home


 * PLEASE NOTE: This wiki was created by Marlene Manto for a specific purpose. The site is NOT being maintained so please be aware that information and/or links may be out of date. **

 =Ten Places to Find Free Stuff for Teaching = This wiki provides a list of great places to find 'stuff' that you can use in the classroom, add to your learning management system, incorporate into existing courses or simply send to learners via email. There are also some interesting tools to enhance your current teaching strategies and help to make some of the 'boring stuff ‘we have to teach, more engaging for learners. And sometimes its just about having some fun. :-)

1) Learning Object Repository - ** http://tle.tafevc.com.au/toolbox/access/home.do **
The Learning Object Repository a gateway to downloadable, online training resources...It's like a 'Google' for //learning objects// (click here for definition). This repository allows teachers and trainers to access more than 2,500 quality, copyright cleared, free online learning resources. Best of all, most learning objects can be customised, allowing you to alter text, add videos, change images etc. Following are some examples of what you can find, however why not search for yourself!
 * Drive a Forklift (Have a go at Task 3: Pick up, Move and Stack a Pallet)
 * Plan Small Business Finances
 * Emergency Procedures for Auto Mechanical

2) YouTube - http://www.youtube.com
YouTube is a video sharing website which allows users to locate existing videos as well as upload their own. There is an //amazing// amount of instructional material including an Education section. (If your organisation has firewall issues with YouTube, try TeacherTube.) Examples of what you can find on the [|YouTube website] are: And if you teach a subject that requires an understand of Maths, have a look at MathATube.
 * How to use a bandsaw
 * Putting out a grease fire safely
 * Activating Yeast for Wheat Bread

==3) LiveBinders - http://livebinders.com == LiveBinders allows you to collect resources from the web and then organise them as you would in a binder..neatly, with tabs. The idea is that it puts everything in one place…with a single web address which you can then email or add to a website or online course. If you’d like to see an example of somebody else’s binder, check out ‘21st Century Education‘ or ‘Copyright free/ Public domain images‘ (Note that you navigate the different areas of the ‘binder’ using the tabs across the top). The video tutorials will help you get started but try doing a simple search to unearth many ready-made resources.

4) Slideshare - http://www.slideshare.com
SlideShare is a site where you can find other people's Powerpoint presentations on almost any topic. You can also use it to upload and share your own, as well as add audio to make a ‘webinar’! It is best to do your own searching but some examples are:
 * 'Elearning on a Shoestring'
 * Death by PowerPoint. :-)

5) Flickr - http://www.flickr.com [[image:Flickr.jpg align="right" link="@http://www.quicktopic.com/"]]
Flickr is a wonderful place to find photos for your Powerpoints, handouts and online courses. Get started by simply putting a search word into the site...but keep in mind that you must only use those which have a creative commons license…and attribute them accordingly. It’s explained in detail in How To Search & Credit Properly-Licensed Photos On Flickr. Some useful resources are:
 * Videos - 'Photo sharing in Plain English', and 'How to use Flickr
 * Check out the Flickr FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
 * 7 things you should know about...Flickr (this is a PDF document)

6) Wikispaces - http://www.wikispaces.com[[image:Wikispaces.jpg align="right" link="@www/home"]]
What about a simple online 'whiteboard' for....well....anything! A wiki is a website that allows the easy creation and editing of one or more web pages via a web browser. This video explains the concept of a wiki, and WikiSpaces is one which is frequently used. This site is a WikiSpace.
 * Get started** - with this video
 * More resources**
 * [|50 Ways to Use Wikis for a More Collaborative and Interactive Classroom]
 * An inspiring essay on [|Writing Wikipedia Articles as a Class Based Activity]
 * [|Basic Principles of making a wiki work in education]

7) QuickTopic - http://quicktopic.com/
QuickTopic is a simple little tool, but make a big difference to communication! QuickTopic' is a 'single topic web forum that's also fully email-enabled. You can start a topic in 10 seconds, and participants can use just email to participate, or they can use the web board, or both as the need arises. This tool makes communication easy and prevents the situation where a multitude of emails flick back and forth in a discussion, and end up entangled in everyone's In Box.

8) Wiggio - http://wiggio.com/ [[image:wiggio.jpg width="117" height="60" align="right" link="@http://wiggio.com/"]]
Wiggio is a free tool which helps with the management and communication amongst groups. You can share and edit files, manage a group calendar, poll your group, post links, set up conference calls, chat online and send mass text, voice and email messages to your group members. **Resources:** You can take a Test Drive to see what Wiggio is like, and check out the Tutorial to get started. The FAQ is also a good source of information.

==9) Bo.lt - http://bo.lt/ == Bo.lt is a tool which will allow you to copy any website then delete, change and add things, providing you with a unique URL so you can share it. How many times have you wanted to send your students a link but not all of what was on the page was what you wanted them to see…or bits might be distracting, or have ads all over them. This way you get to send them to only what you want them to see plus what you add! Here’s a video that explains how it works.

10) Just for fun!
Why does education and training have to be boring? It's amazing what an image, quirky cartoon or photo can do for a nagging email asking students to hand in their assignments on time...or a reminder on your LMS....or a 'welcome to the course' etc. For some ideas, try these:

ImageChef - http://www.imagechef.com[[image:http://saframework.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/imagechef1.jpg?w=116&h=116 width="127" height="127" align="right"]]
ImageChef creates c//ustomisable// graphics and images which can be downloaded to your computer, ready to add to emails, websites etc So next time you need to tell your students that their assignments are due, or that they have only 4 days left to get their work reports in, use an image!

FlipText - http://www.en.fliptext.net/
¡ʍou sıɥʇ pɐǝɹ FlipText is a site that allows you to 'flip' any text! Useful in emails for getting the attention of students, or adding to your online course just for something different. Anything non-boring means they are engaged!

MakeBeliefsComix - http://www.makebeliefscomix.com/Comix/[[image:http://saframework.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/screenhunter_03-apr-30-18-01.jpg width="138" height="137" align="right"]]
MakeBeliefsComix- it’s only a simple little tool but instead of emailing your students to remind them when their assignment is due, you could email them a comic strip that says the same thing…but the message would //definitely// be more memorable!:-)

Contact Details
Marlene Manto South Australian E-learning Coordinator
 * E:** marlene.manto@sa.gov.au
 * P:** 08 8226 1673
 * W**: http://elearningsa.wikispaces.com

'Free' photo by Brad Stabler (cc licensed) Logo created with CoolText '4 days left' photo created with ImageChef Comic created with MakeBeliefs Comix
 * Acknowledgements **