Word Cloud Generation with Wordle
Wordle is a simple yet visually interesting tool I ran across recently, which enables users to create word clouds based on provided content. As the site explains:
“The clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in the source text. You can tweak your clouds with different fonts, layouts, and color schemes. The images you create with Wordle are yours to use however you like. You can print them out, or save them to the Wordle gallery to share with your friends.”
It’s an entertaining tool to use as the application randomises font style, colour, word location, and cloud shape each time you click “Randomize.” I spent ages experimenting to see what would emerge from each new rendering.
Given my interest in expanding my understanding of learning styles I couldn’t help but wonder what type of learner Wordle would appeal to most; as well as right-brain leaning versus left-brain leaning. If anybody has thoughts on this please let me know.
As a bit of fun I’m including two of the word clouds I created below. Can you guess what the phrases are? I’ll give you a small hint: Wordle strips out punctuation by default, so there is meant to be some in there - in image one there’s a colon and a questionmark; image two has a colon and a period.
July 15th, 2008 at 1:49 am
Where do you want to go today? Edication
choose you own learning adventure
Mike reply on July 15th, 2008 2:03 am:
Basically
As I said, Wordle strips out the punctuation, so there’s no real way of knowing that I really meant:
Education: Where do you want to go today?
Learning: Choose your own adventure.
I think they’d make good shirts, don’t you?
I wonder what image/graphic would best go with it?
Cheers,
Mike
July 30th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
Hey, EdTechTalk is selling wordle t-shirts! http://www.cafepress.com/edtechtalk