The embankment of a new year also brings us to the new tools that are a must for an updated, smart teacher to keep up the integration of education and technology and use it to the fullest potential for maximum outcome.
The list consists of the best
of the Web 2.0 tools for 21st century teachers.
1. Dropbox
A great edapp, it is a file hosting service that offers cloud storage that lets you bring your photos, documents and videos anywhere and share them easily. It is a very effective and sure shot method of file hosting allowing the teacher and students to engage and work and share with each other being apart. Best review of the product and hands on training is available here.
This invaluable resource gives a new lease of life to student surveys and polls. Quick and simple to use, it works across multiple platforms, with respondents able to submit answers via mobile phone, Twitter or web browser. This educational tool helps to get the teachers a response from anyone anywhere and improves their understanding.
3. Animoto
Brilliantly easy to use, Animoto produces high-quality videos from pictures and text, set against chosen backgrounds and music. A great way for students to get creative and produce something they can be proud of, Animoto has a wide variety of classroom uses, from projects to reports. This edtech tool makes the usual drab project and presentation more fun
4. Twitter
The best way for students to connect with teachers, peers and world experts, Twitter is a top tool for research and communication in and out of the classroom. It is a tool for teachers to pioneer their students to follow and stay updated with the latest developments inside and outside the classroom and to engage them to follow others.
5. LibriVox
A great site for introducing students to literature or encouraging reluctant readers, LibriVox contains a wide catalogue of free audio books. To help students improve confidence and presentation skills, encourage them to submit their own content too! This edapp is great to help the students learn on which words to lay emphases and on how to speak with the correct enunciation and pauses.
6. Diigo
An invaluable tool for the busy EdTech teacher, Diigo is like an electronic, all-purpose digital Filofax! Use it to store links, resources, websites, blogs and more. It boasts handy sticky notes for reminders, highlighters for personalizing documents, and the ability to store documents and images too. An all-round winner of a tool! It is by far the best tool for teachers around.
These two sites go side-by-side because there’s so little to choose between them! Both provide brilliant creative platforms for classroom blogs, either for students learning to express themselves and create online content or for teachers keeping students updated on important information and projects.
8. Conceptboard
The biggest breakthrough of online technology is the rise in digital whiteboards. This one hosts a bunch of fantastic features, allowing teachers to share and discuss ideas in multimedia format with students both in the classroom and virtually. This is a revolution when it comes to educational tools as it is the host of every student’s brain child invention that might come through using this!
9. Prezi
A must-have tool for teaching presentations, this is one web 2.0 resource that really has changed the face of the classroom. Including photographs, diagrams, flowcharts and being able to zoom in and out makes presentations far more engaging and visual than ever before. Best review of the product and hands on training is available here.
