Educational Web-based Apps for the Classroom
Given the usefulness of web-based applications, it is easier if you already know what your options are. Here are some very convenient web apps that can be used in your classroom:
- Zamzar - for converting cellular phone video files into Windows Media Player files so your class can easily record videos for documentary or presentation purposes.
- Spypig - helps you track emails especially when they have been read already so you can see who opened an emailed assignment and read it.
- Photoshop.com - a light version of Adobe photoshop that's free, doesn't need installation, and comes with 2GB of storage space online.
- Skydrive - an online storage service from Microsoft with free 25 GB storage space.
- Animoto - picture slideshow presentations can evolve into interesting videos produced in widescreen format.
- InstaCalc - a mix of a calculator and a spreadsheet application. It also supports unit conversions.
- Google Docs- for Word processing, spreadsheets, forms, presentations that can be shared and edited
- Google Calendar For multiple calendars, room/resource scheduling, mobile access
- Premier Survey - survey software for online surveys, web surveys, email surveys.
- ShrinkFile.NET - lets you compress your text documents, images, PDF files and other data online.
- Sketchcast - lets you “draw” on a whiteboard and record an audio explanation at the same time. This is especially good for demonstrating how to solve math problems.
- Footnote - allows students access to thousands of primary source documents and photos, and easily create online history reports.
- SMILE and CLEAR - from Michigan State University, this allows teachers to create drag-and-drop exercises and sequencing activities. There is also access to audio and video for said activities.
- CircaVie - for creating time lines and incorporating images.
- ESL Video - an easy tool for creating quizzes based on any video in the World Wide Web.
- Fleck - allows anyone to create virtual post-it notes and “paste” them on top of any web page.
- Community Walk - can be used by students to describe field trips, report on historical events and other mapping activities, because it lets them put many sites on a map with description and images.
- Daft Doggy - lets you create website tours, with descriptive text or instructions on each web page. This can also be used for creating Internet scavenger hunts.
- Show Beyond and VoiceThread - lets you upload pictures and create an audio narrative to go with it.
- Tumblr – a “micro-blogging” for students to easily post a lot of work online.
Sources:
"21 Online Free Web Based Applications That You Probably Would Love To Use Every Day!"Retrieved October 7, 2009 from http://www.smashingapps.com/2008/07/11/21-online-free-web-based-applications-that-you-probably-would-love-to-use-every-day.html
“Educational Web Apps.” Retrieved October 7, 2009 from http://www.google.com/a/help/intl/en/edu/
Ferlazzo, Larry. "The Best Web Applications for Education." Retrieved October 7, 2009 from
http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2007/12/21/the-best-web-20-applications-for-education-2007/
"The Best Free Web Apps for 2008." Retrieved October 7, 2009 from
http://www.labnol.org/internet/most-useful-web-applications/6278/
(Published 19 October 2009, Smart Communications Inc.)
