This week we learned about web 2.0 tools, which are helpful online applications that can be used in many different ways! Some web 2.0 tools seem more useful in the classroom than others, and some can be a little gimmicky- but, since they are for the most part free, it works to only use a tool for one thing.
The first tool I looked at (which I really like) is Jing. http://www.techsmith.com/jing.html Jing takes 5 minute videos of your screen (similar to Screencast-o-Matic), but also allows you to take quick screenshots. Plus, the Jing icon stays in the corner of your screen for as long as you use it! It's a great streamlined application that would work beautifully for distance learning. Jing even allows you to download files as a flash file, which opens up possibilities for student-made tutorials or films that incorporate flash animation.
The first tool I looked at (which I really like) is Jing. http://www.techsmith.com/jing.html Jing takes 5 minute videos of your screen (similar to Screencast-o-Matic), but also allows you to take quick screenshots. Plus, the Jing icon stays in the corner of your screen for as long as you use it! It's a great streamlined application that would work beautifully for distance learning. Jing even allows you to download files as a flash file, which opens up possibilities for student-made tutorials or films that incorporate flash animation.
Next I tried out Answer Garden. http://answergarden.ch This tool would be great for brainstorming, formative assessments, surveys. . . the list goes on and on. It even allows you to export your answers to Tagxedo for a quick graphic representation. I tweeted out a question which will hopefully get some more answers as the week goes on. I'd love to use this as a quick formative assessment to see what my students learn each day.
Finally, I tried out eduClipper, http://www.educlipper.net which is basically "education pinterest." You can create boards which save different links. It seems a little better curated than pinterest at the moment- which is kind of nice. At any rate, any link aggregator that focuses on education is useful. I'm not sure if I'd use this one often, but it's a good starting point for education ideas.