In searching through web 2.0 tools to feature in a webinar in ED504, I discovered a cool little tool called EtherPad. It's a web-based word-processor that allows several people to collaborate on a document, and changes show up INSTANTLY on everyone's screen, no lag time whatsoever. A pretty cool tool for any kind of collaborative work in or out of the classroom, it's recently been accquired by Google but is still up and running until its transition into Google Wave has been completed. Interested in checking it out? Go to etherpad.com or check out my quick-and-dirty how-to screencast. I'm definitely a fan.
It's been really great watching my cohort's webinars and getting a chance to learn about some new web-tools to use both inside the classroom and out. Check back soon for my newest discoveries!
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Melanie, your tool sounds similar to the webinar Sam and I presented on writeboard.com. You should definitely check it out and see which tool you prefer; they are both good for language teachers. Writeboard allows multiple people to collaborate on a document, while showing changes, and the evolution of the document over time. While both tools sound good in theory, I am still trying to find a way to bring them to the classroom in a constructive, practical way.
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