As a youngin', when people would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I usually responded with "A Tyrannosaurs Rex!" (That probably continued into my early teens if truth be told...) Well, life takes us in directions we can't always predict so instead of a dinosaur I've become a educator. (Insert joke here.)
All kidding aside, what I love about my job is I get cool opportunities to use some of the very cool tools that people have taken the time to build and put online for free. The sweet image above was made using Tagxedo. A more commonly known word cloud creator is Wordle. Both are just interesting web tools. Their value truly belongs to the beholder. What I behold is a tool that gives words a visceral shape. I love books, but even I get tired of reading words in from left to right in a linear line. When you give words shape, you find a way to give them even more power.
Think about it! We are all drawn in by colors and shapes. When we multiply words with those two elements, you create something eye-catching and memorable.
Students, how awesome would it be to use a word cloud to create t-shirts, a homepage to a website, or a gift for a friend?!
Parents, how great would be to create word cloud images that can be blown up and be turned in wall art, or impress a boss by designing a unique word cloud for a company picnic logo?
Teachers, how cool would it be to use a word cloud to identify yourself to your students, or create 'name tags' for them based on their interest and self-descriptions?
Oh, the possibilities! (*catching breath*)
Happy word clouding!
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