Interesting tool that harnesses the power of digital humanities in a very simple way

How I Use It

I've used it to help students analyze chunks of text, including passages from novels/short stories, my syllabus, and expository text. I chose my passage very carefully, discarding the resulting Wordles if they didn't seem to promote analysis. I also played with the settings (the number of words used in the word cloud and the layout/color) to make sure that the visual image would allow for rich analysis. When I present the Wordle, I explain how it is created and pause to allow students time to process what they see. I've used it as an introductory tool and also to isolate important passages in texts. It's a very simple tool, but the teacher must use it thoughtfully in order for it to promote deep thinking.