What Technology Does What: An #edtech Chart For Teachers

by TeachThought Staff

Okay, we’ve had this post half-finished for long enough that some of the apps we had here are no longer relevant, so we figured it was probably time to go ahead and publish it even if we couldn’t figure out the best way to format it.

This is what we hope will be an ongoing collection of the most effective ways to use technology in the classroom. We’d like to see it crowdsourced, so we may convert it to a public document/wiki-type file at some point. We’ll also try to add to it ourselves as technology suggests itself that we haven’t considered (or just plain forgot about). We’ll also try to add more links, categorize more neatly, etc.

We may even just crowdsource it–open it up as a wiki and let you add your expertise. If a list like this isn’t updated frequently–which takes a crowd–it’s next to worthless in a hurry. If you have an idea on how to optimally format a list like this, let us know in the comments.

What technology is generally useful?

…work with pdf files

iBooks, Noteshelf

…Stay Focused

Background Noise for Reading or Studying, Simply Noise, Simply Rain

…Save content privately

Pocket , pearltrees, Evernote

…Save content socially and/or elegantly

Pocket (iTunes), Pocket (Android), Scoopit, Pearltrees

…Create a list of daily web reading (e.g., RSS)

Flipboard, feedly, Pulse

…Self-direct their own learning

Depends on what they’re learning, of course. But fundamentally, using a framework (this one, for example), they could then use YouTube channels & iTunesU to access compelling content, WordPress to reflect on their ideas and progress, and twitter to publicize their thinking.

Find interesting content daily

Brainfeed, Flipboard, Brainpop, bundlr

What hardware should I be using?

…Consume media, use touch-friendly apps

Smartphones, Apple iPad, Samsung Galaxy Tab A7, Microsoft Surface

…Perform basic technology functions (e.g. browsing the web, basic word processing)

Google Chromebook, Toshiba Satellite laptops

…Perform processor-heavy tasks (e.g., design, video editing, desktop publishing, etc.)

Desktops from Macs to Windows computers from Dell, etc.; Macbook and Macbook Pro

…Perform universal tablet tasks (e.g., browse the web, use common apps, access inexpensive games for game-based learning, stream video content)

Apple iPad Pro, Microsoft Surface

…Give/receive feedback instantly

Geddit, twitter backchannel discussion, Nearpod, Classroom Response Systems (clickers)

…Follow live marking of a document or manipulation of a small object

Standalone: ELMO document camera, overhead; iPad

What technology will help improve student literacy?

Learn to read: Phonics

Phonics Genius, Sight Words List; (See also 50 apps to support struggling readers and writers)

Learn to read: Comprehension

Newsela, Endless Reader, News-o-matic, Reading Rainbow

Share what they love to read

Goodreads, blogging

Improve reading speed

iOS/Android: ReadQuick

Learn to write

Boomwriter, Kidblog, Sentence Builder

Learn new words

iOS/Android: Vocabulary.com, TheSaurus Browser: Visual Thesaurus

Use a cloud-based word processing

Google Drive (simple, but crude); Microsoft Word (probably a better choice, but it depends on what “ecology” students are plugged into); Zoho Docs

Write for themselves (mostly text)

Penzu, Day One (iPad)

Write for others (mostly text)

WordPress, Blogger

Find their voice as writers

One Word, Penzu + reading a wide range of writing styles (digital or non)

What technology helps foster creativity?

Socially Brainstorm Solutions To Problems

To be added…

‘Paint’ Digitally

iPad: Paper, Drawp

Publish Photography

Instagram, Flickr

Publish Art/Drawing

Deviantart, Instagram

Create Infographics

Piktochart, Visually

Neuro-workouts

iOS/Android: Lumosity, Elevate, Fit Brains, Eidetic; Nintendo DS: Brain Age

Create Open Digital Worlds

Tablet, PS4/5, Xbox, PC, Smartphone: Minecraft

What technology is meant for learning and research?

Conduct research on an iPad or PC

Google, Google Scholar, Questia

Perform academic research

Save content socially

Pinterest, scoopit, Stumbleupon,

Ask a simple question

twitter, tumblr, reddit

Ask a complex question

Quora, reddit, blogging

Share what they know

YouTube, Explain Everything, Knowmia, reddit, blogging

See curiosity modeled about every day things modeled by an expert

Smarter Every Day (can you tell we love this channel?)

Get Involved In Projects

dosomething.org

Create concept maps

Microsoft Publisher, Microsoft Excel

Learning by Making

diy.org, Hop Scotch, Source Filmmaker, thingverse

Print 3D Objects

MakerBot

Design Prototypes

AppCooker, iMockups, iMockApp

What are some examples of publishing technology?

…Publish Simple eBooks

iOS: Book Creator, Book Writer, Creative Book Builder, See: 15 Apps To Create Book On The iPad; Mac: Apple Pages PC: Adobe InDesign

…design and layout more complex eBooks

Zoo Burst, Adobe InDesign, ThemeForest

What technology is tailored for collaboration?

…Collaborate on projects

Skype, VoiceThread, Google Hangouts, Google+ (create a closed community); Todoist

…Manage projects

Things, Todoist, Priority Matrix

…Share small files with small groups

Email, Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive

…Share large files with larger groups

Microsoft OneDrive, Google Drive, Box

What tech can be used to create digital media?

Record simple video

Any moderately modern smartphone, Flip Cameras, etc.; tablets

Record dynamic video from unique perspectives

GoPro Camera

…Take Stop Motion Video on an iPad

iMotion HD

Create original video content

iMovie, Animoto

Create interactive video content

TouchCast, Shadow Puppet

Create animated gifs

Echograph, Flixel Cinemagraph

Create Video Games

gamesalad.com

What technology is helpful for learning coding?

…Learn to code on an iPad

Codea, Pythonista, Khan Academy

…Learn to code on a PC

Code Academy, Hour of Code

Share presentations

Doodlecast Pro

Create a video blog

Coming…

Create a podcast

bCast

Create animations

Animation Desk

Curate their own work in digital portfolios

LiveBinders, Pinterest, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive,

Curate their own work in social digital portfolios

Publish thinking

Podcasts, Storybird

Take Handwritten Digital Notes on an iPad

Notability, Notes Plus, Penultimate

Socialize with the masses

WordPress, KidBlog, Google+, twitter, facebook, tumblr, start a YouTube channel

Socialize with small groups

Google+ closed community, private twitter accounts, texting, blogging

Take quick digital notes

Evernote, Penultimate,

Take in-depth digital notes

Notes Plus, Microsoft OneNote

What technology is focused on academic learning?

Practice math skills

Sites/Apps: Khan Academy

Be exposed to math content/new ways of thinking about math

YouTube Channels: Numberphile

Be exposed to science content/new ways of thinking about science

YouTube Channels: ASAPScience, Smarter Every Day, nottinghamscience, scishow; Apps:

Learn a new language

Apps/Browser: Duolingo, Livemocha, Memrise

Extend Academic Learning

Udacity, Coursera, Udemy, MIT OCW; (see more here)

Access Flipped Classroom Content

YouTube, Explain Everything, Knowmia, blogs

Que (To be categorized)

Xtranormal
Glogster
Storybird
Voicethread
Pinterest
SoundCloud
SpicyNodes
SumoPaint
PearlTrees
HootSuite
Scoop.it
Podcasts
Scoopit
Soo Meta
Wallwisher
Creately
Edmodo
Prezi
Animoto
GoAnimate
Spiderscribe
PicMonkey/Pixlr
Blabber
Voki
VoiceThread
The Sandbox
Steam
KidBlog
TimeRhyme
Brainpop
Wordle
Flipboard
GoAnimate
Dropbox
SugarSync
Diigo
Pearltrees
Evernote
Slideshare
Scribd
DocStoc
Issuu
Prezi
Sliderocket
Anotate http://a.nnotate.com/
http://www.harnu.com/#
Makebeliefscomix