Gaggle

= **Gaggle Online Learning Tools** =

Gaggle originally started out as a student email provider that offered safety features not seen on other Web sites. Through the use of "blocking", a person or persons in a school could view "flagged" emails sent and received before they ever hit a student's inbox or get out of the Gaggle system. This provided the important watchful eye necessary in the education environment.

Over time, Gaggle evolved further and has added additional services that provide that key safety piece so important to the Gaggle brand. The following are some other features of a Gaggle account and what it can be used for:


 * Blogs - A way for students to share thoughts and ideas (essentially a journal) online, but in the safe environment of Gaggle. The Blog system can be locked down to the class and teacher level, so no one outside of a particular classroom can see what others have posted.
 * Message Boards - An online discussion tool where ideas and responses can be organized and viewed. Again, using Gaggle controls, a message board can be private down to the classroom level.
 * Digital Lockers - Students can save files they have worked on at school or home into this online "locker" for easy portablity between locations. For example, if a student types a paper at home, he could save it into his Gaggle Digital Locker and then open it from the same at school to print out and turn in. Items in this locker are saved online for easier retrieval.
 * Homework Drop Box - Teachers can create a Homework Drop Box for the purpose of having students turn in any electronic files online, through Gaggle, into one central location. Teachers can then open files up and view them online. Gaggle just recently created a "Mark It Up" feature that allows you to provide feedback directly on a digital copy of a paper.
 * Other features such as Chat Rooms, Teacher-Student Safe Texting, and Social Learning Wall provide those more social avenues of learning for those interested in trying.