Animoto- Create a powerful Digital Story

Animoto is another simple program online to create simple videos from pictures, sound, text, and existing video clips. Animoto makes it possible to quickly create a video using still images, music, and text. In the last year Animoto has added the option to include video clips in your videos too. If you can make a slideshow presentation, you can make a video using Animoto. It’s free service limits you to 30 second videos.

You can create longer videos if you apply for an education account. I like to use Animoto early in the school year to introduce my new students to some of the basic skills that will be carried across to more complex video creation like iMovie later in the year.

Here is a sample link to a video I made for my AP class interest group project for next school year.

TimerTab

I learned about TimerTab from MakeUseOf.com. They said that “there are several applications and websites that have time related functions but having all of them right from within your browser helps a lot. TimerTab is a Chrome extension that gives you a timer, stopwatch and alarm in a browser tab. You can start the alarm and timer with a single click and even pause the stopwatch whenever you need to.”

Read more: TimerTab: Google Chrome Based Stopwatch, Alarm & Timer

File Stork- Collect Files via Dropbox.

This year my classroom is going to be a paperless classroom in terms of student assignments. I plan on having students submit files using Edmodo, Google Docs, and Dropbox.

Going digital in terms of paper collection will allow me to cut down on emails in my inbox as well as paper on my desk. I have had students use DropitTOme this past school year. This coming school year I am going to have them use FileStork, which can send files to my online Dropbox account.

I learned about FileStork from Richard Bryne at Free Technology for Teachers. He said “You can make an individual file request by sending an email to someone. The other way, and the more practical way for teachers, is to create a “stand alone” request which will allow you to post an upload link on your blog or website. Visitors can then use that link to upload a file to your Dropbox where you can view it and download it if you like.” Thanks Richard for the Great idea! File request | FileStork - Request files from anyone using Dropbox 2011-07-07 08-54-22

Just Paste It!

Just Paste it is probably the easiest website to share text or a links with another person. This website would be ideal if you give your student’s a group project or a research assignment. They could paste the links and then share the url with their group members.

From the Just Paste it website:

Why JustPaste.it is so special?

Easy to use text editor with text formatting feature. Just paste text from other webpage or word processor. Text formatting and images will be preserved.
Pictures and movies
By using “Upload images” module you can easily add new graphic to your notes. You can embed videos.
Mathematical formulas
You can add a professional-looking mathematical formulas to the notes. Simply, use LaTeX: [tex]m = \frac{m_0}{\sqrt{1-\frac{v^2}{c^2}}}[/tex].
Importing from file
If you have written your note originally in word processor: Microsoft Word, MS Works or Open Office, simply upload it to server using “Import from file” function. Text formatting and graphic will be preserved.
Automatic text backup
Every 3 minutes your currently written text is saved to server. Never ever lose your notes by browser crash again.
Save notes as PDF
Your notes can be downloaded as PDF files.

What you can share with it?

  • longer comments on Twitter
  • selected parts of text
  • favorites pictures
  • articles to Digg.com or RedDit.com
  • school notes
  • ideas and appeals

Here is what other websites and blogs are saying:

“If you are looking for a very nice way to share text, images, and embedded videos with other people, then JustPaste.it is definitely a web-service you should take a good look at.”
“Free and useful – a good combination on most people’s books.”
“This application’s far from the only way you could achieve this kind of goal, but for a speedy way of placing some text at a fixed address, it’s pretty handy.”
“How to share the text quickly and easily online? JustPaste.it is a handy online service for sharing notes, images and video.”
“Nicely done, inventive online text editor.”
“JustPaste.It is one of the services that easily allow us to create and publish web pages.”
“Using JustPaste.it you can literally in two clicks publish the text, image or video.”
“I came across something that is absolutely brilliant in its simplicity. Justpaste.It encourages you to do exactly what the name suggests.”

Google Voice a Convenient Way to Call Parents

Google Voice is a fantastic application to add to any smart phone for voice-mail and an additional number. Educators can use this system to transcribe important conversations with parents of students. I love this application because it allows me to have a  number solely reserved for school that connects right to my personal cell phone and it gives me a “local” number. My students can also text my phone and call my phone number and it keeps a record of each call or text.

Check out this blog for more information.

A Cleaner Youtube

I learned about A Cleaner Youtube from Richard Bryne’s Blog called Free Technology for Teachers. I already love the clean version of youtube without all the distractions. Richard Bryne states that,” A Cleaner YouTube is a browser extension for Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. Once installed A Cleaner YouTube allows you to display YouTube videos without any of the “related videos,” comments, or display advertising. There are other tools that do the same thing, but what makes A Cleaner YouTube different is that not only can you display videos without the related materials, but you can also search YouTube without viewing any of the “related videos,” comments, suggested videos, or advertisements. I have before and after images displayed below.”
Before:

After:

Information obtained from: Richard Bryne’s Blog called Free Technology for Teachers.

Knovio-Online Video Presentation

I learned about Knovio from Larry Ferlazzo’s blog. He wrote a blog post about the online video presentation FREE program called Knovio. It is an easy to use program that allows any user to create an online video presentation. The first step is to upload a PowerPoint presentation, Record a video, and then publish/share your presentation. It’s free. Check it out today.


Digital History Website

When I do a US history project or I am looking for an interesting way to teach a particular concept my first website I go to is the Digital History Website. It is extremely user friendly because you can search by topic or a specific era in American history. This website is packed with information from alternative textbook readings to primary sources to media and even teaching ideas. It is truly a “one stop shop” to find out more information about any U.S. history topic. It is a wonderful resource and it makes my life just a little bit easier.

Digital History 2011-06-30 23-23-12

BBC Witness Podcast- Bring Primary Sources into your Classroom

I learned about BBC Witness Podcast from Richard Bryne’s Blog called Free Technology for Teachers BBC Witness Podcast is a series of short audio recordings  of newscasts and interview of people who experience historical events first-hand.

There are 168 podcasts available and the website is updated daily. This site is a great way to easily bring primary sources into the classroom who experienced the historical events first hand. Bring Primary Sources into your Classroom with BBC Witness Podcast.

Google Reader (76) 2011-06-29 08-02-31

TubeChop-Cut Youtube clips with easy

TubeChop is a website that allows users to take their favorite parts of a youtube clip and chop them into smaller video clips and then share it.

How it works?

1. Find the video you want to chop.

2. Select & cut interesting part of the video.

3. Share it with friends.

Application: This would be very useful when showing a particular clip to the class or with digital storytelling. This site could save teachers or students time by focusing on a particular part of a video clip, as compared to the entire clip. Here are some examples

Fur.ly -URL Shortner

Fur.ly is a simple to use online url shortner. This site allows users to link to multiple websites with a single url. The site is easy to use and it eliminates the need for multiple windows and tabs.

Application in the Classroom: This site seems would be very useful when directing students to multiple site for a particular project or web search assignment. Check it out today: Fur.ly

Here’s How to use it from: Make Use

Motuto-Live Mobile Tutoring

What is Motuto?

Motuto is an on-demand, real-time mobile tutoring app. When you have a problem or question you need help with you can just log on, connect with a tutor and get the help you need.

Motuto is a service aimed at students in grades 6-12 that provides mobile homework assistance where you want it and when. When you get stuck on a problem, or need help with a lesson, use your mobile device to connect to a live tutor who will explain the concept and walk you through the problem-solving process.

I wish I was a science or math teacher so I could use this live mobile tutoring app. If you are please check out Mututo

SideVibe-Create an interesting online lesson

SideVibe is an interesting Web 2.0 tool that allows teachers to revolutionize the classroom buy putting content online and delivering it in a powerful method. SideVibe enables teachers to create learning activities on the screen in direct proximity to Web content without the problems of paper handouts or 3rd party Websites. Student thinking in context is captured providing for more focused attentive and productive responses. As well, teachers can easily gather, view, assess and respond to all student responses through their secure SideVibe Website, providing teachers with faster, more effective methods for online feedback.

There is how­ever, one small catch and that involves the free and “pre­mium” account dif­fer­ences. Free accounts are avail­able but they are lim­ited to 50, “one time” stu­dent accounts (once a stu­dent account is issued, it can’t be re-used or re-issued) for every one teacher account.

A “pre­mium” teacher account does away with this lim­i­ta­tion (a teacher can have unlim­ited free stu­dent accounts) as well as adding a cou­ple of extra fea­tures. The cost is about $6.00 a month.

As well, stu­dents will also need an email address when sign­ing up for a stu­dent account.

Make any photo come to life with Blabberize

Blabberize is a very easy application that allows you to speak through a picture. Students can manipulate the picture to say what they want it to say.

Teachers have used this resource for quick projects such as having students retell a story, book reviews, explain a math or science process, create biographies. The ideas are endless.

Take a look at a few below and then follow the link