Web 2.0 New Tools of the Trade
What is Web 2.0 and what are Web 2.0 tools?
Web 2.0 is about new ways of creating, collaborating, editing, and sharing user-generated content only. It's also about bringing new innovative ways of teaching into the classroom. We've moved way past the days of paper worksheets. We're in a new age where students are online, so why not bring that into the classroom setting. There's no need to download, and teachers and students can master many of these tools within minutes. Tools like the ones listed below, have never been more easier to use and more accessible to all. Web 2.0 are definitely new tools of the trade. |
The tools below have been broken down into many different categories and compiled from different sources. If you're having trouble finding the right one, send me an email ([email protected]) and I can help you out. I definitely remind experimenting with these tools in your free time. Most of them provide help or a tutorial for teachers and students.
3D Projects and Editing
Blender - Excellent open source 3D content creation suite (free, but most install)
Aurasma - Cool tool for iPad, iPod, and iPhone. It lets you take drawings and coloring pages into 3D objects on screen.
SketchUp - An desktop program provided by Google that allows you to create and share 3D models
Aurasma - Cool tool for iPad, iPod, and iPhone. It lets you take drawings and coloring pages into 3D objects on screen.
SketchUp - An desktop program provided by Google that allows you to create and share 3D models
Audio Editing
Audacity - Free; excellent audio software to record or edit sounds and music. All you need is access to a microphone.
Vocaroo - The simplest audio recorder I've found. Let's your record your voice and email it or post it online for others (free)
Vocaroo - The simplest audio recorder I've found. Let's your record your voice and email it or post it online for others (free)
Public Content Management and Blogging
Blogger - Web 2.0 blog writing tool (free)
Edublogs - A hosted blogging platform designed for education (free with advertising)
AudioBoom - An audio-blogging site where you can send updates through the web, your phone, or through the iPhone app. (free)
VoiceThread - A collaborative, multimedia slide show where many people can add comments online. Store images, documents, videos, and audio files (limited free educators account)
WordPress - A blogging platform and content management system. (free)
Wikispaces - Edcuators can develop wikis for their classes. Members can create, edit, or contribute to pages making it a great collaborative tool. (free for teachers)
Edublogs - A hosted blogging platform designed for education (free with advertising)
AudioBoom - An audio-blogging site where you can send updates through the web, your phone, or through the iPhone app. (free)
VoiceThread - A collaborative, multimedia slide show where many people can add comments online. Store images, documents, videos, and audio files (limited free educators account)
WordPress - A blogging platform and content management system. (free)
Wikispaces - Edcuators can develop wikis for their classes. Members can create, edit, or contribute to pages making it a great collaborative tool. (free for teachers)
Games and Quizzes
Kahoot - I think every teacher knows Kahoot and students definitely do too. (free)
Quizlet - Create and share flashcards with your own terms and definitions. Excellent tool for review. (free)
Quiz Revolution - Easy way to make a multimedia quiz for your website or blog
Quizlet - Create and share flashcards with your own terms and definitions. Excellent tool for review. (free)
Quiz Revolution - Easy way to make a multimedia quiz for your website or blog
Instructional Videos and Video Sharing
TeacherTube - Think YouTube for teachers and educators, as this site's layout and focus is similar.
TubeChop - Allows you to easily chop a section from any YouTube video and share it.
View Pure - Allows you watch and share YouTube videos without comments, ads, or other distractions.
TED - Great, interesting talks from remarkable people.
YouTube (EDU) - The world's popular online video sharing site sorted to only show videos from education institutes
Vimeo - Like YouTube, a simple video sharing site (free).
TubeChop - Allows you to easily chop a section from any YouTube video and share it.
View Pure - Allows you watch and share YouTube videos without comments, ads, or other distractions.
TED - Great, interesting talks from remarkable people.
YouTube (EDU) - The world's popular online video sharing site sorted to only show videos from education institutes
Vimeo - Like YouTube, a simple video sharing site (free).
Online Storage and Sharing
Cloud Storage (all of the sites listed generally work the same; most people select just based on preference and how much free storage - list in parentheses): Google Drive (15 GB), OneDrive (15 GB), Box (5 GB), Dropbox (2 GB)
Scribd - Users get free unlimited storage and access to the world's largest online library
Flipsnack - Flipsnack will convert uploaded PDF documents into a cool virtual magazine with flipping pages
LiveBinders - Essentially this a 3-ring binder for the web. Teachers can organize and store resources and important documents
SmallPDF - The most trustworthy converter I've found. Easily convert files, merge files, protect files, and compress large PDF files.
Scribd - Users get free unlimited storage and access to the world's largest online library
Flipsnack - Flipsnack will convert uploaded PDF documents into a cool virtual magazine with flipping pages
LiveBinders - Essentially this a 3-ring binder for the web. Teachers can organize and store resources and important documents
SmallPDF - The most trustworthy converter I've found. Easily convert files, merge files, protect files, and compress large PDF files.
Photo Editing Tools
Aviary - A suite of powerful online creation tools which allow you to create, edit, and manipulate images (free)
BeFunky - Simple photo editing and effects (free)
Big Huge Labs - Create puzzle, movie posters, magazine covers, calendars, badges, and more (free)
Block Posters - Make full size poster from saved pictures (free)
Gimp - Open source, image manipulation tool that is considered an alternative to Photoshop (free; must download to computer)
Picture2Life - online image editor which also allows you to edit photos, create collages, and animated 'gif' creations. (free)
BeFunky - Simple photo editing and effects (free)
Big Huge Labs - Create puzzle, movie posters, magazine covers, calendars, badges, and more (free)
Block Posters - Make full size poster from saved pictures (free)
Gimp - Open source, image manipulation tool that is considered an alternative to Photoshop (free; must download to computer)
Picture2Life - online image editor which also allows you to edit photos, create collages, and animated 'gif' creations. (free)
Tag (Word) Clouds
Tagxedo - Create customized word clouds (free)
Wordle - The original tag/word cloud creator, but with less features than Tagxedo
Tagul - Beta version of a follow-up to Wordle
Wordle - The original tag/word cloud creator, but with less features than Tagxedo
Tagul - Beta version of a follow-up to Wordle
Animations and Comics
Bitstrips - Make your own comics (free)
Comic Master - A free web application that allows you to easily create comics and graphic novels (free)
Make Beliefs Comix - Create comic strips online (free)
Toondoo - Create your own comic characters and comic strips
Comic Master - A free web application that allows you to easily create comics and graphic novels (free)
Make Beliefs Comix - Create comic strips online (free)
Toondoo - Create your own comic characters and comic strips
Bookmark Managers and Online Collaboration
Diigo - Collect, organize, and share with diigo. Bookmark, highlight text and images, and sticky notes to webpages
Padlet - Possibly the easiest way to create and collaborate in the world
Pinterest - An online pin board to collect, organize, and share things you find interesting, valuable, or enjoyable.
Padlet - Possibly the easiest way to create and collaborate in the world
Pinterest - An online pin board to collect, organize, and share things you find interesting, valuable, or enjoyable.
Mind Mapping
Bubbl.us - Create mind-maps either on your own or collaborating with others (free)
Mindomo - Mind mapping software tool (basic is free; small cost for educational additional)
Spicynodes - Allows you to create mindmaps or organizational charts with bits of information placed in "nodes" that are linked together
ThingLink - Create interactive mind-maps where you can link content to external sources; one of my favorite web programs
Mindomo - Mind mapping software tool (basic is free; small cost for educational additional)
Spicynodes - Allows you to create mindmaps or organizational charts with bits of information placed in "nodes" that are linked together
ThingLink - Create interactive mind-maps where you can link content to external sources; one of my favorite web programs
Presentation Tools
Glogster - Create unique, media rich, interactive posters which can be share online (free)
Prezi - Allows you to create stunning visual presentations using zooming tools on an open flow workplace (free)
Slideshare - Upload and share your PowerPoint presentations (free)
Prezi - Allows you to create stunning visual presentations using zooming tools on an open flow workplace (free)
Slideshare - Upload and share your PowerPoint presentations (free)
Office Suites and Office Tools
We all know Microsoft Office and I definitely recommend using the new version of Office 365, but are some alternatives and tool that you can use along side or instead of Office.
Google Docs (including Slides, Spreadsheets, etc)
Apache OpenOffice (free alternative to Office)
Google Docs (including Slides, Spreadsheets, etc)
Apache OpenOffice (free alternative to Office)
Other Web 2.0 Tools
Bit.ly - Shorten long web addresses -- good for those sharing online storage documents and files. I recommend getting and account for this tool to save all of your shorten URLs.