BlendSpace is a powerful website tool that allows teachers to create, and students to access, lessons built around theBlend Space Logo (1) blended teaching design. It is an attractive site, having a wikispaces look/feel. In fact, both services are now under the TEF Global banner, so using them together is easier than ever. This means that BlendSpace premium is now free! This tool would be a powerful addition to any wikispaces classroom. Also, BlendSpace can easily stand alone, though I see synergies in using both platforms to teach blended or online courses. Signing up is a snap, taking only seconds. The 30-second video that pops up when you click “Make Lesson” for the first time explains the power of BlendSpace superbly. The real magic of the service is in the right-hand portion of the lesson window, which is a search engine that pulls down videos and resources related to your search term. All you have to do is choose to search YouTube, Flickr, Educreations, or connect to DropBox, or other services. So, instead of having to take the extra steps of searching resources, BlendSpace does it for you without ever having to leave the lesson planning screen. Further, you are able to upload your own resources. Taken together, these aspects make for a powerful, flexible, and impressively easy experience that results in slick looking online lessons.

Simple Uses?

This site has to be a “go to” site for blended or online learning. When used in conjunction with LiveBinders, wikispaces, etc., a teacher can build a powerful and robust course.

Do I Plan To Use It?

No. My school has a powerful and useful LMS, Canvas, which meets my needs. If this school did not have Canvas, and I were in the US, then certainly I would use this tool.

Commitment And Learning Curve

Easy-Medium. Even less “techie” people can use this site. The first time through will take maybe 30 minutes to make a powerful lesson, but time savings will be realized with repeated use.

Best For

Cost

Free!!! Due to TEF Global’s (owner of wikispaces) acquisition on BlendSpace, BlendSpace Premium is now free!

Website

https://www.blendspace.com/