Online tools
Useful communication and social media tools for teaching
Ideas for using YouTube and short films for tutoring
- Using YouTube
- Short films
Photostory 3 for Windows
Make your own presentation with photos and music and words. It's a free download. Easy to learn to use.
Windows Live Movie Maker
Make your own videos /movies combining videos, still photos, sound and music. User-friendly.
Vocaroo
A free online tool, where you can easily record your voice - and email a short message to a learner. Very low-tech and cute website. Not always 100% reliable, but fun - especially the disclaimer and FAQs! By signing up you agree to give them your first-born child - it pays to read the small print!
VoiceThread
VoiceThread is a fascinating teaching tool. Create your own space and upload photos. Then record, video, write your comments, doodle, and invite others to participate. Learn about voice threads. You can view other people's voice threads too. A range of voices and topics - some hilarious.
Flickr
Creat an account and a profile and share your photos with your learners, friends and family - or the whole world. Find useful photos here too. Your flickr account can be linked to your twitter account as well.
Slideshare
A way of sharing slide presentations. Users can search for resources as well as upload their own presentations. Teachers share their teaching ideas.
Skype
You probably use Skype to keep in touch with family, but it's also a great teaching tool. Skype allows voice and video calls and you can 'instant message' and 'file /image transfer' too. You can also 'screen share' these days - and sharing your screen can be a great teaching tool.
Scribd
The largest social publishing and reading site in the world. You can turn files-such as PDF, Word and PowerPoint-into a web document. You can also download presentations, books, puzzles and games. Connects with sites such as Facebook or Twitter and search engines such as Google.
Blogs (e.g. Wordpress)
Blogs are personal website logs. Views of (usually) one person are written and read by followers. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video (wikipedia).
A form of micro-blogging - up to 140 characters in one ‘tweet'.
Member messaging stream/sharing links to web resources.
Users can follow their tutors, classmates and network with other experts to access information independently.
Has a mass membership of 200,000,000 - good networking tool. Users can link their Facebook pages to twitter.
Facebook
Features: Chat functions (written), Quick messaging out to members, quick feedback/voting on ideas, You can upload urls, photos, videos (not documents, but you can point people towards documents uploaded to other urls).
Has a critical mass membership of over 500,000,000. Lots of people are familiar with the technology and use it everyday. If you have a facebook page- visit and 'like' the "I support refugee resettlement in NZ" FB page.
EtherPads primarypad or ietherpad
A web-based word processor that allows people to work together in real-time. When multiple people edit the same document simultaneously, any changes are instantly reflected on everyone's screen. The result is a new and productive way to collaborate on text documents, useful for meeting notes, drafting sessions, education and team programming.
PeerWise
New Zealand-developed tool for advanced learners (in groups, or on specific topics). Learner-generated database of multiple choice questions, an excellent tool for learners who want to develop more formal, tertiary study skills in a supported way. Best with larger groups of learners, especially those who want to study academically.
WebWise - a beginner's guide to using the internet
Learn more about internet tools from the BBC - from computer basics and email to social networking and more.