Here is a list of free Web applications compiled by various educators around the country who ranked them as being the most useful or promising when used with students. One key criteria in composing this list was how easy the application is to use. Be sure to preview before sharing with students.
Visualize
http://vi.sualize.us/
This is a social bookmarking site like del.iou.us, but for images. Students and teachers can save, categorize, and write a description of images on the Web.
Animoto
http://animoto.com/
Students can create their own music video (limit of 30 seconds) by uploading images and selecting music.
Slide.com
http://www.slide.com
Create your own slideshow, then embed it in a classroom blog.
Sketchcast
http://sketchcast.com
Students can “draw” on a whiteboard and record an audio explanation at the same time. A URL is provided for their creation, and/or you can embed it into a blog. Others can leave comments about your Sketchcast. It would be an excellent tool to demonstrate how to solve math problems.
Slideshare
http://www.slideshare.net
Upload PowerPoint files in order to embed them in a classroom blog.
Footnote
http://www.footnote.com/index.php
Footnote allows students to access thousands of primary source documents and photos, and easily create online history reports. Their URLs can then be posted, and students can also leave comments on their peers’ reports.
Lunapic
http://www.lunapic.com/editor/
This is a Web-based image editor with effects and animations.
CircaVie
http://www.circavie.com/
This user-friendly online application can create timelines that incorporate images. It can be used in any number of lessons across various content areas.
Voicethread
http://voicethread.com/
Students can upload images, record their voices over each image, and invite others to collaborate. It can be embedded in classroom blogs or used for collaborative storytelling.
SMILE and CLEAR
http://clear.msu.edu/teaching/online/mimea/smile/v2/index.php
http://clear.msu.edu/clear/store/products.php?product_category=online
Both of these applications were developed by Michigan State University to allow teachers (and students) to easily create cloze passages, drag-and-drop exercises, and sequencing activities. Audio and video can be embedded with the activities. The site will host the activities as well.
Ning
http://www.ning.com/
Teachers can create a social network place for students. Ning will even remove the ads if you write to them that the site is for elementary school students. This site has great potential to teach younger students about social networking in a safe environment.
ESL Video
http://www.eslvideo.com/index.php
This tool makes it easy to take almost any video off the Web and create a quiz. It’s designed for ESL/ELL students, but it can also be used with all students. Be aware of copyright issues.
Google Earth and Mapshttp://earth.google.com/
http://maps.google.com/?output=html
Take your students on a virtual tour around the world, create placemarks, and add your own images or videos. Have students add their own descriptions. Save and share placemarks and virtual tours on your blog. Embed Google Maps on your classroom blog. This is a great way to create interactive field trips based on children’s books.
Fleck
http://fleck.com
This application allows teachers to create virtual Post-it notes and paste them on any Web page. This can be a way for students to demonstrate their use of reading strategies.
Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/
Once photos are uploaded to Flickr, there is no need to upload again and users can take the URL provided to embed images on different applications.
One True Media
http://www.onetruemedia.com/otm_site/register?
This is an easy tool to use to create slideshows on the Web and add text, music, and images.
Mixbook
http://www.mixbook.com/
This site could be used for collaborative classroom creation, editing, and publishing of books. It features a variety of layouts, including text and images.
Community Walk
http://www.communitywalk.com/
This tool allows students to put various sites on a map with descriptions and images (which can be easily grabbed off the Web). Students can use this to describe field trips, report on historical events, and do other mapping applications.
FlashCard Friends
http://www.flashcardfriends.com/
This is a free social network tool for creating, sharing, learning, and self-testing using online flashcards created by students or teachers. The spelling flashcards are very popular.
Daft Doggy
http://www.daftdoggy.com/
This application allows teachers to create Web site tours where users can leave their own descriptive text or instructions on each page. It can be used to create Internet scavenger hunts. Visitors can also leave comments.
Show Beyond
http://www.showbeyond.com/show/home
This tool is similar to VoiceThread in that it allows audio narration of slideshows, but it doesn’t allow audio. Users can add music and text. This tool would be particularly beneficial in districts that block streaming video like YouTube.
Bookr
http://www.pimpampum.net/bookr/
This application can make slideshows with captions on the Web. Users must use images off Flickr, and not other databases on the Web like AP Multimedia Archive or Clipart.com.
Tumblr
http://www.tumblr.com/
Wikipedia explains that a tumblelog is a variation on traditional blogging that favors very short, mixed media posts with little or no commentary. It's a quick way to publish information students run across on the Web every day, and the layout includes large text, photos, links, and video frames. Students can have individual or group “Tumblrs.” A student can also share their password with a small number of students who can then leave comments.
Click on Comments and share your success stories in using these resources in the classroom.
Web 2.0 Tools, K-12
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