1.1. LinkedIn: LinkedIn is a professional networking site that is useful in a multitude of professions. In relation to education, it can be used by both administrators and teachers. Administrators can connect with other administrators and colleagues through this tool. Their professional network can be built by using this tool on a consistent basis as they are making connections and communicating with other individuals in education. Teachers can utilize this tool in the exact same manner. That is one of the best options with this tool. It is versatile enough for anyone to use for their own professional networking purposes. Teachers can communicate with other teachers via this useful tool in order to collaborate.
1.2. Slideshare: Slideshare is a tool that works well with other Web 2.0 Tools. PowerPoint presentations, PDF files, and even Word documents can be uploaded to Slideshare. Once this is done, these documents can be made accessible by many via the internet. Administrators could use this in order to communicate and share information with staff in a quick, effective manner. Teachers can use this tool to share information with their students or even parents through the classroom website.
1.3. Classroom 2.0: Classroom 2.0 is a networking device for administrators and teachers. It definitely has some similarities to Twitter, but is just as useful. Administrators can network with fellow administrators and collaborate on common issues they might be having. This means that administrators can help one another through this tool. The same goes for classroom teachers. By being able to collaborate with other teachers via Classroom 2.0, teachers are able to glean great ideas and possibly solve some issues in their own classroom.
1.4. Doodle: Doodle is an online planning tool. It allows users to create events or meeting in order to send them out to potential guests. The guests that these invitations are sent to have the ability to choose when the best time for them to attend the event would be. Administrators can utilize this when scheduling staff meetings or even interviews where several different people are involved. Much the same, teachers can use Doodle to create department or committee meetings. This tool makes the process of scheduling any type of event or meetings much more organized.
1.5. WordPress: WordPress is a free blogging service that can be useful in the classroom or by an administrator. Teachers can use this tool in their classroom by creating a blog with their students. The blog can then be maintained by the students throughout the school year. If a teacher wanted to, they could make the blog public and collaborate with other classrooms as well. Administrators might use this blog to collaborate with other administrators in their surrounding area or around the world. Being able to collaborate allows for many creative, new ideas to come forth.
2. Creative and Innovative Tools
2.1. Glogster: Glogster is a Web 2.0 Tool that allows individuals to create virtual posters. It serves as a more creative variation of a blog that most people are used to seeing. These virtual posters can include audio, text, videos, images, and hyperlinks. Once this is done, the Glogster page can be shared electronically. Administrators will find this useful as they can put together a creative poster for their staff and share it with them. This could be something that they send out to staff at the beginning of the year to motivate everyone and start off the year with enthusiasm. Teachers will find that their students will love using this tool just as much as the teacher does. It will provide teachers with another tool for their students to organize and present information with.
2.2. EduBlogs: EduBlogs is an online blogging site specifically created for educational purposes. Administrators, teachers, and students can find ways to incorporate EduBlogs into their daily routine. Teachers and students can read or create blogs in order to share information. Administrators have the ability to subscribe to the blogs created within their school. This keeps them in touch with what is going on in their school. Administrators can also create their own blog for the school to subscribe to in order to stay up to date on the latest information in their school district.
2.3. Wikispaces: Wikispaces is an online tool that allows administrators, teachers, and students to create websites. These websites can be made editable, so many different individuals can contribute to a wikispace. As an administrator, you could allow your staff to add information to a wikispace throughout the year. This is a creative and innovative way of collaborating and sharing information. Teaching may do the same exact thing with their students. A class could have an ongoing wikispace throughout the school year. At the end of the year, it could showcase the different topics, projects, and information the class has worked on.
2.4. Kahoot: Kahoot is an online quizzing Web 2.0 tool that brings a new level of excitement to any classroom. Teachers can use this tool when preparing for a test. Students gain points if they answer a question correctly, so this definitely gains their attention as well. Kahoot is interactive, and that is the most important piece of this tool. Just like students, teachers want to be part of something exciting. Administrators can incorporate Kahoot at staff meetings as a type of warm up or just to mix things up. My principal has used Kahoot at several staff meetings and we all enjoy it. It keeps things interesting, and we have fun learning new ideas!
2.5. Mindmeister: Mindmeister is a free mind mapping tool. I used Mindmeister to create this particular mind map. It is useful for both administrators and teachers. Teachers can have students use this tool to brainstorm and organize a classroom project. Administrators can also use this tool for brainstorming ideas that their school district is currently working on. By using a mind map, an administrator can present information to staff in a creative, organized manner. Mindmeister is probably my favorite mind mapping tool to date.
3. Self-Direction Tools
3.1. Google Calendar: Google Calendar is a scheduling tool that is built in to every Google account. Most schools have transitioned to Google, so it would be logical to utilize the calendar. Administrators can use this tool to stay organized as they have many different tasks to tend to each day. It could also be used to send out meeting invitations. Teachers can use Google Calendar in a way that is similar to administrators. They can organize their own schedule using this calendar and can respond or create meeting requests as well.
3.2. Delicious: Delicious is an online social bookmarking system. It allows educators to store, share, and find new webpages to bookmark. I have used Delicious for nearly three years now and find that it comes in useful on a weekly basis. Administrators will find that they can save useful sites by bookmarking them through Delicious and can then later share them with their staff. Teachers may do the same thing. By creating this bookmarking system, educators are able to have a plethora of information at their fingertips at all times.
3.3. Flickr: Flickr is an image and video hosting website. It allows educators to store and share a variety of information. Administrators and teachers can both take pictures or videos of events in their school. Once uploading them to Flickr, other people are able to view and access them. Flickr also serves as a form of documentation. It can be used to store or share documents such as student information, work samples, or even pictures of a classroom project. It is important to have documentation, such as pictures, of important events that occur within a school district.
3.4. Google Drive: Google Drive is an online file storage system that makes saving and sharing documents streamlined and organized. Administrators can use Google Drive to share documents with staff. Teachers can share documents with students in their classroom or teachers within their department. This comes in useful when face-to-face conversations are not always a possibility.
3.5. YouTube: YouTube is a free video sharing website. Administrators and teachers are able to subscribe to different YouTube page feeds in order to stay up to date on the most current education information. Some examples of this is the Discovery Education Channel or the Tedx Talks channel. Administrators can subscribe to channels that are most relevant to their occupation, and teachers can subscribe to channels that help them with self-direction or supplement their students' learning.
4. Communication Tools
4.1. Twitter: Twitter is an online social networking device that utilizes "Tweets" as its main form of communication. A Twitter account can be used by administrators to build a PLN and can also be a form of communication between the administrator and staff. In a classroom setting, a Twitter page can be used to display the class' work and keep the parents or other members of the community involved with the class.
4.2. Prezi: Prezi is a presentation tool that can serve as an alternative to presentation tools such as PowerPoint. The canvas view in Prezi allows users to easily pan in and out of the screen in order to view information. Prezi could be used by administrators during meetings or presentations. Administrators could also use this tool as a way of sending out information to staff as well. Teachers and students find this form of presentation appealing as it is a change from their typical PowerPoint presentation.
4.3. Weebly: Weebly is a tool that allows administrators and teachers to create their own website. I actually have my own Weebly account already and have had it for several years. It has proved useful on several occasions. Administrators can use Weebly to create a website for their school if they wish. This keeps everyone updated on events or important information pertinent to the school district. Parents could also access the school's website if they wished. Teachers can use Weebly to create a classroom website that students and parents can retrieve information about the class from.
4.4. Animoto: Animoto is a cloud-based tool that allows administrators and teachers to create unique videos and slideshows. Administrators will find this tool useful when preparing for a staff presentation. This tools allows videos and presentations to look professional and seamless. Teachers can also use this tool in their classroom when presenting information. Animoto could actually be paired with Weebly as an Animoto video could be added to a Weebly website. Using these two tools makes for a wonderful combination.
4.5. Gmail: Gmail is a free email service that is provided by Google. Administrators and teachers can use Gmail for a variety of activities. They can send email to staff members, request attendance to meetings, or keep a planner of events. This is a tool that students can utilize as well. Gmail serves as an overall communication tool and is also linked to Google Docs.
