Sometimes when I review a new application or discover something neat online I wish I could boldly go forward and and recommend it in the belief that all students could be trusted to use that application without abusing it. Wallwisher is one such site. It is a neat application that holds so much promise for integration and communication if used responsibly. A teacher can easily post a board (which is essentially a simple webpage) that includes links to articles, audio, or video…no mail registration is required. The neat thing about this application is the ease with which students and users can post and respond to information or questions poised by the creator. Postings appear instantly, which makes real-time collaboration a snap.

Wallwisher couldn’t be any simpler to set up or use. You can create a new board in a matter of minutes that includes a logo/picture, title, subtitle, and colorful background. When you set up a new board you have the option of assigning a wall URL, you can select to keep the board private or make it public, and you can allow people to post to the board or set it up so that you are the only person who can post a comment/note. I would suggest that you register for an account so that you can more easily keep track of your boards. Currently, you can register using your Google account or sign up using your email address. I also like the easy share and embed feature (see samples below) users can take advantage of once a board is created. An RSS feed can also be created for any of your boards.

So how could this application be used for integration? Private boards could be created and used by students to post notes and citations for research and private board could be used as a virtual place to post reminders, etc. As a teacher, you could also project a board to the front of the room as part of a brainstorming or note-taking activity. Teacher’s could also post a board seeking opinions regarding a topic. The possibilities are endless.

While this application certainly shines already in terms of simplicity and usability, I do wish there were a few features that would make the site more applicable to teachers. So…here is my wish list for an already promising product:

As it stands now…I have some reservations about using this site with students, but I highly recommend it for collaboration between teachers and for personal use. Please feel free to explore and post to a couple of boards I created for this post as you learn more about the application and develop your own opinions regarding student use.