Useful Tools

Tutorials

If you are looking for a better understanding of the various tools mentioned below or more information on how to use them, take a look at some of these tutorials and reference documents.

Wikis

Wikis are a flexible tool for collaborative learning environments.

Columbia Wikispaces is a protected and safe wiki environment that provides a wiki for any course offered at Columbia University (instructors, click the “activate” button at right). Wikispaces make it easy to share your syllabus and assignments, while also creating a collaborative space for your students.
Columbia Wikischolars can be used by Columbia faculty, staff and graduate students as well, but can also be made available to non-Columbia affiliates. Researchers, scholars, and instructors may use Wikischolars if their audience includes non-Columbia members.
PB Works free wikis for education. (Free, web-based)

Blogs

Blogs are a great tool for the development of student writing.

Columbia EdBlogs provides a blog for any course offered at Columbia University upon the course instructor’s request. EdBlogs make it easy to share course content and create an online community using a blogging format.
Weebly free blogs for education. (Free, web-based)
WordPress
Edublogs
Posterous

Discussion

Piazza Piazza is a free online gathering place where students can ask, answer, and explore 24/7, under the guidance of their instructors. (Free, web-based)
Voicethread VoiceThread is a totally web-based application that allows you to place collections of media like images, videos, documents, and presentations at the center of an asynchronous conversation.

Foreign Language Computing

European Languages

Keyboard shortcuts for accents and symbols (French, German, Spanish, etc). Windows and Mac.

Virtual Keyboards

When input settings in your own operating system (Windows/Mac) prove difficult to use, you may want to try using a virtual keyboard in your browser, and then copy/paste from the virtual keyboard into your text editor. See Gate2Home’s list of virtual keyboards.

Videoconferencing Platforms

Appear.in Free videoconferencing and screen sharing for up to 8 people. (Free, web-based. Mobile clients available.)
Google Hangouts Free group videoconferencing and screen sharing web-based platform. Hangouts on Air allow chats to be recorded and played back later. (Free, web-based)
Adobe Connect A robust conferencing platform that allows a large number of users to screen share and capture presentations. (Licensed software and web portal)
Skype Allows for one-to-one videoconferencing. Screen sharing and group chatting are premium features. (Free but limited)
Facetime One-to-one screen sharing and video chat for Mac OS and iOS only. (Free)

Free Video Hosting

When choosing a free video hosting platform, consider issues of privacy and copyright. The services below all each have options for making the videos private, password-protected, or unsearchable.

Vimeo Allows for password-protected video permissions. (Limited free, web-based)
Youtube Allows for restricted and private videos. (Free, web-based)
Google Drive (Free, web-based)

E-Portfolios

Screen Capturing

Jing Free screencapture software (Windows and Mac)
Quicktime Free screencapture and video capture software, built into Mac OS.
Screenflow Licensed software with great annotation and editing features.

Digital Storytelling

iMovie A standard software for video projects. (free, Mac OS)
Toondoo Text-based comic strip and cartoon maker. (free, web-based)
Voki Make your own avatar, with voice recording. (free, web-based)
Cartoon Story Maker Create your own comics with templates or your own images, add speech bubbles and/or voiceover, and export them to HTML. (free, Windows)
PowToon Create flash-based animations with voiceover, and export them to Youtube. (web-based, free with optional upgrades.)

Rubrics

Rubistar – Rubric designer. (free, web-based)

Presentation Tools

These tools are great alternatives to Powerpoint.

Prezi Prezi is a cloud based presentation software that opens up a new world between whiteboards and slides. The zoomable canvas makes it fun to explore ideas. (Free, web-based)
Google Slides (formerly “Google Presentations”) is a cloud-based Powerpoint alternative. (Free, web-based)
Slideshare – Allows you to share pdfs, word documents, and powerpoint slides on the web. (Limited free features, web-based)

File Sharing

Google Drive (Free, web-based)
Dropbox (Limited free, web-based)
Wetransfer (Free, web-based)

Concept-Mapping & Mind-Mapping

A mind map is a diagram used to visually outline information. A mind map is often created around a single word or text, placed in the center, to which associated ideas, words and concepts are added. Major categories radiate from a central node, and lesser categories are sub-branches of larger branches. Categories can represent words, ideas,tasks, or other items related to a central key word or idea.

Inspiration and Webspiration (Licensed software and web app)
Coggle Mind-mapping web app. (Free, web-based)
LucidChart Collaborative mind-mapping web-app, easy for multiple users to edit simultaenously. (Free, web-based)

Mapping Software (Geotagging & GIS)

Umap (Free, web-based)
Google Earth (Free)
Google Maps (Free, web-based)
Quantum GIS (Free)

Plagiarism Detection

Turnitin (Licensed service for institutions)

Research Tools (Reference Management)

Zotero (Free software browser plugin and free web portal)
Mendeley (Free download and web portal)
Endnote (Licensed software and web portal)

Website Development

Google Sites (Free, web-based)

Surveys

Google Forms Create surveys and embed them easily by using a Google Form. The results are tabulated in a Google Spreadsheet. (Free, web-based)
Socrative Socrative is great for use during class. The instructor can poll the class, and students can easily log in and respond within moments from any web browser – on a smart phone, iPad, or computer. (Free, web-based)
Survey Monkey Create surveys and track the responses all from within Survey Monkey. (Limited free, web-based)

Becoming a Life-Long Learner with Technology

Readings on Technology in Education

Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants by Robert Prensky
Teaching Machines by Audrey Watters
Using Technology As A Learning Tool, Not Just The Cool New Thing from Educause

External Tutorial and Reference Resources

The Teacher’s Guides to Technology and Teaching by Edudemic
4Teachers.org is a great site for educational technology resources.
Educause is nonprofit association and the foremost community of IT leaders and professionals committed to advancing higher education.
Ed Tech Teachers Teaching with Technology
Foreign Language Teaching Methods (Technology Modules) offered by the University of Texas
Instructional Technology Resources for Language Teaching by Veronica Sardegna
Wikis in a Nutshell by the University of Regina Center for Teaching and Learning
An overview of E-Portfolios from the Educause Learning Initiative
Why use an LMS? by Princeton’s Office of Instructional Technology

Infographics

The Flipped Classroom by Edudemic
9 Wrong And 8 Right Ways Students Should Use Technology by Edudemic (Original, defunct, source
6 Hot Trends in Educational Technology by EdTech Magazine

Suggestions for this list? Let us know!