Free webtools for teachers

I’ve been using Web 2.0 tools for quite a while now and sometimes realise that others may not appreciate just how many wonderful things you can do with them.  It can often  be the case that the only thing that prevents using these excellent tools in the classroom is the time needed to learn how to access and then apply them.  So I thought that I would share some of the ones I use as well as some others that were shared (that I have yet to use) at the superb Teachermeet at Bath Spa back in February.  They are not by any means a definitive list of all that is available but certainly a good starting point.

Scratch (A simple software program that builds scripts to control sprites. )

Applications:

• create a simulation
• animate a story
• illustrate a scientific principle
• create a computer game
• explore programming concepts

Bubbl.us (Simple collaborative online mindmapping tool which is embeddadle and can be emailed, printed saved).

Applications:

• plan a visit
• structure a story
• build a family tree
• find synonyms/antonyms
• concept map at beginning of topic
• mindmap book character
• create a flow chart

Simply Box (A visual bookmarking tool which captures, shares and organises weblinks using thumbnails)

Applications:

• theme your set of topic links
• staff sharing subject based ideas
• curriculum planning

Amap (An argument mapper which visulaise a debate with reasoning, supporting arguments and evidence).

Applications:

• begin a discussion
• summarise thoughts of group/meeting
• structure a debate
• develop critical thinking skills

Tag Galaxy (Type a tag and TagGalaxy will populate an interactive globe with related Flickr photos)

Applications:

• collate and collect ideas for writing
• search topics or themes
• display own photo collection
• explore a country or culture

Wordle (This tool generates word clouds in random designs depending on the frequency of the word)

Applications:

• share success criteria
• polls of favourite things
• guess the character/book from the words displayed
• all about me
• data handling/frequency

Tagxedo (Like Wordle but calligraphic as well)

Applications:

• As above but by choosing an image that relates to the word cloud allows for greater impact

Classtools (Allows the creation of flash based activities such as jigsaws, learning cycle, timelines, venn diagrams, animated books, fishbone diagrams, drag and drop labelling, quiz generator to name a few as well as some useful tools to use everyday).

Applications:

• create a topic quiz
• make a historical timeline
• design a jigsaw
• label maps, animals, plants
• use diagrams to analyse plot, sequence, characters
• devise games for younger children

Cookit (podcasts, recipes, images and activities on food including historical recipes and slideshow tools for demonstrating recipes in pictures and audio).

Applications:

• investigate what the Vikings ate for lunch
• choreograph a TV recipe demonstration
• research and present a recipe from WW2
• document a class cookery lesson
• browse favourite school dinners
• publish and share recipes

Be Funky ( Transforms images with photo effects, speech bubbles and clipart.  Turn images and videos into digital paintings, cartoons and comics).

Applications:

• create class cartoons
• retell a school visit
• use sketches to explain a scientific process
• recreate Popart or Impressionist images
• Transform images for use in Photo Story
• make posters for events

Earth Album (Combines Google Earth and Flickr images to provide a set of photos related to a location which can be refined with keywords).

Applications:

• where are you from?
• Drake’s voyages
• endangered species placemarks
• investigating Earth’s surface
• virtual book tours
• roleplay a voyage/journey
• compare/contrast two locations
• where are we today?

Quikmaps (create personalised maps by adding symbols, text-boxes, photos to any Google map).

Applications:

• label map features
• documents home to school journey
• illustrate a journey from fiction
• display famous explorer’s route
• mood maps
• plan journey stories
• annotate an aerial photograph
• annotate moon and star maps

Storybird (Digital online storytelling tool with multiple sets of quality art work to drag and drop. collaborative and embeddable).

Applications:

• inspiration fro reluctant writers
• create a picture book for a younger child
• collaborate on a book with another child

Blockposters.com (For those pictures you want to make posters from).

Applications:

• centrepiece for display
• instructional for classroom
• reward charts