Learning and Leading - February 2010

Sketchfu in the Classroom

Sketchfu is a Web 2.0 tool that allows you to draw something and then watch the process of how it was drawn. This simple application seems like it might not have much educational value, but I have found it to be useful for many subjects. Because the tool plays back the drawing, teachers can use it to show a scientific process, to see students’ thinking when solving a math problem, or even to depict different events in history or in a story.

It’s simple. Create an account at sketchfu.com and then select the color and size of the line. I find it helpful to start off with the big line and quickly fill in the background first. Next, select a different color and a smaller line size and begin your drawing. An Undo button allows you to erase mistakes. Once you are finished, you hit the Publish button and title your illustration. Now you can watch how your drawing was created at different speeds.

Here are some ways the program can be used in the classroom:

• English: Depict imagery in a poem, show the events in a novel, depict vocabulary

• Foreign language: Create a story with a dialogue, depict vocabulary

• Math: See students’ thinking on a math problem, depict a word problem

• Science: Show a process

• Social studies: Depict a timeline of
events, recreate a historical event
You can share your drawings by
e-mailing them to someone or embed-
ding them in blog, wiki, or social net-
working website. Sketchfu also lets you
comment on other people’s drawings.
I like to comment on students’ work

attacking other users, especially minors, is not allowed.

Another concern is that Sketchfu is not advertisement free, and ads cannot be turned off.

But the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. First, it appeals to visual learners. Second, it allows teachers to see students’ thinking. Third, it is an easy way to create a digital storybook. Fourth, it is just plain fun. And finally, it’s free!

Find sample lessons for using sketchfu in the classroom at http:// sketchfu.wikispaces.com.

and encourage them to comment on each other’s work. Comments allow students to see perspectives on the same material.

There are some drawbacks to using Sketchfu. The first is that the website can be slow, which can be frustrating when using it during a lesson.

Sketchfu also has no privacy features, so anyone can see a student’s drawing, and anyone who has signed on to Sketchfu can comment on any drawing. However, you can report posts that do not comply with the Sketchfu Community Guidelines, which help to set a positive tone for the tool. The guidelines specifically state that sexually explicit content is forbidden, but artistic nudity is allowed. Harassing or personally

—Autumn Fabricant, MA, is the site coordinator for a 21st Century Community Learning Center grant at Eastern Michigan University. She also implements after-school programming at Willow Run High School in Ypsilanti, Michigan.