Tikatok is a web 2.0 story-building website for children of all ages. Writers create a story, illustrate, and publish their book as a hardcover, paperback, or e-book. Stories can be created to showcase inquiry-based research as well as promote the writing process. Several child accounts can be created in a safe website that is linked to the teacher. Tikatok allows students to collaborate with their peers through the sharing of their stories and further discussions.
Strengths
Students can use personal photographs, saved pictures, or hand-drawn pictures to supplement each story.
There are three story forms, to meet the needs of all learners. These include:
StorySparks- includes themes to spark the student's imagination. (Ages 8+)
Start From Scratch- students write a full story independently. (Ages 10+)
Student accounts are created and linked to teacher account (student email addresses are not required).
Students will brainstorm and use the writing process before successfully creating a story.
Weaknesses
The account must be validated before the author can publish/save their writing piece.
There is no audio option.
Parents may not want their children exposed to the advertisements on the website.
There is a cost to publish the book (e-book downloads cost $2.99, paperback and hardcover books cost $15+)
Examples Communication: Using Tikatok, students may collaborate to create writing pieces. Students are also given the opportunity to publish their story for later sharing purposes. In addition, students may choose to embed their eBook to a class webpage or blog, and students may comment and make personal connections to stories written by their peers.
Construction: The students use all information collected from the inquiry process to publish a self-written story. Through the construction of a story, students understand that there is a purpose for their work, it will be made public, and allows them to create a permanent piece that demonstrates understanding and literacy skills.
Inquiry: Students may use this tool to make sense of the inquiry process. For example, after an inquiry-based unit on gravity, students may choose to draw, locate online, or upload personal photographs from the inquiry process. Students will then begin to make sense of the experiences in an organized, well thought-out fashion that includes personal connections.
Expression: The final story itself, with drawings, artwork, design techniques, and more will serve as a form of expression. As mentioned, the child has the opportunity to publish his/her writing to share with the world.
What is Tikatok?
Tikatok is a web 2.0 story-building website for children of all ages. Writers create a story, illustrate, and publish their book as a hardcover, paperback, or e-book. Stories can be created to showcase inquiry-based research as well as promote the writing process. Several child accounts can be created in a safe website that is linked to the teacher. Tikatok allows students to collaborate with their peers through the sharing of their stories and further discussions.
Strengths
Weaknesses
Examples
Communication: Using Tikatok, students may collaborate to create writing pieces. Students are also given the opportunity to publish their story for later sharing purposes. In addition, students may choose to embed their eBook to a class webpage or blog, and students may comment and make personal connections to stories written by their peers.
Construction: The students use all information collected from the inquiry process to publish a self-written story. Through the construction of a story, students understand that there is a purpose for their work, it will be made public, and allows them to create a permanent piece that demonstrates understanding and literacy skills.
Inquiry: Students may use this tool to make sense of the inquiry process. For example, after an inquiry-based unit on gravity, students may choose to draw, locate online, or upload personal photographs from the inquiry process. Students will then begin to make sense of the experiences in an organized, well thought-out fashion that includes personal connections.
Expression: The final story itself, with drawings, artwork, design techniques, and more will serve as a form of expression. As mentioned, the child has the opportunity to publish his/her writing to share with the world.