Criteria for evaluating web tools - today's webtool: "Mural.ly"

Mural.ly is a webtool that allows you to create a mural online and stick on it from pictures (from your computer or directly from the web) and sticky notes to different types of files or documents, links, videos, etc. You can also create mindmaps. In addition, you can invite “collaborators” to your mural and allow them to add comments to your work, or simply chat with them online. According to the creators of the webtool, Mural.ly “fully unleashes the imagination of teams of visual people” and it “can empower creativity by being visual, collaborative and playful”.

But is it efficient as an educational webtool for ELT students? In order to answer that question, we are going to analyze it according to Nik Peachley’s criteria for evaluating Web Tools and Apps, which can be found in his blog Nik's Learning Technology Blog. Nik has been into the ELT field since 1992 and holds a Masters in Educational Technology and ELT. 

Evaluating "Mural.ly"

Accessibility: Mural.ly can be used with any browser in any kind of computer.

User friendly: Sure. Mural.ly is super simple and students will be able to learn how to use it quickly.  

Registration: Yes, registration is needed. This can be a bit troublesome since students must remember the password. However, registration offers students more protection and makes any potential misuse or mischief trackable back to its source.

Security: The free version of the webtool does not seem to be so secure… since there is no way to report inappropriate use. However, if you get the paid version, you can generate “password protected links”.

Price: As mentioned above, it is freemium (it has both a free and a commercial version).The free version is very complete though.

Business model: They make money through the paid version. Also, the project has “great investors like Intel Capital, Alta Ventures, 500 Startups and a top roster of angel investors throughout the Americas”. So, I guess it may not need to generate money by trading data, or disappear due to lack of funds.

Learning goal / outcome: Personally, I’d have each student create his or her own mural where they would “stick” their assignments for their mates to comment, all throughout the year. In other words, I’d use the mural as a means of interaction and communication among mates and also student-teacher communication, as if the mural was a huge binder for everyone to see. Because of this, the mural doesn’t have a specific learning goal.

Interaction / communication: It totally supports interaction and communication between users. Students can comment on each other’s projects, they can chat online, work collaboratively, and most importantly, the teacher can keep track of his or her student’s assignments and provide feedback anytime.

Assessment: Students will know that teachers are evaluating, assessing and responding to their work, because the teacher can access the mural anytime.

Because of all its advantages, I believe that Mural.ly is a good webtool to implement from the very beginning of the school year, and it provides our students with an online space of their own to store and share their projects. 

Here there are some samples: 

  

And this a small mural I created, just to try the webtool out: