Literally create learning journeys with Flowgram.  It is like a guided tour of the World Wide Web, … and you get to be the tour guide!

Flowgram is a free, online service that you can use to create slide shows, scavenger hunts, or student assignments.  I created a sample Flowgram below.

The Good Points:

• Add web pages, photos, documents, RSS feeds, audio, and “created-on-the-fly” HTML pages (great for customizing the appearance of embedded objects, such as videos and widgets, or for adding instructions).
• Add audio to any or all of your Flowgram pages – even add audio layers!
• Highlight web page content for the benefit of your viewers.
• Automatically scroll to highlighted content that appears “off screen”.
• Add notes to any of your Flowgram pages.  You might use notes for closed-captioning or to provide instructions or additional information.
• Pause Flowgram pages or let them proceed automatically.
• Learn the basics of Flowgram with this video tutorial.
• Visit the extensive help directory, and find advice in the forums.
• I requested help with a couple of web pages in my sample Flowgram (below), and I was very pleased with the quick and courteous response from Flowgram support.

Still Needs Work:

• Some web pages may not function properly through Flowgram.  You will want to test your Flowgram before you publish it.  For example, I added a Google Maps page, but it became a static image after it was published.  The map couldn’t be navigated.  Flowgram support was very responsive and assured me they were actively working to correct this issue.  They even promised to contact me as soon as it was resolved.
• Because web pages in Flowgram retain their links and interactivity, a viewer may easily leave your Flowgram by clicking an active link.  At present, the only way to return to the Flowgram is to click the browser’s back button.  Depending on how many links a viewer follows, they may need to use the back button several times to return.  I asked Flowgram support about this.  It is apparently a topic of much discussion among Flowgram developers.  They haven’t settled on the best solution, but they are asking for feedback from their users.  I am confident they will deploy a “return to Flowgram” feature in the near future.

Use Flowgram to visualize your favorite sites on a particular topic.  Rather than providing your students with a link to your Delicious or Diigo account, give them a link to a Flowgram that incorporates those bookmarks.  Students can then interact with the content directly in ways that you specify.  Add a wiki page, and instruct your students to reference or even modify it in some way.  Have your students locate and record facts from related sites.  Have them watch a series of videos, utilize web services, or play online games.  Creative thinkers will devise many other uses for Flowgram.

Flowgram is still in its beta phase, so expect it to get even better with time and development.  Send your viewers on a learning quest, and use Flowgram as the treasure map to lead the way.

courtesy of GunFlintRealty.com

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