Instructional+Tools+and+Resources


 * Instructional Technology Tools and Resources **

[|www.wordle.net] [|www.scrapblog.com/] __ http://maps.google.com/ __ __ http://voicethread.com __
 * // This is an annotated list of Web 2.0 tools and resources compiled by the Friday Institute. //**
 * Wordle ** enables you to create artwork from words, its wondrous properties also allow you to identify key words within a written passage and analyze content. There are unexpected ways to make use of word clouds, classroom teachers already have stepped out in front by identifying all kinds of applications for the classroom that encompass everything from assessment to test review to storytelling.
 * Scrapblog ** allows you to create a scrapbook using your own photos, audio, videos, and text. Scrapblog is very user friendly and would be great in the classroom because it will be simple for the kids to use and it is free!
 * Google Maps ** allow students to create and personalize maps. Basic functions include adding multiple placemarks, and descriptive text to a map. Images/photographs can be added to any map, but the photos must be online (Flickr). Students may place hyperlinks in the descriptive text boxes to link the map to additional information/web sites if so desired.
 * VoiceThread ** is an online media album where users can upload media, in the form of images, documents, and videos. These different types of media can be uploaded into different slides, where users can make comments in different ways. This is the low-tech approach for podcasts or videos. There are LITERALLY unlimited applications for this tool as a learning tool, teaching tool and collaborative tool.
 * Trailfire ** is a Web tool that allows users to save a series of Web pages about some topic. The pages can be annotated with notes or questions, and the trail link can be shared with other users or students for their perusal. This is an easy way for teachers and students to cull a cohesive set of resources about some topic much like you would do for a Webquest activity. __http://trailfire.com/ __

1. Integrate websites into your presentations. If you plan to show one or more web-pages during a presentation, create a trail ahead of time. All you have to do is click the next button. 2. Facilitate classroom web exploration. If you have a class where you want your students to explore a list of websites, create a trail for easy navigation. More importantly, it creates an easy to access archive of the websites. Bonus: students can add their own comments to the pages on the trail and continue adding to this resource after the class and even after the course. 3. Assess a web exploration activity. If you plan a class activity where students must explore and find information on the internet, have them document the path they followed to find the information. Use the text notes to have students annotate what they found and/or reflections on method. Bonus: Demonstrating and reflecting on how to find good information on the web is valuable information to learn, discuss and share. 4. Creating Web Quests for students. Many teachers may want to create web quests to use with their class as a learning activity. Trailfire is an extremely easy way to create the navigation component of a web quest. 5. Student-created Web Quests. Many teachers also want to have their student create their own web quests. Students will find it easy and intuitive to use Trailfire as a central component of their web quest. A next-generation website that houses videos, games and activities connected to English/Language Arts and US History/Government content. Students and learners of all levels can interact with content via games, challenges, interactive activities, and quizzes all while being connected to a community of friends and learners engaged in discussions around academics, current events and important issues. __ http://www.icue.com/ __ __ http://www.icue.com/portal/site/iCue/welcomepage __ Engage your students by having them travel to different locations in works of literature on GoogleEarth. Peruse GoogleLitTrips and see how you can use it with the next work of literature that you teach. __ http://www.googlelittrips.org/ __ The FIZZ suite of tools allow teachers to implement extremely safe web 2.0 environments in the classroom. Teaching and learning outcomes can now be easily broadcast over the Internet to increase student engagement and achievement. A complete FIZZ environment includes: · 2 compact video cameras - We are currently using Flip Video Cameras · A custom video sharing site - yourschool.onfizz.org (demo) · 20 preinstalled blogs - for the advanced FIZZ user (demo blog1, blog2, blog3, blog4…blog20) · FIZZ training to learn how to use the cameras, video sharing site, and blogs in the classroom __[] __ __[] __ __ www.google.com/reader __ __[] __ __ http://bubbl.us/ __ __ http://www.mindmeister.com/home/about __ __ http://www.skrbl.com/ __ __ http://www.gliffy.com/ __ __ http://www.wiziq.com/ __ __ http://www.writeboard.com/ __ __ http://penzu.com/pad __ __ http://m.flickr.com/#/home __ __ http://animoto.com/ __ __[|www.glogster.com] __
 * ICUE **
 * GoogleLitTrips **
 * FIZZ **
 * Bloglines ** is a web-based personal news aggregator that can be used in place of a desktop client. It offers an application programming interface that can be used to write software that can read feeds, search its database of feed entries, and ping the service when a blog has been updated.
 * Google Reader ** stays up-to-date by constantly checking your favorite news sites and blogs for new content. Whether a site updates daily or monthly, you can be sure that you won't miss a thing. It simplifies your reading experience by showing all of your favorite sites in one convenient place. It's like a personalized inbox for the entire web.
 * Pageflakes ** is a free web-based start page tool. You can use it to aggregate all kinds of resources and tools on your web-based desktop (to create a personal learning environment). All "flakes" are editable and deletable, and there are thousands of flakes that can be added, e.g. wikipedia flake, calendar, bookmarks, and so on. You can add RSS feeds and share your page with others.
 * Bubbl.us ** is a simple and free web application that lets you brainstorm online. You can:
 * Create colorful mind maps online
 * Share and work with friends
 * Embed your mind map in your blog or website
 * Email and print your mind map
 * Save your mind map as an image
 * MindMeister ** brings the concept of mind mapping to the web, using its facilities for real-time collaboration to allow truly global brainstorming sessions. Users can create, manage and share mind maps online and access them anytime, from anywhere. In brainstorming mode, fellow MindMeisters from around the world (or just in different rooms) can simultaneously work on the same mind map and see each other's changes as they happen.
 * Skrbl ** is a simple and easy online multi user whiteboard. Sketch, text, share files, upload pictures all in one common shared space. There are no new tools to learn, nothing to download, nothing to install. Brainstorm on the whiteboard to start thinking together, everyone sees the same screen; everybody gets on the same page. There are also team resources for online collaboration. Share resources with your team, co browse the web, annotate shared documents, video phone, Skype calls and share resources. 'Team-skrbl' is the next best thing to being in the same room.
 * Gliffy ** is an online tool to create and share diagrams online.  With Gliffy online diagram software, you can easily create professional-looking flowcharts, diagrams, floor plans, technical drawings, and more. Our online diagram editor makes it easier than ever to create great looking drawings.
 * WiZiQ ** is a web learning platform that connects students and teachers all around the world. WiZiQ not only facilitates the connection between learners and teachers around the globe but it also provides a channel of communication between them. Learners and teachers can connect through our state-of-the-art virtual classroom equipped with live audio, video, whiteboard and text chat elements. It’s free to join.
 * Writeboard ** is a site which allows students to create and share web-based text documents. Writeboard can be accessed from any computer with a web connection. Sharing writeboards is easy — simply enter someone's email address and they'll get an invitation with a link to view and edit the writeboard. Every time you save an edit, a new version is created and linked in the sidebar. This allows you to write without fear of deleting something, overwriting something, or losing a better version of the document from last week. Writeboard would be a very useful tool for individual or class writing projects. Teachers can correct students work online and learners can collaborate online to produce a joint piece of writing.
 * Penzu ** is a free web-based private journal and diary. According to the Penzu, studies have shown that keeping a journal can not only boost your “working memory” but your grades too. One of the best things about Penzu is that it's incredibly easy to use. Whatever you write is saved automatically and you can insert images if you like. You can keep your entries private or share them with others. Penzu can easily be used for class writing projects or students can access the program for keeping their own personal notes (accessible from any computer).
 * Flickr ** is an image and video hosting website web services suite, and online community platform. In addition to being a popular Web site for users to share personal photographs, the service is widely used by bloggers as a photo repository.
 * Animoto ** is a web application that produces videos from user-selected photos and music. It analyzes the provided photos and music, automatically generating a trailer-like video. Animoto’s engine analyzes users' photos and music and takes into consideration music's genre, rhythm, and tempo to generate a video.
 * Glogster ** an exciting poster-creation tool that provides a platform for students to combine text, images, video, and audio to create an interactive, Web-based poster masterpiece. It introduces students to 3-D communication skills, requiring them to merge the left and right sides of the brain as they seek to communicate and evaluate both information and meaning. The visual, audio, and textual capacity of Glogster not only will appeal to digital learners, it has the potential to support the visual literacy skills that are becoming essential skill sets for 21st century learners.
 * Letterpop** can be used to create eye-popping newsletters, actionable presentations, irresistible invitations, beautiful product features, sizzling event summaries, informative club updates, lovely picture collages, etc. It is a service that allows you to easily create online newsletters with text and images and several pages. It offers a free plan with which you can publish up to 10 newsletters. When you’ve created a new one, you can update up to 25 contacts with up to 10 emails per year. Newsletters will be available through online profiles and RSS.

__ http://letterpop.com/ __ [|www.diigo.com/] __ http://www.edmodo.com/ __ __ http://thinkature.com/ __ __ http://www.mystickies.com/ __ __ http://www.i-lighter.com/ __ __ [] __ ** Resources for ELA Teachers (from ELA Wiki Spaces) ** __ http://readwritethink.org/index.asp __ __ http://www.thinkfinity.org/ __ __ http://www.text2mindmap.com __ __ http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/digitalphotography/photostory/default.mspx __ __ http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/ __ __ http://www.intel.com/education/tools/index.htm __ __ http://delicious.com/ __ __ http://plantationletters.com/ __
 * Diigo ** is a social bookmarking website which allows signed users to bookmark and tag web-pages. More exclusively, it allows users to highlight any part of a webpage and attach sticky notes to specific highlights or to a whole page. These annotations can be kept private, shared with a group within Diigo or a special link forwarded to someone else. The name "Diigo" is an abbreviation for "Digest of Internet Information, Groups and Other stuff".
 * Edmodo ** is a private micro-blogging platform built for use by teachers and students for use in the classroom. Edmodo provides a way for teachers and students to share notes, links, and files. Teachers also have the ability to send, alerts, events, and assignments to students. Edmodo also has a public component built by allowing at the teachers discretion to post any item to a public timeline at the teacher’s discretion.
 * Thinkature ** combines an instant messaging system with shared, visual workspace. It can be used as a collaboration environment, a meeting room, a personal web-based whiteboard, or something entirely new. You can place images and text in the workspaces, connect boxes and chat in real time.
 * MyStickies ** allows you to place little yellow squares of digital paper anywhere and everywhere you feel like in the whole wide web. Along with the ability to put sticky notes on webpages, MyStickies offers a powerful interface to browse, search, sort, and edit. They give you the power to mark up the page the way you like, and a tool to find notes easily and efficiently.
 * I-Lighter ** is free online tool that enables you to save information from web sites and then view that data from your laptop no matter where you happen to be working. You can save text and images to an online account. The online account has options that enable you to share by e-mail, folder sharing, tagging and blogging. You can set up your folders to be public or private. The public option is quite handy for sharing information with co-workers as you don't need to try sending links or information by e-mail. You can even add notes to information that you save for future reference or to point out specific details to another person.
 * Chatzy ** is a free private chat service which you can use to communicate with people you already know or people who visits your blog or website. With Chatzy you can create a chatroom and send out email invitations very quickly and easily. No registration is required.
 * ReadWriteThink ** offers a wide array of standards-based lesson plans, web resources, and student materials that meaningfully integrate Internet content into the teaching and/or learning experience.
 * Thinkfinity ** helps K-12 teachers and students link to amazing lesson plans and activities, tons of facts and entertaining games to enhance literacy, problem solving and critical thinking skills.
 * TEXT2MINDMAP ** automatically converts a student's structured list of ideas, items or sentences into a mind map on the web. The student can then freeze the map and move the pieces around on the screen. The final product is printable, or it can be saved and shared with others.
 * Photo Story ** brings digital photos to life with Photo Story 3 for Windows. Teachers can download Photo Story 3 for free. Teachers and students can make show-and-tell fun again as they create slideshows using your digital photos. With a single click, you can touch-up, crop, or rotate pictures.
 * Discovery United Streaming ** provides engaging digital resources to schools and homes with the goal of making educators more effective, increasing student achievement, and connecting classrooms and families to a world of learning.
 * Intel® Education Initiative ** offers free tools and resources for educators that support collaborative student-centered learning. Online thinking tools are active learning places where students engage in robust discussions, pursue investigations, analyze complex information, and solve problems.
 * del.icio.us ** is a social bookmarking site that allow students to research issues/topics, and share information. Students can access the bookmarks from any computer, share sites with groups, and organize sites by topic. Also includes RSS feeds so students can sign up to receive information on any topic of interest.
 * Plantation Letters ** displays letters from people living the antebellum plantation life. This site shows social studies teachers how they can use web 2.0 tools to help students analyze primary source documents.

**More Online Sources:**
[|www.audacity.com] [|www.slideshare.net] [|www.freerice.com] __ http://greatbookstories.pbwiki.com/ __ [|www.commoncraft.com] __ http://www.middleschool.net/less_tut/webquests/lawq.htm __ __ http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/cy912.html __ __ http://www.globalschoolnet.org/ __ __ http://www.thinkquest.org/ __ __ http://media.iearn.org/projects __
 * Audacity ** is an open source, free, cross-platform sound editing system that records music, voices, or any other necessary sound for presentation. Students can use Audacity to incorporate sound into podcasting, PowerPoint, or moviemaker. Audacity is great for beginning podcasters.
 * Slideshare ** allows students to upload a PowerPoint presentation, with an audio file included if the student has included an MP3/podcast. Students can upload and share their presentations with small groups or with the class.
 * FreeRice.com ** is a vocabulary-focused site with a philanthropic side. Students and visitors go through multiple-choice vocabulary questions which get increasingly harder as they answer correctly. As the students answer correctly, rice is provided for Third World Nations through the United Nations World Food program.
 * Great Book Stories ** is a collaborative wiki space for K-20 students and educators wanting to listen and see a great digital story about a book, and to create and safely share stories about great books with a global audience and receive feedback.
 * Blogs in Plain English ** is a site that contains common craft videos showing how and why people use social media. These videos are good introductions for students and teachers learning to use wikis, blogs, bookmarking, etc.
 * Language Arts Webquests ** utilize problem-based/inquiry learning experiences which are good resources for integrating technology into curriculum.
 * CyberGuides: Grades 9-12 ** are supplementary, standards-based, web-delivered units of instruction centered on core works of literature. Each CyberGuide contains a student and teacher edition, standards, a task and a process by which it may be completed, teacher-selected web sites and a rubric, based on California Language Arts Content Standards
 * GlobalSchoolNet.org ** has a mission is to support 21st century learning. Use Classroom Conferencing, Online Expeditions, and other global connections to create authentic opportunities for students to interact worldwide. Use this database of projects to find and connect with other classroom teachers around the world; find interesting and productive global collaborative learning projects for your own classroom; and/or build, advertise, and conduct your own original collaborative project. Sponsored by the Global SchoolNet Foundation.
 * ThinkQuest Website Competition ** inspires students to think, connect, create, and share. Students work in teams to build innovative and educational websites to share with the world. Along the way, they learn research, writing, teamwork, and technology skills and compete for exciting prizes. Sponsored by the Oracle Education Foundation, the competition offers a unique project-based learning experience to students and teachers across the globe. Everybody wins by having their completed websites published in the ThinkQuest Library, a rich online resource visited by millions monthly.
 * iEARN Collaboration Center ** enables young people to learn with rather than simply about the world. iEARN projects are designed and facilitated by educators and students worldwide, and result in a range of collaborative final "products," including websites, magazines, and reports to government officials.
 * Others:**
 * Podcasting
 * Moodle
 * RSS Feeds