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Something new!

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Web 2.0 tools and online utilities have become more full-featured and useful over the years. Here are some links to various online tools to help both teaching and learning. The online tools all...

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Ways to use QR Codes in the Elementary Classroom and Using Google Docs to Create Them | Inside the classroom, outside the box!

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Ways to use QR Codes in the Elementary Classroom and Using Google Docs to Create Them | Inside the classroom, outside the box!

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How to Customize Padlet Walls: Plus FREE Graphic Organizers!

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This blog is intended to give helpful tips and tricks for incorporating technology into your classroom.

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How to Create a Portfolio with Evernote (Education Series) - Evernote Blog

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How to Create a Portfolio with Evernote (Education Series) - Evernote Blog

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LiveBinders Blog | The Knowledge Sharing Place

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LiveBinders Blog | The Knowledge Sharing Place

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The federally mandated Common Core program aims to create a clear set of nationwide education objectives. Education professionals may be years away from fully assessing its full impact on our schools, but one thing is clear-it has created a towering level of frustration for teachers by essentially requiring them to re-engineer how they approach their classrooms. New standards and curriculum only scratch the surface of the change. In addition to becoming familiar with the new requirements, teachers must rethink the resources they use with their students to ensure that they are drawing from materials that will support their ability to meet the new standards.

Beyond books and print materials, Common Core has highlighted a need for electronic resources that supplement textbooks and other traditional materials. The web is full of such resources, but to put it in librarian parlance, the task of identifying the most useful tools and content for most teachers is akin to looking for a title in a public library without using the Dewey Decimal System.

Furthermore, in the face of severe time limits, impending deadlines and rising expectations, teachers are frequently forced to rely on aging technologies that are unreliable at best. At worst, they actually make it more difficult for teachers trying to keep pace, and put an undue burden on those that aren't as tech savvy. Considering the degree of impediment to education this has caused, it's not hard to see how these technologies can take the form of a villain in the eyes of many teachers.

"All these new resources keep popping up-how do we organize and present them in a way that teachers can access the right resources, and understand how they apply to Common Core?" said Mary Jo Matousek, Media Center Director at Meridian Middle School. "In other words, how do we enable teachers to shift their focus from adapting to Common Core, and back to teaching? We do it by essentially curating the web for them."
Librarians Seize an Opportunity to Make a Difference
While this problem may have been rooted in technology, it was not to be solved by technologists, per se, but by people who were thoroughly familiar with the education process, and the day-to-day challenges of teachers. Prompted by a colleague's recommendation to pursue a grant from an organization called ILEAD USA, librarians Katie Hauser and Mary Jo Matousek sent out an inquiry through a professional organization stating that they'd like to form a team to participate. "I responded almost immediately," said Mindy Perry of Greenbrook Elementary School. "Katie and I knew each other from Dominican University, where we served as president and VP of LISSA. I knew this would be a great group, and wanted to participate." The team was also quickly joined by Rachele Esola, a Library Media Specialist at St. Patrick High School.

The team-librarians from varying career phases, including one who was set to retire the following year and wanted to make a final lasting contribution-assembled with the intent to start a project that would enhance educational opportunities across their varied school districts. Librarians are often quite involved in curating materials for classrooms, serving on curriculum committees, etc. Understanding the pain that teachers were experiencing with adjusting to Common Core, they decided to focus on developing an online tool that would offer easy access to top notch online resources that supported new curriculum requirements.

It was this focus that ultimately drew in the team's fifth member, Marcia Brandt. "Mary Jo's Facebook post was the catalyst for me, but the project itself drew me in," said Brandt. "The team focus of pulling together resources for our teachers struggling with Common Core applications is something I already wanted to do for my own teachers."
ILEAD USA Invests in a S.U.P.E.R. Team
ILEAD USA ( Innovative Librarians Explore, Apply and Discover) is a continuing education program that aims to cultivate technology skills and leadership training, and provide opportunities for collaborating on innovative projects. The organization started in 2010 with grant funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), and fosters the development of team projects over a nine-month period, during which it helps guide projects to successful completion.

Upon offering a grant to Hauser's team, ILEAD USA offered access to a variety of experts in the fields of library and museum science that helped to inform the development of the project. Based on extensive feedback from ILEAD USA members, the team opted to name their project "S.U.P.E.R.", which stands for Sharing Useful Professional Electronic Resources.
A S.U.P.E.R. Project Requires a Super Technology Platform
The first order of business, however, was not to curate the resources, but rather to select a delivery platform that was awesome enough to serve as the foundation for their awesome idea. Working closely with team advisor Donna Schaal, Illinois State Library director Ann Craig, and independent education consultant Beck Tench, the S.U.P.E.R. team conducted a thorough testing process to determine which technology platform would offer the right set of capabilities to accomplish their core objective: defeating the evil "USB Man."
Arch-nemesis of Online Education: USB Man
Of course, every super hero faces a super villain. For the S.U.P.E.R. team, that villain was embodied in a tech device that was very common, yet antithetical to online education- the USB drive. Teachers, they assert, resort to using USB drives in order to access
resources. However, the problems associated with this method are plentiful, including lack of shareability, version control, easily lost documents and a host of other issues. "In keeping with our 'super' theme, we opted to characterize this particular obstacle as a super-villain-USB Man," said Hauser. "After all, USB drives are easily corrupted, and they're certainly never around when you need them."

The team entered the evaluation process with very well-defined objectives which made it easy to identify the capabilities that they needed in a technology platform. They conducted a usability study to assess the relative intuitiveness of various platforms. This was extremely important, as the S.U.P.E.R. tool needed to appeal to a very broad range of users with extremely demanding jobs. Using it needed to require minimal effort, and offer no barriers to entry.

Furthermore, because the schools were at different socioeconomic levels, they needed a platform that would work across a wide variety of devices-tablets, PCs etc. It had to be accessible regardless of how resource-strapped a school might be. And, for similar economic reasons, the platform had to be available to the public for free-subscriptions fees were not an option.
The S.U.P.E.R. Team Finds its "Bat Cave" in LiveBinders
Every superhero needs a home base, and upon testing a wide range of technologies with a variety of document curating and sharing abilities the S.U.P.E.R. team found its ideal supporting platform in LiveBinders.

Designed to serve the next generation of content sharing, LiveBinders makes it easy to organize, find and use resources. Available for free (an advanced version is also available with a paid subscription), it enables you to organize a diverse collection of content into a streamlined package for sharing file uploads, Google docs, web links, videos, surveys and presentations. Depending on the preferences of the creator, these "binders" can be made accessible without requiring any sort of login.

In addition to meeting all of the S.U.P.E.R. team's functionality requirements, LiveBinders made sense from a conceptual standpoint. By basing the organizational scheme on something that has been used in classrooms for centuries-binders and tabs-the team found that users were able to intuitively navigate the platform, and knew that it would translate well for their audience, which was not just tech-savvy teachers. "We have teachers who are less comfortable with technology, so we can't go around talking about 'the cloud' or throwing around tech terms that would alienate them," said Esola. "LiveBinders was conceptually easy for people to grasp-you can think of it like a physical binder that you put on the internet and use it basically the same way."

Additionally, LiveBinders, which doesn't require an account to view, made it an easy sell to teachers with extremely varied levels of enthusiasm for technology. "The last thing many of our teachers want is to have to memorize another password-with LiveBinders, they don't have to!"

The final, most simple question the team asked: Is it awesome? For the S.U.P.E.R. team the answer was a resounding 'yes'-they knew that with LiveBinders they could build something that teachers would love, use, and continue to build upon.
Introducing Binderman: a S.U.P.E.R Resource to rescue Time-Strapped Teachers
Upon selecting LiveBinders as the platform for S.U.P.E.R, the team began building out the content that would ultimately become the "stuff" that heroes are made of-in this case, "Binderman" would provide the user-friendly foil to arch-villain USB Man.

The first step was to create a "toolkit" of online resources, and then test it to gauge teacher interest. With feedback indicating that it improved the ability to support Common Core objectives, the team then moved forward with building out what would become the S.U.P.E.R binder. They found that it was possible to essentially replicate the organization and structure of the Common Core set of standards itself-this made it easy to target areas where there was a dearth of resources. For example, they quickly identified that there are fewer resources available for high school and placed special emphasis on gathering tools for that age group.

From the start, LiveBinders' functionality made it easy to build in a vetting process that would easily allow a consistently expanding group of educators to contribute to their work. "We have a tab with specific instructions on how to contribute to this project," said Perry. "Our small team started the project, but it's really everyone's job to carry it forward. As more and more educators contribute, the S.U.P.E.R. binders will become richer in content and offer more value to students and teachers."

The S.U.P.E.R. team knew that adoption of the platform hinged on their ability to make the binder as visually appealing as possible. Fortunately, LiveBinders made it easy to uniformly format each resource, so that it provided a textbook-level of consistency in presentation that teachers and students are accustomed to. "Everything looks the same throughout the entire binder," said Matousek.

Additionally, LiveBinders' features made it possible to build upon the open-source character of the project, and enable other educators to build upon their foundation and take it in new directions. "We have a page that we call the 'Super U' where we explain how to create a copy and make it your own," said Perry. "LiveBinders functionality makes it very easy to do this."
Quelling the frustrations of teachers from a broad range of schools
The S.U.P.E.R team hails from a very diverse group of schools that represents a microcosm of U.S. schools-including affluent, rural, and lower income public districts, as well as a private school. What they created, therefore, was a tool that was fit for use not only in Illinois, but in every school district across the country. LiveBinders' free access and usability across a full range of mobile devices opens up its use to the entire audience of potential users, including low-income school districts.

Esola, who works at a private school, asserts that even in departments where there is no Common Core curriculum, S.U.P.E.R is still a high-value resource. At a school with a major technology push, where all students carry iPads to class, the teachers need resources that they can access through mobile devices. "Their brains are frazzled trying to narrow the focus of those technology tools to what's going to be most useful. LiveBinders has provided a gateway to online education for them."
The Word Spreads: S.U.P.E.R. Helps Teachers and Students Relax, Teach and Learn
The cohesiveness of the final S.U.P.E.R product on LiveBinders reflects the synergy of not just the immediate team that developed it, but also of the larger team of education experts that provided counsel throughout the ILEAD USA project's duration. "The awesome thing about the S.U.P.E.R project was that we tapped a variety of perspectives, ranging from veterans to relative newcomers from a full range of school districts," said Hauser.

Having a wide variety of readily available, fully-vetted resources that support Common Core objectives has not only made teachers' jobs easier, it frees them to bring their full creativity to bear in the classroom. Additionally, providing such resources helps take the mystery and associated anxiety out of Common Core for the students, helping them feel more relaxed and prepared going into tests. Consequently the S.U.P.E.R. binder has been extremely well-received by ILEAD USA members, who represent numerous states, and the education community in general, where word of mouth is spreading quickly.

" The careful planning and cooperative work put into the LiveBinder by Mindy Perry and her team assisted teachers with access to new state standards (Common Core), and a manageable system for online resources," said Brian Hereford, Greenbrook Elementary School, Hanover Park, Illinois. "Our school is required yearly to remove or relocate our computer files and bookmarks. The LiveBinder allows for a permanent off-site location for those sources. It also allows for easy sharing among educators."

S.U.P.E.R. is freely available to educators across the U.S. and around the globe (visit www.tinyurl.com/ileadusuper to access the binder), and the team of outstanding individuals who created it anticipates that users from other states and regions will build their own versions of the S.U.P.E.R. binder based on their initial groundwork.

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The federally mandated Common Core program aims to create a clear set of nationwide education objectives. Education professionals may be years away from fully assessing its full impact on our schools, but one thing is clear-it has created a towering level of frustration for teachers by essentially requiring them to re-engineer how they approach their classrooms. New standards and curriculum only scratch the surface of the change.

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"I wanted a tool to allow the students to showcase what they are learning in the class. I had used LiveBinders for some other projects but I thought this would be a great way for the students to collect and highlight what they learned in class."

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Web 2.0 Tools/Apps » Technology Integration

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Web 2.0 Tools/Apps » Technology Integration

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Web 2.0 is a term used to describe the current point in the evolution of the web and the tools and services that are now possible. Some people feel this is a misnomer since the web is a constantly evolving entity rather than a series of releases. Perhaps you feel more comfortable with the term "new internet usage" or "current web tools" instead of Web 2.0.

Regardless of what you call it, there are many wonderful and useful applications (apps) on the web. Teachers see these as having great potential for the classroom. Unfortunately, due to Nova Scotia's provincial legislation (more details here) we are very limited in the web applications we can use in this province. The list below is as accurate as possible, but things change all the time and we may not be able to keep up. Keep in mind, if you have to create an account, log in, or provide your email address, then you can NOT use a web 2.0 site for school or work purposes. Some of these sites will urge you to create an account although it's not required to use the service. In some cases we've provided the link because even the Limited/Lite/Free service is useful, but remember not to create an account or log in for the more advanced features.

We're constantly looking for web 2.0 tools that can be used in our classrooms. We'll add to the following list as we find them.

We also invite you to submit useful web 2.0 tools using the comment feature below.

Online Simulations

The English version is by subscription (except the FREE STUFF link), but the French version seems to continue to be free.

ePearl

Portfolio

Excellent Online Portfolio. Contact your Technology Integration Leader for information about getting ePearl set up for you and your class.

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Web 2.0 is a term used to describe the current point in the evolution of the web and the tools and services that are now possible. Some people feel this is a misnomer since the web is a constantly evolving entity rather than a series of releases.

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BigHugeLabs: Do fun stuff with your photos

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BigHugeLabs: Do fun stuff with your photos

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BigHugeLabs: Do fun stuff with your photos

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Do fun stuff with your digital photos. Create and print free personalized motivational posters, calendars, movie posters, magazine covers, badges, mosaics, collages, and more!

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Computer science resources from a teacher in the California public school district based on her many years of teaching experience to provide computer science for all. Computer science and technology education for schools, with a focus on art, design and creativity.

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PBS LearningMedia | Teaching Resources For Students And Teachers

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Inspire your students with thousands of free teaching resources including videos, lesson plans, and games aligned to state and national standards.

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How to Create a Portfolio with Evernote (Education Series) - Evernote Blog

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How to Create a Portfolio with Evernote (Education Series) - Evernote Blog

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As educators, the use of Web 2.0 tools is transforming our work, and more specifically the way we support students in the classroom. As schools bring more technology into their classrooms, teachers will in turn strive to put more technology in their students' hands. That is, if they are prepared to do so.

Web 2.0 Tools are online software programs that allow users to do a number of different things. They can be used to teach curriculum content, store data, create/edit video, edit photos, collaborate and so much more. These programs are often free and are used by teachers, students, and sometimes parents, both in and out of the classroom, on a pretty regular basis.

The question then becomes, are educators prepared to use these tools? How can educators best plan to incorporate Web 2.0 Tools into their classroom? How can they best plan to ensure effective tech integration? How can they be sure that the tool remains a support piece to their instructional practice, rather than a replacement?

These are important questions that we need to be able to answer for our own work, but more importantly so that we can continuously strive to be a 21st century educator for our very important clients: our students. The use of Web 2.0 Tools to support instruction is vital. How we use these tools is going to make a critical difference in how we measure our students success and how they are supported to meet 21st century skill sets.

If you are new to this concept, don't feel bad. Embracing the use of tech integration in our daily work beyond word processing and power point presentations is still new to many educators. However, it's important that we accept the fact that Web 2.0 tools are here to stay. The sooner we learn to harness their wonderful power, and how they can bring learning alive in the classroom, the better.

As we talk about Web 2.0 tools, one point I want to stress is that we need to remember that it's not about the specific tools themselves that we use with students, but why, and when the tool is needed. Ideally there also needs to be a culture within the school that values technology use in the classroom. As a former school principal, I can guarantee you that the leadership in the school must also be modeling the use of technology, providing professional development in this area, and seek to build a school community that enables and values the effective use of technology for teaching and learning.

In the spirit of technology for teaching, I want to offer you 8 great Web 2.0 educational tools that I encourage you to seek out, practice with, and learn to incorporate into your work in the classroom. Will it take time to learn to use these tools? Yes. Are the benefits worth the time? Absolutely!
8 Great Web 2.0 tools to support you in the classroom:
Glogster is a great creativity site whose tag line is "poster yourself". A 'glog' is basically an online poster web page. Students can combine text, pictures, graphics, video, and audio to create an interactive online poster. They can click and drag items out of Glogster's resources, choose their own backgrounds, pictures, text boxes, videos, web links, and more! Glogster has a very simple-to-use interface. The final glog can be hosted by Glogster or you can embed it into a wiki, blog, or class web site. ( click here to watch a 2 minute EdTech Talk about Glogster.)

This site was designed specifically for elementary and middle school teachers who want to provide each of their students with their own, unique blog. Kidblog's simple, powerful tools allow students to publish posts and participate in discussions within a secure classroom blogging community. Teachers maintain complete control over student blogs.

Linoit is a great service that provides its registered users with virtual "stickies" that can be placed on a canvas or bulletin board area. Both lino users and non-registered guests can post stickies on the canvas. The great thing about linoit is that you can use it at three levels: public, limited access and private.( Click here for a sample of one of my recent canvases.)
LiveBinders
Livebinders were created so that anyone, but especially educators, could do with digital information what we do with the papers on our desk - organize it into nice containers - like 3-ring binders on a shelf. With these online-binders, you can also upload your documents and easily combine them with your links in a neat and organized way. (Here's one of my livebinders.)

This web tool is an easy solution for teachers to open up their classroom and their students to a world way beyond their campus. With Skype, students can learn from other students, connect with other cultures, and expand their knowledge in amazing ways by communicating through their computer with a webcam.

This is a fun and easy-to-use tool for creating short, visual stories. Students can select artwork, drag and organize photos, and add their own text. These creations can then be published on the web with adjustable privacy settings. There is also the option to allow comments, which is perfect for teachers to encourage student collaboration. (Here's one of my Storybirds.)

VoiceThread is a collaborative, multimedia slideshow that allows students to comment on images, documents, and video through text, video, and audio files. Teachers can set up groups and classes as well as moderate comments, embed to blogs, and export to audio files. It is an easy way to differentiate instruction while providing engaging choices to "show" learning, engage in conversation, and think openly and critically about content. ( Click here to see "What's a voice thread anyway?")

Teachers and students can generate word clouds that show prominent words in any body of text. Just enter text you have gathered from students, or even a URL, to see a summary of what the text is about. Wordle also allows you to change the appearance of your word cloud by the shape, font, color, and organization. ( Click here to see a short video on how to use Wordle in the classroom.)
Wetoku
Wetoku is a web service or Web 2.0 tool out of Korea that provides a simple platform for interviewing someone via the Internet. Collaborating globally is a must for our students and connecting can be a challenge. Wetoku makes doing an interview as easy as filling out some basic information, creating an interview session and then sending the creative interview session's URL to the interviewee. Once the recording is done, the interviewer can embed the copy of the URL into a blog or website. You will need a web-cam to use this tool. ( for a video on how to use wetoku.)

Okay, what do you think? Still not sure where all these Web 2.0 tools fit into your school or district standards? Well for those who are still skeptical, ISTE has developed a great set of educational technology standards for teachers. These standards, called ISTE NETS, seek to move beyond the tool and address the bigger picture of technology in the classroom and in the professional practice. You can take a look at them here.

I hope you've enjoyed taking a look at these 8 amazing tools!

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As educators, the use of Web 2.0 tools is transforming our work, and more specifically the way we support students in the classroom. As schools bring more technology into their classrooms, teachers will in turn strive to put more technology in their students' hands. That is, if they are prepared to do so.

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Web Worksheet Wizard and Project Poster have combined to make Web Poster Wizard. This FREE tool allows educators to create a lesson, worksheet, or class page and immediately publish it online. Teachers can also set up classes and assign projects to students. Students complete the assignments by creating their own online projects or reports. Teachers and students can even add images and links to their pages.

Centralized login for better teacher organization.

Student and teacher information now in one account.

Archive option keeps student projects longer than one month.

Teacher Feature option creates one Web page of class' archived projects.

1. New teachers simply register to use this free tool. Users who already had a Web Worksheet Wizard or Project Poster account can simply login with their previous login information. All your previous work will be in this new tool.

2. Teachers create classes and a class code is automatically created for each class.

3. Teachers can then start making Web pages.

4. Teachers wanting to assign a project to the class can print out class codes for the students and hand them out with the assignment.

5. Students plan their posters, then click on 'Create a New Poster' link in the Student Login box and fill in the requested information.

6. Teachers view and archive students' posters when managing classes.

7. Students can edit their own posters at any time by typing their poster ID number and password in the Student Login box.

8. Teachers and students can view their pages by entering the ID number, teacher name, or class code in the Search for a Poster and Worksheet section.

9. Teachers can use the Teacher Feature option to automatically make a class page that links to all archived student projects in that class.

Users who were already registered in Web Worksheet Wizard or Project Poster will find that their accounts are still available and their information is still intact. Please login to your account with the same information. You do not need to create a new account. Contact Us if you need any assistance.

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Web Worksheet Wizard and Project Poster have combined to make Web Poster Wizard. This FREE tool allows educators to create a lesson, worksheet, or class page and immediately publish it online. Teachers can also set up classes and assign projects to students. Students complete the assignments by creating their own online projects or reports.

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Wikispaces was founded in 2005 and has since been used by educators, companies and individuals across the globe.

Unfortunately, the time has come where we have had to make the difficult business decision to end the Wikispaces service.

We first announced the site closure in January 2018, through a site-wide banner that appeared to all logged-in users and needed to be clicked on to dismiss

During the closure period a range of banners were shown to users, including a countdown banner in the final month. Additionally, the home page of Wikispaces.com became a blog, detailing the reasons for the closure. Private Label Site Administrators were contacted separately regarding the closure

Wikispaces Tier

Closedown Date

Classroom and Free Wikis end of service

31st July 2018

Plus and Super Wikis end of service

30th September 2018

Private Label Wikis end of service

31st January 2019

Why has Wikispaces closed?
Approximately 18 months ago, we completed a technical review of the infrastructure and software we used to serve Wikispaces users. As part of the review, it became apparent that the required investment to bring the infrastructure and code in line with modern standards was very substantial. We explored all possible options for keeping Wikispaces running but had to conclude that it was no longer viable to continue to run the service in the long term. So, sadly, we had to close the site - but we have been touched by the messages from users all over the world who began creating wikis with it and now running them on new platforms.

The Wikispaces team

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Wikispaces was founded in 2005 and has since been used by educators, companies and individuals across the globe. Unfortunately, the time has come where we have had to make the difficult business decision to end the Wikispaces service.

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Know Students Better: 17 Tools for Formative Assessment — Learning in Hand

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Know Students Better: 17 Tools for Formative Assessment — Learning in Hand

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When teachers know their students well, they can build strong connections that lead to better learning. Knowing students' interests, strengths, and weaknesses help teachers tailor learning experiences for their students. Formative assessment involves the teacher collecting information about what students know, don't know, and want to learn. This information takes many forms, including observations, exit tickets, discussions, games, and quizzes. These kinds of informal assessments can also help teachers get to know their students as learners and as people.

There is a very wide variety of digital formative assessment tools that can be used for free (often charging for extra features). I've written a little about 15 of them below. Most of these tools work with any web browser, so they are great for laptops, computer labs, iPads, Chromebooks, tablets, and smartphones.

One of the biggest advantages to using these kinds of tools is that they give every student in a class a voice. Students are spared the embarrassment of having to volunteer or be called on to answer a question out loud because everyone answers. While most of the tools require students to have some sort of device that can connect to the internet, there are a few that work when students have no technology at all. Others can be set up at a center or station for students to rotate through.

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Know Students Better: A Visual Guide to Formative Assessment Tools

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There is a very wide variety of digital formative assessment tools that can be used for free. I've made simple graphics for 18 of them. Most of the tools work with any web browser, so they are great for laptops, computer labs, iPads, Chromebooks, tablets, and smartphones.

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Top 13 Web 2.0 Tools for Classrooms | Ask a Tech Teacher

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Top 13 Web 2.0 Tools for Classrooms | Ask a Tech Teacher

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Every day in my K-8 tech classes, I use a variety of cloud-based tools to enhance the learning experience for my students. There are more of these 'Web 2.0' tools than I can keep up with, but when you teach tech or coordinate technology for your school, 'keeping up' is part of your job.

Here's how I determine which of these hundreds (thousands?) of tools are student-ready:

Before I introduce a tool to my class, I try it myself. Can I get it to work with ease? Is it intuitive or will it require teaching? Does it work as promised? Are there intrusive ads? Will students get distracted as they work through the steps required to complete the assignment?

Next, I query my social networks to determine the experiences of fellow tech teachers. Have they had much success with this tool? Any problems they ran into? Is it stable? If my e-colleagues find that the glamour of the Web tool is only skin deep, I move on. Of course, sometimes I'm ahead of the curve and my colleagues are unfamiliar with the tool. Truth, that rarely happens. There's always someone somewhere who has experience.

If a tool passes these two tests, I try it in class. Since I teach over 430 students every week, that's the true beaker. If a program survives the hands-on grade-level labor of dozens of students, if they can get through the required steps to create a project that supports their learning in new creative ways and still have fun, I've found a good tool.

Here's my list of 2011 favorites that have run that gauntlet:

1. create trading cards, posters, puzzles, mosaics using the student's own images. Quick, easy, pain-free and fun

2. Bubbl.us-create mind-maps to brainstorm topics. No-frills and easy to use

3. GettingTrickyWithWikis-format wikis with lots of bling to better communicate ideas

4. iMindMap (free version)-create mind maps easily that inspire brainstorming

5. Jing-take screenshots and screencasts for free. No ads. Require registration to install software.

6. Polldaddy-create surveys and polls and embed them into blogs, wikis, websites (for free)

7. Scribd-share lots of document formats with the public or a limited audience for easy viewing online. Embeddable into websites, blogs, and more.

8. Tagxedo-create word clouds with unique shapes, colors, that can be saved, printed and embedded to wikis, blogs, etc.

9. create avatars that interact visually and audibly with others

10. Wikispaces-free wikis for educators. They're simple to use and easy to set up.

11. Wolfram Alpha Widget Maker-instantly add live computational knowledge to your blog or website. Create your own or use someone else's.

12. WordPress.com-build and share a blog with students or classes or colleagues. WordPress is the simplest of the many I've tried, with the most options.

13. Xtranormal (free version)-produce short films with virtual characters and a text to speech facility

Here are a few more great ones that I didn't consider in my Top 13 because most educators already know about them:

Edmodo-a micro-blogging service (like Twitter) for teachers and students. Use it to share information, set and collect assignments and more.

Glogster-create media rich online posters that can be embedded into wikis, blogs and more.

Google Apps-offer a suite of Google Apps designed especially for educators. Include Google Docs, Google Mail, and Google Sites

Khan Academy-offers a library of over 2,700 free videos covering everything from arithmetic to physics, finance, and history and 268 practice exercises,

Livebinders-organize your resources in an online three ring binder

reate awesome presentations live and on the web!

Voicethread-collaborate online by sharing media and comments. The perfect tool for whole class projects.

Wordle-generate word clouds quickly.

Should be on the list, but I've had too many problems either in their set-up or stability of their platform:

escribe an event, person, or historical period by placing items into a virtual, interactive box. Unfortunately, several times, it has been inoperative and that's a nonstarter for a teacher. We plan a lesson. All the parts must work reliably.

Only2Clicks-a visual collection of website links. Same problem as MuseiumBox.

Wallwisher-build a wall to share ideas, online notices, notes, and more. Same complaint as the first two.

Please take a minute to vote in my poll and share which tool is your favorite. If you have a different one, leave a comment.

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Jacqui Murray is the editor of a technology curriculum for K-fifth grade and author of two technology training books for middle school. She wrote Building a Midshipman, the story of her daughter's journey from high school to United States Naval Academy midshipman. She is webmaster for five blogs, an Amazon Vine Voice book reviewer, a tech columnist for Examiner.com, Editorial Review Board member for ISTE's Journal for Computing Teachers, IMS tech expert, and a weekly contributor to Write Anything. Currently, she's seeking representation for a techno-thriller Any suggestions? Contact Jacqui at her writing office, WordDreams, or her tech lab, Ask a Tech Teacher.

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Every day in my K-8 tech classes, I use a variety of cloud-based tools to enhance the learning experience for my students. There are more of these 'Web 2.0' tools than I can keep up with, but when you teach tech or coordinate technology for your school, 'keeping up' is part of your job.

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Discovery Education Web2014 : Web 2.0 Tools

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Discovery Education Web2014 : Web 2.0 Tools