Technology Tools to Support Instruction

March 20, 2010 Inservice

Explore a variety of online resources and programs that can be used for instruction including online quiz sites, teacher tools, comic strips, crossword and other puzzle generators, Animoto, Flip videos, Delicious, Audacity, MovieMaker, Photostory, Skype

 

Teacher Tools

Class Tools

This site includes a wide variety of teacher tools, most of which as listed below. Each of these templates can be saved as a stand-alone HTML file or as a Widget that can be embedded into a blog or wiki.

Game Generator
Enter questions and answers separated by an asterick
Then choose from 5 different formats:
Matching Pairs
Manic Miner
Wordshoot
CannonBall Fun
Flashcards
Can download web page (keeps ads) or embed into web page (quite small but looks nice)

Random Name Picker
input names ~ selects from fruit machine (slot machine)
can download or embed

Countdown Timer
set own time
select musicfrom soundtracks

Post-It
Add an image and drag post-it notes onto the image
Includes a pointer from each post-it note for emphasis of part of image
Can change colors and sizes

Dustbin Game
Create up to 4 categories
Add statements or words to sort
Student drags words into correct bin

Target
Place 3 topics in center and expand outward
Graphic Organizer

Fishbone
Graphic Organizer
Essay planning tool
Four main fact with details

Burger Diagram
Graphic Organizer
introduction, three main sections, conclusion

Timeline
key events over a defined period of time

Venn Diagram
3 categories

Lights Out
upload image, then use flame to spotlight areas of the image

Intel Teacher Tools

Visual Ranking
Make a list of up to 12 items
Students work in teams to sort the list
Could be sequencing, order of importance, etc.
Add comments to items if desired
Compare student rankings

Seeing Reason
Webbing activity much like Inspiration

Showing Evidence
Building a argument using an existing case

 

Quiz Sites

Class Marker

Multiple choice, true false, free text, short answer, fill in the blank, punctuation and essay questions types
Have results emailed to you or saved in ClassMarker

Studiyo

Can insert videos and images
Multiple choice - weighted answers
Suggest using embed code on final page of quiz creation

eQuizzer

fill in the blank, multiple choice, true false, matching, short answer
Monitor student progress
Instant feedback

Quiz Box

Create multiple choice quizzes
Copy and paste code into web page or blog
Can create link to an email for score

 

Games

Super Teacher Tools

Jeopardy
Quiz Maker
Speed Quiz Game
Millionaire
Board Game
Management Tools (seating chart, group maker, random name generator)

Jeopardy Labs

Online Jeopardy game creator
Play online and share with others

 

Puzzles

Puzzlemaker

Create puzzles to print out and solve
Word search
Crosswords
Mazes
Math squares
and More

Crossword Generator

Create word search or crosswords to print out and solve

 

Flashcards

Study Stack

Create study notes
Regular flashcards, or flashcards that you can discard so you don't repeat
Also crossword puzzles, matching, hangman, and unscramble games
Example

Quizlet

Includes a learning mode
Flashcards, scatter matching game, and space race video game

Brain Flips

Includes an introductory mode, regular flashcard mode, and multiple choice mode

 

Comic Strips

ToonDoo

Create your own character with Traitr
Create own images with Doodlr
Includes a Book Maker for your comics
Example

Professor Garfield's Comics Lab Extreme

Can upload own images or use images on the site
Includes advanced editing features for images
Wide variety of options

ReadWriteThink Comic Creator

Very simple comic creator
Drag ready made images and props onto comic board
Add text in text bubbles

 

Working with Photos

Animoto

Create video with music from your photos
Photo transitions are timed with the music
Ideas for use in the classroom
Example

PhotoStory

Create video with photos
Photos pan across and zoom in and out
Free download from Microsoft
Handout
Example

VoiceThread

Upload photos, videos, word docs, powerpoints
Narrate comments
Share with others
Handout
Example

Picnik

Simple and quick online photo editor

Stupeflix Studio

Create video from your photos
Free account up to 1 minute long

 

Videos

Flip Videos

43 uses for a pocket video camera in the classroom
Handout

MovieMaker

Simple video editor
Handout

Newer version for Vista or Windows 7

XtraNormal

Create a movie with built-in characters
Many historical figures

 

Skype

Talk to anyone free
Includes video is a webcam is attached to the computer
Using Skype in the classroom
Pictures from Skype with India
Handout

 

Audacity

Make audio recordings and edit to use in podcasts or in other projects
Handout

 

Social Bookmarking

Delicious

Save and access bookmarks from any computer
Use downloadable toolbar to quickly add a site
Search by tags
Add people with similar interests to your network

Diigo

Save and access bookmarks from any computer
Create and share lists of similar sites
Has a teacher console to set up class account

 

Classroom Blogs

Kid Blog

Teachers have complete control over all student blogs
Blogs are private by default
Simple to set up
Example

Blogmeister

Teachers have to approve all blog posts and comments
Students can set their own background colors
Can be difficult to set up

 

Timelines

Dipity

Add images and videos to timeline
View map if location is added to events
Also provides list view
Embed in web page
Example

Preceden

Can create layers to timelines
Good for biographies; show different things going on in life

 

Graphic Organizers

Webspiration

Very similar to Inspiration
Share and collaborate with others

Exploratree

Provides a whole library of thinking guides
Numerous ways to explore and solve problems

Bubbl.us

Very simple mindmapping program
Share and collaborate with others

 

Networking

Edmodo

Like Twitter for schools
Create student accounts in protected environment
Instructor has complete control
Created for classroom use

 

Screencasting

Jing Project

Capture screenshots of anything on your computer screen
Create videos with narration of any action on your computer
Save to your computer to use in other programs
Free download
Handout

Screen Toaster

Online screen recorder
Capture computer screen action
Embed video in web page or blog

Screen Jelly

Record screen activity with online recorder
Share via Twitter or email

 

Online Storage

Drop.io

Free storage space for any file types up to 100 mg total
Upload files and share the drop address
Example

Box.net

1 gb free file storage
Share and collaborate with others
Can embed on web pages and blogs

Mozy

Online backup for your home computer

 

Notes

Evernote

Type a text note, clip a web page, snap a photo, or grab a screenshot.
Save online for easy access anywhere
Add tags for searchability
Available for most smart phones


Images

Creative Commons on Flickr

Search for photos that have been licensed for reuse.
Be sure to give the owner credit when you do use them.

Philip Martin's Clipart

Wide variety of educational clipart free to use

Graphic Maps

Lots of free map and flag images here

 

Web Sites

Jog the Web

Enter links to web pages you would like to have students visit
Then share the link
Links will appear in the left sidebar
Actual web pages will appear to the right
Example

Share Tabs

Enter list of URLs
Create page of with tabs for each web site
Also includes thumbnails of each page
Example