloo used?

To use Symbaloo, users create "webmixes," which are boards where they can add and organize blocks with links to websites or applications. These blocks can be customized with different icons, colors, and titles for easy identification. Users can group blocks by categories or themes, depending on their preferences. Additionally, a Symbaloo webmix can be shared with other users or made public so others can benefit from its organization.

My first symbaloo.

This is my first Symbaloo. It is organized in a visually clear and functional way. Here is a breakdown of the contents and block organization:

1. Google Applications and Tools (top right). In this first row I have direct access to Google productivity apps such as Google Drive, Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Slides, and Google Search. These tools are essential in education for document creation, storage, and collaboration.

2. Creation and Presentation Tools (center). Here I can find blocks like Genially, Canva, and the Symbaloo Blog.  These tools are ideal for graphic design, creating visual content, and interactive presentations, making them especially useful for educational projects and visually engaging presentations.

3. Social Media and Communication Platforms (left). This section includes quick links to Instagram, TikTok, WhatsApp Web, and Snapchat, allowing for fast, accessible communication. While popular among students, these platforms can also be beneficial in education for collaborative activities and project communication.

4. Entertainment and Music Tools (bottom right). Here, I have included apps such as YouTube, Spotify, and Netflix. All of them are platforms that can be used educationally to access audiovisual content, music, and documentaries.

5. Shopping and Travel Applications (bottom). This section includes links to platforms like Booking.com, Airbnb, Renfe, Iberia, and Rentalcars.com. Although not typically educational, they can be useful in projects that involve travel planning or extracurricular activities.

6. Other Tools (scattered across the board): This category includes Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) and access to OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Microsoft apps are fundamental for content creation and management, while ChatGPT serves as an educational tool for information retrieval and answering questions.

My second and actual symbaloo.

In this new version of my Symbaloo, I have expanded the educational tools and resources, adding applications and platforms that enhance the learning experience. Compared to the previous version, this new structure includes applications that strengthen collaboration, interactive learning, and creativity. Below, I explain the benefits of the newly added applications and their usefulness in an educational setting.

I've included apps such as Quizzlet (allows me to create study cards and conduct interactive reviews. It's ideal for memorizing concepts and practicing topics independently), Educaplay (allows the creation of interactive activities such as crosswords, word searches, and matching games. It's very useful for making learning more dynamic and entertaining), StoryJumper (allows me to share and access educational presentations on various topics), Kahoot and Quizizz, which are very similar and two of my favourites, for creating quizzes and real-time question games. It's ideal for reviewing content in a fun and competitive way, which always motivates students.

I've also included more apps such as Wordreference which is an online dictionary very useful for translations and linguistic inquiries. It’s a tool that both my students and I can use to improve writing accuracy in different languages.

Then we have apps such as WeVideo, El País, Prezi, Slideshare, Scratch, Wordle and Padlet which are very important and beneficial in the educational field but, however, in my case, I don't use them much since, as I mentioned before, I prefer other applications that serve me just as well.

PEDAGOGICAL USE.

In education, Symbaloo is a powerful tool for organizing and accessing resources that enhance teaching and learning. My Symbaloo board groups essential tools into sections like Google Apps for productivity and collaboration, Creation Tools like Genially and Canva for interactive projects, and Learning Games like Kahoot and Quizizz to make review sessions fun. It also includes resources like YouTube for educational videos and Wordreference for language support. By centralizing these tools in one place, Symbaloo makes it easy to quickly access everything needed for dynamic, engaging, and interactive lessons.

BIBLIOGRAPHY.

Wikipedia contirbutors.  (2021, 2 marzo). Symbaloo. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbaloo