Useful Technology Tools

The following is an assessment of eight technology tools that teachers and students can utilize in the classroom or at home. I have rated each tool according to the amount of check marks given. 

√√√ Excellent- Use this product NOW. 
√√   Average- I recommend this product. 
√      Below Average- I do not recommend this product. 

MOODLE √√√
http://campus.uogdistance.com

I would highly recommend MOODLE because it is a very diverse technology tool for educators. On MOODLE you can communicate, collect, and assess assignments, set up discussion rooms, and communicate with your students. As a student, I appreciate MOODLE because I can find information for all my assignments rather than having to write it down somewhere. I also like that we can submit assignments and receive feedback via MOODLE. I have nothing negative to say about MOODLE. It is highly useful for both teachers and students. The link above is to the MOODLE homepage.

Firefox √√√
https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/30.0/whatsnew/?oldversion=28.0

Although I am an avid Safari user, I would still highly recommend Firefox because it has good security; blocking most popups. I like how there is a Google search bar next to the address bar, and how you can easily bookmark a page by clicking on the star on the top right of the address bar. I have no complaints about Firefox because it is simple, and secure. I would recommend using Firefox for students to do research because it can easily be accessed through PCs and Apple products. The link above is to the Firefox homepage. 

Google apps √√√
https://www.ed609rk.blogspot.com


I am a new fan of Google apps! Prior to this class I primarily used Gmail, and seldom used Google Drive. Now I have added Blogger, and Google Plus to my collection of Google apps. I think Google Drive is the most efficient tool for group collaboration because anyone can access it from anywhere, and it automatically updates and saves in real time. It is also like how you can use it as online storage as well. Blogger is a user-friendly tool for creating blogs. I have no complaints about the Google apps that I have been using thus far. Google apps would be great for students to utilize for school work, and for exploring and expanding their creativity. The link above is an example of a blog that I created. 

LiveBinders √√
http://www.livebinders.com/play/play?present=true&id=1369441

I gave Livebinders two checks instead of three because in my opinion it is not user-friendly. However, I still recommend it because it is a good tool for collecting and showcasing resources, and it can also be used as a portfolio. Also, it is free! Livebinder would be a great tool for students to use as a portfolio to showcase their work throughout the school year. That way parents can have access to it as well. The link above is an example of one of my LiveBinders.

Weebly √√√ 
http://ed609safetexting.weebly.com

I highly recommend Weebly for creating websites because it has a free version, and it is extremely user-friendly. I am not technology savvy, and I learned how to use it in less than 30 minutes, which says a lot. Weebly offers countless free templates and features, and you can pay for mini upgrades if there are particular features that you want. Weebly is also a great tool for students to use because they can use their creativity, and showcase their work as well. The link above is an example of a site that I made dedicated to safe texting.

Vimeo √√√
https://vimeo.com/97718455

I highly recommend Vimeo because it is free, and user-friendly tool for sharing videos. I have never created or uploaded a video before this class, and I was able to figure it out using Vimeo in less than ten minutes. This would be a good tool for students to use if they ever needed to create and share a video. The link above is a short video that I created of me introducing myself.

Wideo √√
http://www.wideo.co/view/3921921402964508784-bs-invite

Wideo is an appealing and fresh presentation tool. I gave it two checks instead of three because it is not very user-friendly. It took me about an hour to figure out how to use it, and I still have not mastered it. However, I think that it is worth taking the time to master it because the templates are very eye-catching and fun. I think that students will find Wideo fun and exciting to use for presentations. The link above is a sample of a wideo I made. 

WebEx √√√
http://www.webex.com/index-sky.html

WebEx is a great web conferencing tool because it has a free version, and user-friendly. The design is very basic, and it has useful features such as sharing a whiteboard, files, and even your desktop. You can also chat. The only downside is that with the free version there can only be up to three people in the  web conference. Other than that, I have no complaints about WebEx. WebEx would be a great tool for students to use for group projects because they can collaborate in real time from anywhere they have access to the web. The link above is to the WebEx homepage.