Recommended by Edutopia. Michele Knobel is a professor of education at Montclair State University, in Montclair, New Jersey, and co-author of New Literacies: Everyday Practices and Classroom Learning.
Zamzar converts files without the need to download software
These are a few of my favourite web tools.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
VoiceThread
VoiceThread
Use this site for collaborative storytelling or document annotation.
Microphone set up for Windows XP
Thursday, June 25, 2009
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Susan Stephenson suggests:
Engrade - This free suite of web-based tools was designed specifically for educators. Teachers can use Engrade to keep an online gradebook and an online attendance book. Engrade can also be used to send messages, post homework, and provide instant progress reports.
Edmodo - Edmodo is a free online communication tool for teachers and students. Teachers can privately assign homework, share files, and send alerts to students and parents.
EduSlide - This slide show tool was designed for teachers who want to create their own elearning resources. It can also be used to assign homework, share instructions for projects, and invite parents to special events.
SlideShare - Slideshare can be used to create public and private webinars and slide shows. This free tool works with PowerPoint and Microsoft Word.
WriteWith - This all-in-one tool can be used to chat, write online in groups, assign tasks, and much more.
NoteMesh - NoteMesh was created for students who want to collaborate with classmates, but it can also be used by teachers. The free service allows you to create a classroom wiki that can be updated by anyone in the group.
Keep and Share - This site offers free and secure group file sharing. Files that can be shared include documents, calendars, to-do lists, photos, and bookmarks.
Mikogo - Mikogo is a free screen-sharing tool that can be used to share your computer screen immediately with other people who are online.
Meebo - This free communication tool can be used with multiple instant messaging networks. Meebo works with AIM, Yahoo!, MSN, Google Talk, Gmail, MySpace IM, and Facebook Chat.
Pidgin - Similar to Meebo, Pidgin is a popular chat client that works with a variety of instant messaging services, including AIM, MSN, Yahoo!, Google Talk, Groupwise, Bonjour, ICQ, and Zephyr.
Phonevite - Phonevite can be used to send free reminders and alerts to other people and yourself. You simply decide who you want to contact and record a message. Phonevite takes care of the rest.
ooVoo - This free video calling service can be used to conduct a video chat with up to six people at one time. Perfect for teachers who want to communicate with colleagues or conduct parent teacher conferences online.
SpeakLike - This free web app makes it easier to communicate with people who do not speak your language. SpeakLike works like an instant messaging service and translates everything that's written from one language into another.
Google Apps Education Edition - Google's free suite of communication and collaboration apps for schools and universities makes it easy for educators to stay in touch and work together. You can collaborate in real time and share everything from files to calendars.
Twitter - Twitter has become everyone's favorite communication tool. Teachers have been using it to communicate with students, parents, and each other. It can also be used as a teaching tool in the classroom.
GroupTweet - This free app is for Twitter users who want to create a group and send messages privately between one another.
Remember the Milk - Remember the Milk is the perfect self-communication tool. This task-master helps you keep track of everything from your grocery list to your event calendar.
Classroom 2.0 - Classroom 2.0 is a social networking site for teachers who want to learn more about the web and the different ways technology can be used in the classroom. The site offers forums, webcasts, and live webinars.
TeachStrong.org - This online learning community for educators exists for teachers who want to network and learn how to integrate digital technology into the classroom.
Teachade - Designed specifically for educators, this social media networking site makes it easy to network and share resources with other teaching professionals. You can blog, chat, ask questions, and share files.
Communicating with parents, students, and other teachers doesn't have to be difficult or time-consuming. There are many free tools and sites online that can help with communication and networking.
Although I have tried some of these tools and sites I will have to try to have a go at the others soon.
Engrade - This free suite of web-based tools was designed specifically for educators. Teachers can use Engrade to keep an online gradebook and an online attendance book. Engrade can also be used to send messages, post homework, and provide instant progress reports.
Edmodo - Edmodo is a free online communication tool for teachers and students. Teachers can privately assign homework, share files, and send alerts to students and parents.
EduSlide - This slide show tool was designed for teachers who want to create their own elearning resources. It can also be used to assign homework, share instructions for projects, and invite parents to special events.
SlideShare - Slideshare can be used to create public and private webinars and slide shows. This free tool works with PowerPoint and Microsoft Word.
WriteWith - This all-in-one tool can be used to chat, write online in groups, assign tasks, and much more.
NoteMesh - NoteMesh was created for students who want to collaborate with classmates, but it can also be used by teachers. The free service allows you to create a classroom wiki that can be updated by anyone in the group.
Keep and Share - This site offers free and secure group file sharing. Files that can be shared include documents, calendars, to-do lists, photos, and bookmarks.
Mikogo - Mikogo is a free screen-sharing tool that can be used to share your computer screen immediately with other people who are online.
Meebo - This free communication tool can be used with multiple instant messaging networks. Meebo works with AIM, Yahoo!, MSN, Google Talk, Gmail, MySpace IM, and Facebook Chat.
Pidgin - Similar to Meebo, Pidgin is a popular chat client that works with a variety of instant messaging services, including AIM, MSN, Yahoo!, Google Talk, Groupwise, Bonjour, ICQ, and Zephyr.
Phonevite - Phonevite can be used to send free reminders and alerts to other people and yourself. You simply decide who you want to contact and record a message. Phonevite takes care of the rest.
ooVoo - This free video calling service can be used to conduct a video chat with up to six people at one time. Perfect for teachers who want to communicate with colleagues or conduct parent teacher conferences online.
SpeakLike - This free web app makes it easier to communicate with people who do not speak your language. SpeakLike works like an instant messaging service and translates everything that's written from one language into another.
Google Apps Education Edition - Google's free suite of communication and collaboration apps for schools and universities makes it easy for educators to stay in touch and work together. You can collaborate in real time and share everything from files to calendars.
Twitter - Twitter has become everyone's favorite communication tool. Teachers have been using it to communicate with students, parents, and each other. It can also be used as a teaching tool in the classroom.
GroupTweet - This free app is for Twitter users who want to create a group and send messages privately between one another.
Remember the Milk - Remember the Milk is the perfect self-communication tool. This task-master helps you keep track of everything from your grocery list to your event calendar.
Classroom 2.0 - Classroom 2.0 is a social networking site for teachers who want to learn more about the web and the different ways technology can be used in the classroom. The site offers forums, webcasts, and live webinars.
TeachStrong.org - This online learning community for educators exists for teachers who want to network and learn how to integrate digital technology into the classroom.
Teachade - Designed specifically for educators, this social media networking site makes it easy to network and share resources with other teaching professionals. You can blog, chat, ask questions, and share files.
Susan Stephenson, The Book Chook
Blogging about kids' literature and literacy
Editor of Literacy Lava
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Free Sound Effects Sites
OUTSTANDING RANGE
FindSounds.com- a free site where you can search the Web for sound effects and musical instrument samples. Take a look at the types of sounds you can find. The sounds in these audio files may be copyrighted and their use governed by national and international copyright laws.
http://www.freesound.org/
All sounds are free under Creative Commons licenses.
Need to acknowledge the source in your credits.
You need to create an account and log in before you can download
www.sounddogs.com
High-quality sound files cost money, but the free samples are decent enough for student productions.
http://www.a1freesoundeffects.com/
A bit limited but easy to use. Go straight to the links to free sounds on the top-right of the page.
www.flashkit.com
Good site organisation, has a great search function and lots of free tutorials!
For royalty-free music: http://www.incompetech.com/The musician, Kevin MacLeod, allows the music to be used for non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons license. Students just need to give him a credit. A little issue with this site is that a LOT of people are starting to use it, so some of the music is getting a little over-familiar.
http://ccmixter.org/ is a free music search site. Creative Commons licenses, requiring attribution, and site requires a log-in.
FindSounds.com- a free site where you can search the Web for sound effects and musical instrument samples. Take a look at the types of sounds you can find. The sounds in these audio files may be copyrighted and their use governed by national and international copyright laws.
-
Free Student Educational Use:
Subject to your full compliance with the terms of this paragraph 2 (d) and full execution of a FPM license, FPM grants free master recording and synchronization rights to students, to the FPM Production Music Library, excluding the FPM Indie Artist and Sound Effects Library, when FPM music is used by students within a school or class assignment. The assignment must be part of student curriculum, must only be viewed or heard within the classroom, campus, on a school’s closed circuit television and/or public announcement system and shall be free from any charge or admission fee. Free Student Educational Use excludes the use by any school in extra-curricular activities including, without limitation, the use in clubs and the use of any kind in performance, non-broadcast multimedia, DVD duplication, distribution and/or broadcast on a public or educational access TV, cable or radio channel, web, blog, and podcast.
http://www.freesound.org/
All sounds are free under Creative Commons licenses.
Need to acknowledge the source in your credits.
You need to create an account and log in before you can download
www.sounddogs.com
High-quality sound files cost money, but the free samples are decent enough for student productions.
http://www.a1freesoundeffects.
A bit limited but easy to use. Go straight to the links to free sounds on the top-right of the page.
www.flashkit.com
Good site organisation, has a great search function and lots of free tutorials!
For royalty-free music: http://www.incompetech.com/
http://ccmixter.org/ is a free music search site. Creative Commons licenses, requiring attribution, and site requires a log-in.
Thanks to Adam Jefford and Terry Oberg for their contributions.
Blabberize Tutorial
Blabberize A blabber is a talking picture.
Watch the video and learn how to Blabberize.
Watch the video and learn how to Blabberize.
Blabberize Tutorial from Wavewash on Vimeo.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Resources for creating digital art
Free software
- The GIMP
- Paint.NET
Paint.NET is free image and photo editing software for computers that run Windows. It features an intuitive and innovative user interface with support for layers, unlimited undo, special effects, and a wide variety of useful and powerful tools.
- KolourPaint is a free, easy-to-use paint program for KDE
- Project Dogwaffle 1.2 is a freeware version of the paint & animation program Project Dogwaffle and PD Pro Digital Painter, developed by Dan Ritchie
Monday, June 8, 2009
RSS: A Quick Start Guide for Educators
RSS: A Quick Start Guide for Educators
Will Richardson, www.weblogg-ed.com
Ver. 1.5, Updated 3/29/05
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd-nc/1.0/)
What’s Covered:
• Setting Up an RSS Feed Reader
• Finding and Adding Feeds
• Using RSS Feeds in the Classroom
o RSS Feeds with Student Weblogs
o RSS Feeds without Student Weblogs
o RSS Search Feeds
Introduction*
o just what is RSS and how can it be used in education? Depending on who
you talk to, RSS stands for Rich Site Summary or Real Simple Syndication.
Either way, RSS is a real important technology that information specialists and
educators would be well advised to harness sooner rather than later.
Will Richardson, www.weblogg-ed.com
Ver. 1.5, Updated 3/29/05
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd-nc/1.0/)
What’s Covered:
• Setting Up an RSS Feed Reader
• Finding and Adding Feeds
• Using RSS Feeds in the Classroom
o RSS Feeds with Student Weblogs
o RSS Feeds without Student Weblogs
o RSS Search Feeds
Introduction*
o just what is RSS and how can it be used in education? Depending on who
you talk to, RSS stands for Rich Site Summary or Real Simple Syndication.
Either way, RSS is a real important technology that information specialists and
educators would be well advised to harness sooner rather than later.
David Warlick suggests these resources.
To help build your Personal Learning Networks try these
resources:
Bloglinesresources:
Blogpulse
Delicious
Diigo
Google Blog Search
Google News Search
Google Reader
Google Talk
iChat
iGoogle
Netvibes
Pageflakes 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).
Second Life
SEGA Tech
Skype
Syndicaster
TeacherTube
Technorati
uStream
VoiceThread
YouTube
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Be Funky-Photo effects for your photos
Check out my Be Funky page.
It looks like great fun and the kids love the effects.
http://sbpslibraryweblinks.googlepages.com/befunky
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