Jing - Instant Screencasting

Jing allows you to capture mouse movements on the computer so you can show short videos of how to do common tasks.  If you can do it on your computer, Jing can capture it and turn it into a video!

Example of how you might use Jing:

• Comment on a student paper
• Capture a pesky technical problem to report to tech support
• Give a tour of a website
• Narrate photos
• Show a student how to do something (create a chart in Excel, find homework help online, properly cite a source in a research paper, etc)
• Stop repeating yourself - show a video instead

Animoto - Create a Video to Bring Your Lessons to Life

Tired of traditional slide shows?  Or don't have the time to create a slideshow?  Animoto takes digital photos and turns them into a razzle, dazzle video - complete with music!

No two Animoto videos are ever the same, and the Remix button lets you quickly remix your videos to create a completely new video. Use the one-click remix to instantly create a new video, or do a complete remix with new photos and music.

You can also cix relevant messaging, statistics and quotes among the pictures your videos to educate your audience and inspire them to action.

Videos are easily shared via e-mail, on a blog/website, exported to YouTube, or downloaded to a computer for use in presentations.

ZamZar - File Conversion

ZamZar allows you to convert files, without any specialized software.  For example, convert YouTube videos to a format that can be kept.  Have you ever come across a PDF file that you would like to edit?  It can be converted to a Word document that you can then revise - and then turned back into a PDF file when you are done!

In four easy steps, Zamzar allows you to convert files (up to 100MB) to a variety of different formats - image, document, video, audio, etc.

Step 1: Select the file to convert
Step 2: Choose the format to convert to
Step 3: Enter email ID
Step 4: Agree to the terms, and convert

Please note that the conversion process (especially for larger files) may take time.

ZoomIt

ZoomIt allows you to magnify your computer screen for easy reading or showcasing to others.  This is a great tool for those who don't have the luxury of a SmartBoard or projector in your classroom!  ZoomIt also includes a free tool for drawing on the screen to highlight certain areas of a website, evaluate a paper, and a host of other uses!

Prezi

Prezi is a web-based tool that allows you to create a presentation using a large, flat canvas for layout. You pan the entire map, zoom in and out to focus on specific items, and visually show relationships between items.

Prezi offers some benefits over traditional PowerPoint presentations:

• Native to the web -- easily shared!
• Highly flexible
• Non-linear
• Collaborative editing environment
• Free

Check out this intro video:


Or learn more about Prezi in 15 minutes:

Academy: Prezi Workflow in 15 minutes on Prezi

Wolfram Alpha

Wolfram Alpha is a computational knowledge engine.  It is NOT a search engine - it generates output by doing computations from its own internal knowledge base, instead of searching the web and returning links.

Look through the examples to see the power of this tool.

Check out this video by the creator of Wolfram Alpha:

ClosR - Zoom and Share Images

ClosR is a simple way to share and zoom your images on the Internet, especially if they are large images.  Just upload images and ClosR makes them zoomable and browsable.  You can also embed them in websites.

There is practically no limit to the number of images you can upload or the file size of an individual image.  ClosR works with jpg, png, and gif file types.

Dropbox - Store and Sync Your Files

Dropbox allows you to sync your files online and across your computers automatically.

• 2GB of online storage for free
• Sync files of any size or type
• Sync Windows, Mac, and Linux computers
• Automatically syncs when new files or changes are detected
• Share files with others and see their changes immediately

Dropbox also has a free application for iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry, and Android that lets you access and manage your Dropbox on the go.

SkyDrive - Free Online Storage

SkyDrive allows you to store, access, and share your files from anywhere online.

- Free 25 GB, password-protected online storage
- Drag and drop upload process
- Share folders with classmates, coworkers, family, friends
- Each folder has a unique Web address

You can also use SkyDrive in conjunction with Microsoft Office Web Apps, which allows you to use Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote in a browser.  There's no need to have the software installed on the computer you are using.

Crocodoc - Mark Up and Review Documents Online

Normally, sharing and reviewing documents means either sending lots of email attachments back and forth or dealing with tons of paper.  Crocodoc is an alternative to that hassle.

Crocodoc takes your PDFs, Word documents, and PowerPoint presentations, and lets you view and mark them up online. Documents can be shared with others, who can collaboratively highlight or strikeout text, add notes and comments, and make revisions. All files are stored securely on their servers.  Crocodoc lets you download your documents as a PDF with all your annotations included.

You can upgrade your free account for a fee for additional features, including enhanced security and document management tools.