How and where do tools fit in my framework?

This weekend I had a question from my friend and colleague, Beth Dailey, about where VoiceThread fits in my model, which gave me the idea for this post.  My response to her was

"In my paper I put it in the creating stage as I used digital storytelling example with students creating the VoiceThread; however, if the instructor was creating the VoiceThread for students to respond to it would fit in the engaging stage.  You will find many tools will fit in multiple stages dependent upon how the tool is implemented."

As I further explain my model you will notice that many tools fit into more than one stage.  The tool is just that - a tool.  How you integrate the tool into your instruction and pedagogical practices will impact the stage it falls into.  At the outset of my writing my paper I had planned on placing tools next to each stage; however, the deeper I went into understanding how you can build connections through social collaboration I came to realize I could not place most tools in a single stage.

Building Connections Through Social Collaboration

As I finish up my CrossPaper Fellowship on Building Connections Through Social Collaboration I need to continue making sense of new research, tools, and resources. This will be my place of ramblings, ideas and suggestions how to connect and engage students through social collaboration.  In my upcoming posts I will layout the framework I developed (pictured below) so my rambling make sense to you.