edistorm

=Rachel Rushworth=

**Web 2.0 Tool**: edistorm
 * URL:**.@http://www.edistorm.com

Have you ever needed to have a meeting, discussion, or brainstorming session with multiple people, but just can't get everyone together? Edistorm can solve this problem. This Web 2.0 tool offers an online, collaborative way to brainstorm and share ideas on any issue. Think of a board room or classroom with large sheets of paper on the wall. Every person has post-its and puts their ideas onto the paper. Then everyone gets stickers to rank their ideas. THEN everyone has to talk about them. What a long meeting! Now imagine you can do all of this online while sitting at your own computer at home. This is what edistorm can do! Edistorm makes post-its, wall paper, and ideas all on the computer. People can discuss and brainstorm issues from multiple computers and the discussion can develop over whatever period of time they want. Once you make an account, you can create public, private,or even individual "storms," and save these online. You never have to keep up with papers again!
 * Overview:**




 * How to Use:**
 * 1) When you first go the site's address, you will see the homepage. www.edistorm.com
 * 2) The first thing you will need to do is sign up for a FREE account. If you click on the //"sign up"// option on the top of the page, you will be taken to a page that asks for some basic information for you to get started.[[image:grad_school.jpg width="415" height="258" align="center"]]
 * 3) Once you have an account, you will click on //"Create Storm"// to get started
 * 4) Fill in a title, choose a template (optional), and then determine if the storm is private, public or solo (private requires fee after trial period).
 * 5) If you choose a private or public storm, then you may enter email addresses to invite people to join your storm.
 * 6) Click //"create storm."//
 * 7) You will then get a screen with post - its and a blank page (or template, if chosen).
 * 8) Type ideas onto the post-its and click //"add it."//
 * 9) You can categorize ideas by using the color options for the post-its.
 * 10) After some ideas have been added, you have the option to add "idea votes" which are the green dots. This shows an emphasis on a certain idea. You can also comment on individual ideas.
 * 11) Once your ideas are added to the storm, you may then move them, make columns, color code, and organize them to help your brainstorm.[[image:grad_school_2.jpg width="415" height="258" align="center"]]
 * 12) When you and the others involved have finished, you can save the storm, export to PDF, or get a summary of the ideas

media type="youtube" key="uD7yaEJILd4" height="305" width="511" align="center"
 * Here is a brief video on how to use edistorm for any audio/visual learners.**


 * Pros:**
 * Easy online collaboration
 * Multiple people can contribute to brainstorm
 * Ideas can be saved and revisited
 * Ideas can be easily organized
 * Saves paper and easy to electronically file
 * No limit to users, and therefore ideas
 * Entire storms can be categorized
 * Anyone anywhere can contribute - not limited to meeting together
 * Easy to use for everyone


 * Cons:**
 * Face to face communication is lost
 * Explanation of ideas is limited to typing space
 * Must have computer and internet access to participate
 * Private storms require payment

Pictures, information, and videos taken from: [|www.edistorm.com] www.youtube.com
 * References:**

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