Slideshare is a fantastic website that allows the user to upload and share PowerPoint & Keynote presentations and documents. Users can include speaker’s notes, live hyperlinks, and even relevant YouTube videos to play within the presentation. Slideshare automatically will create a presentation transcript for each upload.
Users can also set privileges for downloading presentations and even schedule live zipcasts. There is great potential for this tool for teachers to use to house class materials, presentations, webinars, etc…).
See example for how Slideshare can be used in the classroom: Slideshare rules.
Study Boost (13, no-filtering, elementary, middle, high, parent-permission-required-under-13)
Study Boost allows teachers to set up a set (or multiple sets) of study questions for their students. Students can then use one of several messaging programs, including Yahoo Messenger and Facebook messaging to receive and answer the study questions on their own time. Study Boost can be set up to give them feedback on incorrect answers or simply ask them to try again. The study question set is available on computers and mobile devices, wherever the students use messaging.
Animoto: free version allows for unlimited videos at a limited length (30 seconds). If a teacher has issues creating an account, he/she may want to do so at home. The site allows a user to create a video slideshow from photos. Editing features include style, importing pics and videos from various locations, uploading music from your computer (remind students of copyright laws for uploading their own songs) or from their default gallery (please preview and preselect a handful of songs that students can choose from prior to project to avoid inappropriate content), and adding text. Once the video is completed, users have multiple options for posting and exporting (e.g. embed, facebook, youtube). The video takes a little while to process but is definitely worth the wait. Animoto also has a free iPhone app but it to requires users to create an account from an email address.
Note: Educators can apply for a free Animoto Plus account for use in the classroom. (see site for more details)
Please refer to student AUP’s before initiating a product that publishes student work, photos, or videos.
Classroom use: students can create a slideshow of a field trip, assemble photos for a book trailer, or take photos around campus or at home that highlight geometric figures or examples of math vocabulary in their world. (See more student examples)
NEISD 