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Indispensable ICT Tools for teachers

 

The following list of ICT tools was crowd sourced from individual educationalists and not companies when the question 'What Indispensable ICT tools do you use in education' was asked  and is not meant to be exhaustive in any way. 

 

This particular wiki was created by Drew Buddie attributions where possible are below.

 

If adding to the list please try to keep the format of entries the same:  Product name in alphabetical order; How used; 'Free' if free.  Then put your name in alphabetical order in the contributors list at the bottom of the page.

 

2

2Simple - suite of many software tools for primary school use

 

12

12seconds.tv - create and share up to 12 seconds of video; Used online; Free

 

20

20Q - animal, vegetable or mineral; Used online; Free

 

A 

Academic Earth - repository of inspirational educational videos; Used online; Free

Activote - pupil voting system for use with Promethean boards; Hardware

Alice - programming language to move characters; Downloadable app; Free

A.map - use diagrams to provoke discussion & debate; Used online; Free

Animoto - make a simple slideshow from still images; Used online, Free

Audacity - sound editing software; Dowloadable app; Free 

Audible Kids - access audio books for kids; Used online; Free (limited use)

Aviary - suite of image editing software; Used online; Free (limited use)

 

B

Bamzooki - build your own virtual robots & compete against each other; Downloadable app; Free

Beebots - robot for primary students; Hardware

Bell's Museum - directory of ecological games; Used online; Free

Big Picture - news stories depicted by stunning images; Used online; Free

Bit.ly - shorten long web addresses; Used online; Free

Bitstrips - make your own comic; Used online; Free

Blip.tv - host your own video channel; Used online; Free

Blist - create and share lists; Used online; Free

Blockposters - make giant posters of any size from any image; Used online; Free

Blogger - blog writing tool; Used online; Free

Bow Street Runner - interactive game set in georgian london; Used online; Free

Brainpop - collection of high quality animations for a range of subjects; Used online

Brokenpicturetelephone - chinese whispers with text & pictures; Used online; Free

Bubbl.us - tool for brainstorming; Used online; Free

Build your wild self - create an avatar for yourself; Used online; Free

Building a rubric - helping teachers create rubrics quickly; Used online; Free

Busuu - site for language learning; Used online; Free

 

C

CARET - activities for 'Gifted & Talented' students; Used online; Free

Celtx - media pre-production; Downloadable app; Free

Cities of Science - directory of science-related events happening in London; Free

Classblogmeister - free class-safe blogging tool; Used online; Free

Classtools - create your own educational games; Used online; Free

Clickteaching - directory of primary teaching resources; Free

Comic Life - make your own comic; Downloadable app

Commoncraft - applications explained in simple English; Used online; Free

Concept to Classroom - directory of educational workshops; Free

Content generator -  create your own educational games; Used online; Free (premium service available)

Countdown Timer- Powerpoint Countdown Timer; Free Download

Coxhoe Curriculum Site - directory of primary teaching resources; Free

CPS Pupil Response Systems - voting system for students; Hardware

CrazyTalk - make a photo talk or sing; Downloadable app

Create a Graph - create graphs; Used online; Free

Cueprompter - create a teleprompt feed for a presenter to read; Used online; Free

Cyberschoolbus - directory of educational resources provided by United Nations; Free

 

D

Dabbleboard - share a virtual whiteboard with other people; Used online; Free

Da Font - directory of high quality fonts; Used online; Free

Dancemat Typing - typing tutor; Used online; Free

Delicious - social bookmarking site; Used online; Free

Digiblue - robust digital camera; Hardware

Digizen.org - learn about being safe on the Internet; Used online; Free

Diigo - web highlighter & social bookmarker; Used online; Free

Dimdim - videoconferencing tool; Used online; Free

Discovery Education - directory of scientific resouerces; Free

Docstoc - business & educational document templates; Used online; Free

Doppel Me - create an avatar for yourself; Used online; Free

Drama in Education - directory of resources for teachers of drama; Free

Drop.io - share files online; Used online; Free

Dropbox - store your files online & access anywhere; Downloadable app & Used online; Free (2GB)

DS - handheld gaming device; Hardware

 

E

EarthAlbum - click on world map to see high quality images; Used online; Free

Edmodo - a 'Twitter' for schools; Used online; Free

Educational Simulations - directory of simulations suitable for use in education; Free

Educators Reference Desk - directory of resources for educators; Free

E-Jay - music composition & editing software; Downloadable app

Elgg - build your own social community; Used online; Free

Elluminate -  videoconferencing tool; Used online

Enigma Project - directory of resources relating to codes & code-breaking; Free

Enquiring Minds - directory of resources to enhance teaching; Free

Erepublic - social & political simulation game; Used online; Free

Espresso - directory of primary teaching resources

Eventbrite - booking system for events; Used online; Free (if event is free)

EventElephant - booking system for events; Used online; Free (if event is free)

Evernote - stop forgetting things - Downloadable app; Free

Exploratorium - resources centred around the human senses; Used online; Free

 

F

Faceyourmanga - create an avatar for yourself; Used online; Free

FD's Flickr Toys - make fun stuff with your photos; Used online

Feedmyapp - directory of Web 2.0 tools; Free

FilmStreet - learn about filmmaking; Used online; Free

Flaming Text - directory of high quality fonts; Used online; Free

Flashmeeting - video conferencing tool; Used online; Free

Flickr - photosharing site; Used online; Free (limited use) 

Frappr - create interactive maps for groups; Used online; Free

Freedictionary - dictionary & thesaurus; Used online; Free

Freemind - mindmapping tool; Downloadable app; Free

Freeonlinesurveys - create online surveys; Used online; Free

 

G

Gazillionaire - business strategy game; Downloadable app; Free (trial basis)

Gliffy - make diagrams & drawings; Used online; Free

Global gateway - find partners for global projects; Free

Glogster Edu - interactive poster maker; Used online; Free

Goodreads - create book groups & share books you're reading; Used online; Free

GoodTyping - learn touchtyping - keeps record of performance; Used online; Free

Google Docs - create collaborative slideshows, text & spreadsheets; Used online; Free

Google Earth - look at the earth in detail; Downloadable app; Free

Google Forms - use Google Docs to make free surveys; Used online; Free

Google Reader - aggregate updates from all the blogs you read; Used online; Free

Google Scholar - confine your web searches to research papers; used online; Free

Google Sketchup - 3D sketching software; Downloadable app; Free

Go2web2.0 - directory of Web 2.0 tools; Free

 

H

Hamilton Trust - directory of teaching resources; Free

Hot Potatoes - make your own multimedia activities; Downloadable app; Free

Hot Shot Business - simulation of running a range of small businesses; Used online; Free

 

I

Inspiration - mindmapping software; Downloadable app

Imaginationcubed - share a virtual whiteboard with other people; Used online; Free

iLife - suite of software tools that come free with Macs

Inkscape - vectors graphics editor; Downloadable app; Free

Irfanview - graphics manipulation software tool; Downloadable app; Free

iTalc - powerful didactical tool for teachers; Downloadable app; Free

iWork - suite of software tools for Macs

 

J

JClic - make your own multimedia activities; Downloadable app; Free

Jeopardy Labs - create your own Jeopardy-type quizzes; Used online; Free

Jing - create animated screen captures from your desktop; Downloadable app; Free

Joomla - content management system; Used online; Free

Junkyard Sports - directory of ideas for recycling items to play games; Free

 

K

Kar2ouche - create your own animated films from storyboards tied in to specific curriculum areas

Kerpoof - create your own drawings or animated films; Used online; Free

Kids on the Net - looking at writing through the eyes of a child; Used online; Free

Kyolo - put speech bubbles on photos; Used online; Free

 

L 

Lego World Builder - control lego objects ion a virtual world; Used online; Free

Linerider - use planning to negotiate obstacles; Used online; Free 

Literature Network - searchable directory of classic literary works; Used online; Free

Lookybook - get to see & review childrens books page-by-page; Used online; Free

Lovely Charts - create graphs; Used online; Free

Lulu - self publish your own work in hard copy; Used online

 

M

Mahara - e-portfolio system; Downloadable app; Free

Make Beliefs Comix - make your own comic; Used online; Free

Making the News - news story writing resource; Used online; Free

Media Awareness Network - games to help Internet Safety; Used online; Free

MediaWiki - make your own collaborative documents; Used online; Free

Mikogo - 1 to 1 screen sharing and remote control software; Used online; Free

Mind42 - collaborative mindmapping tool; Used online; Free

Mindmeister - mindmapping tool; Used online; Free

MissionMaker - create your own 3D rendered games 

Moo - make unusual business cards and other items; Used online

Moodle - create your own virtual learning environment; Downloadable app; Free

Moshi Monsters - social networking site for children; Used online; Free (limited use)

MovieMaker - movie editing package found on all PCs

Moviestorm - create your own 3D rendered films; Downloadable app; Free (paid-for addons available)

Mrpicassohead - create a simple face in the style of Picasso; Used online; Free

Museumbox - present themed artefacts as if in boxes in a musem; Used online; Free

Mybrochuremaker - make brochures, leaflets & flyers; Used online; Free

Mywebspiration - mindmapping tool; Used online; Free

Myst - immersive game famously used by Tim Rylands to teach literacy

 

N

Nation States  - political simulation game; Used online; Free

Netsmartz - games to help Internet Safety; Used online; Free

Ning - build your own social community; Used online; Free

Nobel Prize - directory of educational, science-themed games; Free

NoodleTools - Tools to aid research; Used online; Free

 

O

Odiogo - convert text to speech; Used online; Free

OneWorld Classroom - collaborate with schools around the world; Free

Oovoo - video conferencing tool; Used online; Free

OpenOffice - alternative suite of applications to other office suites; Downloadable app; Free

Orisinal - collection of violence free, mostly beautifully drawn games; Used online; Free

 

P

Panoramas.dk - 360 degree panoramic images from around the world; Used online; Free

Partner Finding Forum - find partners for European projects; Free

Pbwiki - make your own collaborative documents (THIS page was made in pbwiki); Used online; free

PDA - handheld devices; Hardware

Pedagogue - collaborative e-learning content tool

Photostory - create storyie from photos; Downloadable app

Picnik - edit images in your browser; Used online; Free

Picsearch - a search engine for pictures: Used online; Free

Pikistore - create your own t-shirts; Used online

Pixton - create your own comics; Used online; Free

Pizap - edit images in your browser; Used online; Free

Planypus - share plans with other; Used online; Free

Plurk - communicate with your friends via a timeline; Used online; Free

Poissonrouge - learn French through games; Used online; Free

Podium - create your own podcasts

Poly - create and look at polyhedra; Used online; Free

Posterous - post anything you like online; Used online; Free

PowerPoint - slideshow creation tool

Powerleague - create debate through thought provoking surveys; Used online; Free

Prezi - create effective presentations from still images; Used online; Free

Profitania - business strategy game; Downloadable app; Free (trial basis)

PS3 - Sony's gaming console; Hardware

PSP - Sony's handheld gaming console; Hardware

 

Q

Qik - broadcast live video from a mobile phone; Used online; Free

Quest Atlantis - safe virtual world in which children complete educational challenges; Used online; Free  

QuestGarden - repository of Webquests; Used online; Free

Quizlet - create Flashcard quizzes; Used online; Free

 

R

Rafi.ki - learning community; Used online

Random Activity Generator - tool for rethinking how you complete tasks; Used online; Free

Rememberthemilk - organise your events/life; Used online; Free

Rockyou - photosharing; Used online; Free

Routes Game - resources centered around genetics; Used online; Free                   

Rubistar - helping teachers create rubrics quickly; Used online; Free

 

S

Samorost - text free puzzle game can be used to teach literacy; Used online; Free

ScrapBlog - interactive poster maker; Used online; Free

Scratch - programming language for everyone; Downloadable app; Free

Segmation - paint by numbers; Used online; Free

Shape Collage - create collages from photographs; Used online; Free

Sharepoint - create your own virtual learning environment 

Shelfari - share your bookshelf with others; Used online; Free

Shidonni - bring drawings to life; Used online; Free

Sim Earth - simulate a living planet (classic game); Downloadable app; Free

Similar Minds - repository of personality tests; Free

Skype - audio & text communication tool; Downloadable app; Free

SlideRocket - upload your slideshows and share with other people; Use online; Free

Slideshare - upload your slideshows and share with other people; Use online; Free

SMART - interactive whiteboard system

SmugMug - photosharing site; Used online; Free (limited use)

Snapter - use a digital camera as a mobile scanner; Downloadable app; Free

SodaPlay - make virtual objects then make them move; Used online; Free

Songbird - open source music player; Downloadable app; Free

Spelling City - create spelling lists; Used online; Free

Spotify - listen to music online; Downloadable app; Free

Stripgenerator - make your own comic; Used online; Free

Stumbleupon - recommend websites to others; Used online; Free

StupeFlix - make a simple slideshow from still images; Used online, Free

Superclubsplus - safe social networking site for children; Used online; Free (premium service available)

Switchzoo - create your own funny animals; Used online; Free

 

T

Taecanet - directory of resources for teachers to aid personalised learning

Taking Liberties - looking at personal freedom & rights; Used online; Free

TeacherTube - repository of videos relevant for use in teaching; Used online; Free

TED Talks - repository of inspirational & life-affirming videos; Used online; Free

TextArc - create word pictures from text files; Used online; Free

Textoriser - create vector art from text files; Used online; Free

Thinkature - create your own collaborative visual workspace; Used online; Free

Think.com - safe social networking site for children; Used online; Free

TiddlyWiki - create reusable, collaborative, non-linear notebook; Downloadable app; Free

TikaTok - create an virtual book from your pictures; Used online; Free

Tinyurl - shorten long web addresses; Used online; Free

Toodledo - create 'to do' lists to organise your tasks; Used online; Free

Toondoo - make your own comic; Used online; Free

Toy ATM - teach children value of money; Hardware

TrueTube - repository of videos to provote discussion; Used online; Free

Turnitin - check if work is plagiarised; Downloadable app

TuxMath - game to help learning of Maths; Downloadable app; Free

Tux Paint - create your own art; Downloadable app; Free

Twiddla - share a virtual whiteboard with other people; Used online; Free

Twitter -  communicate with your friends; Used online; Free

Typepad -  blog writing tool; Used online; Free

TypeRacer - improve typing speed by competing with others; Used online; Free

TypingWeb - typing tutor; Used online; Free

 

U

Ustream - broadcast video footage live; Used online; Free

 

V

Visualiser - like an OHP but uses a camera; Hardware

Visuwords - graphical dictionary & thesaurus; Used online; Free

Voicetheread - group conversations around images; Used online; Free

 

W 

Westall's War - resources centred around World War 2; Used online; Free

Wetpaint - build your own website

Wii - Nintendo's gaming console; Hardware 

WikiEducator - directory of e-learning content; Free

Wikispaces - make your own collaborative documents; Used online; Free

Wink - create animated screen captures from your desktop; Downloadable app; Free

Wizlite - highlight text on websites & share with others; Used online; Free

Wobook - create and sell magazines from your own content; Used online

Wordle - create word pictures from text files; Used online; Free

Wordpress -  blog writing tool; Used online; Free

WorldTV - create your own channels of themed videos; Used online; Free

 

X

Xtranormal - create animations from text; Used online; Free

 

Y

Yacapaca - assessment platform; Used online; Free

YackPack - send audio feedback to grops; Used online; Free

YouTube - repository of videos; Used online; Free

 

Z

Zamzar - convert files from one type to another; Used online; Free

Zapitalism - business strategy game; Downloadable app; Free (trial basis)

Zoho - tools for productivity & collaboration; Used online; Free

Zotero - collect, manage & cite your research sources; Downloadable app; Free

 

List of contributors: [recompiling list as original list deleted]

dasaunders [at] henrico [dot] k12 [dot] va [dot] us 

tim [dot] carrell [at] kgv [dot] edu [dot] hk