Great E-Learning Tools
Formerly titled ‘Great Web 2.0 Software’ but could just as easily be called ‘Edtech Tools’ …
Using ICT as an aid to learning does not need to be fun, it needs to be engaging. However, using the tools outlined below is usually both.
An absolutely brilliant resource, managed by Tom Barrett, but with many contributions from other people, is the oft-updated Interesting Ways … series (I have included relevant links from this below)
Some of these web 2.0 resources have excellent 2 sided starter sheets here:
http://edorigami.wikispaces.com/Starter+Sheets (again, I have included the relevant links below as well).
| Online Software | What does it do? | Links for more info |
 Unusual flavours of the renowned search engine |
Allows you to search the internet ... everyone knows that ... but Google are constantly innovating with some excellent 'twists' on the traditional search that are well worth exploring - see links to the right |
google fastflip |
 Dynamic presentations |
Allows you to create dynamic, non-linear presentations that can look really great.Some teachers love to design these as teacher aids.Take this a step further – ask your students to design them. |
Thoughts on using Prezi as a teaching tool Geography Example - Ocean CurrentsPrezi in the Classroom
|
Explore the world in 3D |
"Google Earth lets you fly anywhere on Earth to view satellite imagery, maps, terrain, 3D buildings, from galaxies in outer space to the canyons of the ocean. You can explore rich geographical content, save your toured places, and share with others." |
edorigami’s starter sheet – google earth.pdf
|
Group conversations around a central resource |
"A VoiceThread is a collaborative, multimedia slide show that holds images, documents, and videos and allows people to navigate pages and leave comments in 5 ways - using voice (with a mic or telephone), text, audio file, or video (via a webcam). Share a VoiceThread with friends, students, and colleagues for them to record comments too". |
Use Voicethread in the Classroom Leakey’s Bubble – Voicethread Reflections (Primary School focus)
edorigami’s starter sheet – voicethread.pdf
|
Post-it notes on a web page
|
|
Example usage in Geography: Ollie Bray: wallwisher as a home learning activity
Example wallwisher:
|
Word clouds gathered from text
|
|
Use Wordle in the Classroomedorigami’s
|
 note: use http://edu.glogster.com/
Online posters |
Online poster designer - posters can contain rich, dynamic content such as audio, youtube clips, scrollable text. Note that teachers should sign up for edu accounts. |
Example - What Is Geography
|
Timelines Alternatives: xtimeline and tiki-toki (this has a beautiful interface) |
Can be used to create a rich multimedia timeline (or other sequential narrative, such as a storyboard). |
|
 Quick survey |
The fastest way to create stylish real-time experiences for events using mobile devices. Poll Everywhere replaces expensive proprietary audience response hardware with standard web technology. It's the easiest way to gather live responses in any venue: conferences, presentations, classrooms, radio, tv, print — anywhere. |
|
or Wikis – build collaborative web sites |
A wiki is a website that allows the easy creation and editing of any number of interlinked web pages ... [they] are often used to create collaborative wiki websites, to power community websites, for personal note taking, … and in knowledge management systems. [source: wikipedia] |
|
 Micro-blogging; one of the biggest social networks available |
Micro-Blogging in 140 characters or less … Twitter is a real-time information network powered by people all around the world that lets you share and discover what’s happening now …Twitter keeps you informed with what matters most to you today and helps you discover what might matter to you most tomorrow. |
edorigami’s starter sheet – Twitter.pdf
|
Easy podcasting |
Free, online podcasting (record audio that can be imported into a podcast feed as on itunes for example. |
Use Audio in Your Classroom
|
|
or various alternatives for creating a screencast (see links to right)
Record what you do and say on the computer; make an instructional movie clip.
|
Record your activity on screen together with audio (using a mike) to create simple instructional videos. Great for students to explain aspects of their learning. Designed for twitter, but you can use it in its own right without twitter. Thanks Matt. |
28 Seriously Useful Tools for Creating Your Own Screencast
Good alternatives to screenr (which has a 5 minute limit):
http://www.screenjelly.com/ (3 minute limit – good for twitter or email) |
 Create comic strips
|
Make and share comic strips for free a ... click-n-drag comic creator |
Tap Into The World Of Comics
|
http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/
