Tool ideas for your Learning Activities

   EDMODO
It is like the facebook of education. You can create your own classroom online connect with your students, parents and colleagues....You can post assignments, lessons, videos and grades and you can even creates quizzes and get statistics... it is a ALL IN ONE kind of tool: very comprehensive. Great for creating a virtual classroom.

Wallwisher is a great tool to create a sort of classroom atmosphere online through the use of walls where students can ask their questions and make their comments knowing that the whole class can read and react. Students can post on the wall if clarifications are needed for assignments or courses which can be answered by students and teachers. Students must post contents related to the subject of the wall and interact respectfully with their peers. The process can even be graded for good participation. It is  a free tool.


Google Docs has become the firebrand of collaborative work through documents.  It allows you to post and share documents and it can be used for team projects. Its a friendly user tool, free and quite easy to access through an account on Gmail (Google advertising supported web mail). The use of Google documents has been appreciated for various settings and purposes either educational or not. Google doc will allow students to submit their written assignments through their Gmail accounts. It will allow teachers to get access through their own gmail account at their submitted assignments that students will have previously "shared" with them using the features available. From there the software will allow you to bring correction highlighted in colors, offer feedback and suggestion at samples (like the features available in the Microsoft words for example). Moreover, Google documents give the opportunity to offer 'live' feedback and comments to students when they happen to be using Google doc at the same time. Another advantage is that students will be able to re correct and bring about the necessary changes based on feedback before submitting their final pieces. Finally, Google doc application will also be beneficial for group work. Students working on a project together will have the opportunity to collaborate by participating directly on their shared writing projects and simultaneously if the group in using the software at the same time.

PowerPoint

A presentation software that is part of the Microsoft Office suite. Excellent tool to  create slideshows and presentations for your lessons and other projects.

Audacity with Lame is an free and open source for sound editor and recorder suitable for podcasting. The download is free and you will need to use the free software Lame in order to upload your work.

Skype

Group Video Calling and Screen Sharing
 
With Skype  students can share, collaborate from anywhere in the world. There's so much you can do together over group video. It is easy as well to share screens so your colleagues can follow with you.

It is the very popular communication tool that allows you to talk to people all over the world using call and video camera for free.
The use of Skype to communicate with students and students among them for team projects and others, is of great benefit.
I have found that Skype can be a great yet easy tool to use to make the online course more engaging and meaningful to students by reaching in person to them.

Another Tool that I have experienced recently is VOKI. It allows you to create your own avatar as well as giving it a voice. This can be used by teachers and students and can help create some fun learning experiences especially with young ESL and bilingual. Great for narration, creating story telling and review vocabulary...You will find fun  ways to work with it!!!
 
 Find Voki here.

And a sample there.