What is a Word Cloud?
The term word cloud is used to signify and represent an assemblage or huddle. The cluster, as the name suggests, is of various types and kinds of words. The collection displays the different and diverse texts in assorted sizes and styles. The manner or way in which it gets showcased depends on a specific factor or parameter. The entire concept can get summarized and put in simple words. A word cloud acts as a visual illustration and representation of significant, relevant, and crucial textual data. A word cloud also gets known as a tag cloud, text cloud, wordle, or weighted list. It can consist and come with varied and unique keywords. It can comprise those types that different kinds of websites use.
For a word cloud, the relevance of any word gets depicted by the style and size of its representation. The more pronounced, bigger, and bolder a text is, the more significant it is. Let us look at it in another way. The more or faster a word catches an individual’s eyes, the higher is its degree of importance. For this very reason, a word cloud serves as one of the most effortless and convenient methods of dividing and extracting the most prominent and essential parts of a selected data or text. It separates the required and necessary portions or sections from one place or source. For instance, it can take it from a blog post and relocate or transfer it to the chosen databases for the purpose and intention of keeping records of it.
In general conditions, a word cloud depicts or showcases the relevance of its portrayed and highlighted words by using a single text for each of them. The significance can get separated and divided with the help of varying font styles and sizes. A word cloud can also use a specific and suitable color for the tags and text. This process and way of showing and illustrating the words allow an individual to generate or make a contrast and comparison between any two or more distinct and chosen parts of the data. In turn, it makes it possible to discover and locate the similarities and resemblances that appear in the wording. They come within any section of the given or selected portion of the text.
In some cases, a word cloud can have a reference hyperlinked to direct the viewers and users to other products, websites, and items. Generally, the pages that hold the mentions have some kind or sort of significance or relevance to the displayed and highlighted tags or words.
What are the Different Ways in Which Students Can Use a Word Cloud in the Classroom?
A student can use a word cloud in a colossal number of ways in the classroom. They can use it to make the lessons and courses more engaging, attractive, and appealing. They can use the word cloud to turn the monotonous classes more interesting. It stands true for those created both manually and digitally. They can use paper and colored markers or some apps to make the word clouds in each case, respectively.
A few ways exist in which students can incorporate and implement a word cloud in their daily curriculum. These methods can consist of the following:
- Students can use live word clouds to create a poll and check its results. They can do so digitally or manually. The former helps more because all the involved individuals in the polling system can see and observe its progress and development as the votes come in. It makes the entire method fun and exciting. In addition to this, the students can ascertain another point. They can check how each vote modifies the highlighted words or tags in the word cloud. It alters and changes its size primarily.
- Students can use the syllabus they receive at the beginning of their school year and turn it into a word cloud. They can make the course plans and outline attractive by highlighting the essential portions and paste them in their rooms or put them up for display. It enables them to see the relevant and significant parts of their syllabus and put their focus and concentration on those areas. Overall, it helps them filter their courses to solely read and learn the necessary sections and those significant for their exams and future.
- A word cloud helps students read and memorize a few essential keywords, terms, and vocabulary effortlessly, conveniently, and efficiently. They can make one by using and marking the relevant and necessary texts in various styles, sizes, and colors. They can make it so that the most important word is the most eye-catching and attractive. It will permit them to glance at that particular text multiple times, allowing the students to memorize it without any issues.
- A word cloud can get implemented at the end of any class. Students can incorporate it to make their lesson reviews and feedbacks an exciting and fun one. They can use it to create and send their responses and comments in a distinct, new, and unique fashion or manner. It makes it possible for the person receiving the reviews and feedbacks to understand and perceive what gets written and returned effortlessly. The individual on the receiving end can also take references from them without spending hours to make out what the comments and responses mean.
- A word cloud can come to use in helping a student review their lessons or read about a future course ahead of the class. They can do so while understanding every single portion of a chapter or book. It also facilitates and enables them to use unique methods and ways to reflect and respond to an idea, video, or discussion. They can elaborate on some readings or topics that were discoursed and debated in the class. The students can use a word cloud to share their concepts and notions in a better and engaging way and further elaborate on a specific and given topic.
