Introduction
As we are living in the 21st century, we cannot deny the fact that technology is an indispensable part of our lives. As we constantly have different needs to fulfill and problems to solve, technology continuously evolves to support us. It provides valuable tools that help us and make things far easier. Technology truly plays a part in almost all aspects of our lives, and education is not an exemption. There are different tools, programs, softwares, and multimedia services that teachers and students alike can use in the teaching-learning process. Many of these tools are freely available which can be accessed and used directly in web browsers without having the need to download the actual tool at all. From helping you create citations to editing photos and making quizzes, here is a list of some of the digital tools you can use for teaching and learning:
Task
At the end of the lesson, you should:
1. Identify the different digital tools which can be used in teaching and learning;
2. Differentiate the uses and functions of the digital tools provided in the list;
3. Use the different digital tools provided in the list in your school task or activities,
Process
Free and Available Digital Tools
A. Online Bibliography and Citation Tools
1. Zotero - it is a free and easy-to-use tool to help you collect, organize, cite, and share your research sources. It collects your research in a single, searchable interface and automatically indexes the full-text content of your library, allowing you to find exactly what you’re looking for. It can gather different types of item like: articles, books, book sections, reports, documents, presentations, artwork, recordings, and group related files, notes, links, and snapshots as attachments to items. We can also use the Zotero Connector to save and create item automatically.
Steps in Creating a Citations and Bibliographies of Items
- Use word processor plugins (Word and LibreOffice/OpenOffice) to add citations and bibliographies.
- Manually create bibliographies by dragging and dropping items into a word processing program.
- Set up group libraries to share items with colleagues, teams, or other research groups. Group libraries may be private, public with closed membership, or public with open membership.
- If you use multiple computers, you can access your library in two ways:
a. Using your zotero.org account online.
b. Using the program on multiple computers and syncing your libraries.
2. EasyBib - It is a free online bibliography and citation tools constitute a functional way for people wanting to reference various types of content, both digital and print. EasyBib provides a well-rounded solution for all your citation needs.
- 59 Content Sources
Content sources range from traditional types such as books and journal articles all the way to live performances and newsletters. - Manual Cite
Although Easybib provides automatically formatted citations, you also have the option to manually cite your references and even add annotations.
Features And Plans
- No Subscription Required
EasyBib offers its citation features for free.
B. Photo and Image Editing Tools
1. GIMP - the tools needed for high quality image manipulation. From retouching to restoring to creative composites, the only limit is your imagination. It gives artists the power and flexibility to transform images into truly unique creations. It is used for producing icons, graphical design elements, and art for user interface components and mockups. It is also a high quality framework for scripted image manipulation, with multi-language support such as C, C++, Perl, Python, Scheme, and more. It provides top-notch color management features to ensure high-fidelity color reproduction across digital and printed media. It is best used in workflows involving other free software such as Scribus, Inkscape, and SwatchBooker.
2. Fotor - It is a free photo editor that's ideal for giving your pictures a boost quickly. If there's specific area of retouching you need doing with, say, the clone brush or healing tool, you're out of luck. However, if your needs are simple, its stack of high-end filters really shine.
There's a foolproof tilt-shift tool, for example, and a raft of vintage and vibrant colour tweaks, all easily accessed through Fotor's clever menu system. You can manually alter your own curves and levels, too, but without the complexity of high-end tools.
Fotor's standout function, and one that's sorely lacking in many free photo editors, is its batch processing tool – feed it a pile of pics and it'll filter the lot of them in one go, perfect if you have a memory card full of holiday snaps and need to cover up the results of a dodgy camera or shaky hand.
C. Survey, Polls, and Quizzes Tools
1. Plickers - it is a revolutionary way to collect instant multiple-choice responses from students, without requiring them to have clickers, computers, or tablets. It is a data without devices. We can use a printed card with a design unique to each student, our iOS and Android apps allow teachers to scan student responses and respond in real-time. It can turn assessments or check-ins into opportunities for play, engaging students by empowering them to share what they know. As a teacher, you can use student results to address misconceptions, tailor instruction, and inform long-term planning.
While other student response systems request that students must bring their mobile devices to the class, Plickers do not have this requirement. Using this tool the students will respond to the teacher's question by showing their cards in the chosen orientation. There is only one smartphone with internet needed for the teacher. If applied with the appropriate strategy the teacher does not even need a computer or a projector.
Do I have to pay to use flickers?
The core of Plickers will always be free for teachers. This means that teachers will always be able to:
- Print cards
- Create Questions & Sets
- Scan students’ answers
- Access scanning data with Reports and Scoresheet
- Publish content
Teachers and schools can upgrade to Plickers Pro, which offers additional features:
- Create Sets with an unlimited number of Questions
- Add images to Questions using our built-in image search
- Longer & customizable Scoresheet ranges
- Share Packs privately with other Plickers Pro users
2. Survey Monkey - it is an online survey software that helps you to create and run professional online surveys. It is very powerful and a well known online application. SurveyMonkey is perhaps the best known and most widely used. It is on par with the industry standards, but adds a lot of other features that makes collection and analysis of data extremely simple.
Features
SurveyMonkey presents all the tools necessary for you to create strong, professional surveys easily. The exact feature is dependent on which of the four pricing plans you choose. However, if you’re just starting up with online survey tools and you are trying to figure out the best one, you can opt for the free pricing plan that gives you access to the basic tools needed to create great surveys.
Design Options
The basic plan allows you to have only 10 questions per survey with a maximum of 100 responses per survey (you can have unlimited questions and responses per survey in the premium plans).
Using the web interface, you can choose from 31 survey templates (or 51 in premium) and 15 types of questions.
The questions you can add to your survey span three categories – close-ended, open-ended, and descriptive.
You can have single answer, multiple choice with multiple answers, rating scale, and 3 matrix type questions in the close-ended category. Single textbox, multiple textboxes, essay box, numerical textboxes, demographic details, and date/time box options can be chosen from the open-ended questions. This is more than sufficient to create high-quality professional surveys for your users.
The tool also allows you to set answer choice randomization, present a survey completion bar, add auto numbered pages, provide options to make questions require answers to proceed and control data input by validation (users cannot enter text in a numbers only box).
D. Web Conferencing Tools
1. BigBlueButton - it is a global teaching platform. It was developed in a school, not in a boardroom. Making it the only virtual classroom built from the ground up, just for teachers. It’s available in 65 languages and teachers all over the world have contributed to its design. Along with a global network of developers and companies providing commercial support, BigBlueButton is continuously evolving to meet the new real-world needs of teachers everywhere.
Features
As technology continues to transform all areas of life, teaching and learning online poses new challenges for both educators and students. And while technology can connect us in ways previously unimagined, it’s harder than ever to grab and maintain student attention in a classroom. In this age of distraction, a generic web conferencing system falls far short of the needs of teachers and students.
It includes:
- Documents Upload
- Whiteboard
- Breakout Rooms
- Video Options
- Chat
- Polling
- Multi-User Board
- Shared Notes
- Screen Share
- Hand Rise
- Emojis
- Video Share
2. Join.me - it is a web-based collaboration software application for screen-sharing and online meetings.
To share a desktop or host a meeting, users must first download and install join.me software. Mobile apps are available for Android and iOS. The free version of join.me limits meetings to 10 participants; paid Pro accounts can have up to 250 participants. Other features of the paid version include recording capabilities, a meeting scheduler and the ability to switch presenters. As of now, a join.me pro account costs $19 per month or $149 per year. Pricing for enterprise and non-profit customers is available from the vendor, LogMeIn. According to the vendor's website, join.me requires Adobe Flash Player 10 or above. It also requires the latest version of Firefox, Chrome or Safari browsers or Internet Explorer 8 or above.
E. Stock Photo Sites
1. StockSnap.io - it is a tool that has a huge collection of high-resolution images and free stock photos. The platform also has a very useful search function that makes browsing through the thousands of images available a breeze. Furthermore, the site keeps track of views and downloads so you can find the most famous images. Every day, StockSnap adds hundreds of new pictures, all of which are published under a creative commons public domain license with no attribution necessary.
2. Burst (by shopify) - it is a Shopify resource that offers free stock images to entrepreneurs. Some images are Creative Commons CC0 allowed, while others are covered by Shopify's own photo license. Burst was created to assist business owners in creating better goods, blogs, and marketing strategies. The majority of the photos are in-house photos that are themed around common business niches, ranging from DIY beard oil to Aliexpress LED sneakers. More general photos can also be found.
F. Video Tools
1. Powtoon - it is an online platform for creating short video presentations. This gives anyone the ability to create professional videos and presentations. You can select from royalty-free libraries of animation, live-action video, images, designed backgrounds, soundtracks, and moving graphics, or you can use your own visual content and voiceover. The free version comes with limited features and a watermark. Nevertheless, this tool is easy to use. It has in-app templates that are ready to use to make a presentation. You can also customize the templates with your own pictures, voice-overs, and soundtracks. It allows to drag and drop pre-designed images, props and tools to your slide which are then animated automatically to create a stunning, professional presentation that can be presented in person – just the way it used to with PowerPoint or Keynote – or turned into a video that can be shared online through YouTube, Facebook or Twitter.
Function of Powtoon:
Students can create quality animated video presentations to showcase their understanding of a specific topic. Teachers can also create their own Powtoon as an alternative approach to teaching topics.
Substitution: Students use Powtoon to create a short, digital presentation (instead of giving an in-person presentation).
Augmentation: Students create a multimodal video that presents their understanding and knowledge of a topic.
Modification: Students can create professional quality whiteboard animation video without any prior graphic design/animation knowledge or skills.
Redefinition: Students can collaborate with peers and professionals located around the world on a Powtoon.
Students use Powtoon to create a short, digital presentation (instead of giving an in-person presentation).
Augmentation: Students create a multimodal video that presents their understanding and knowledge of a topic.
Modification: Students can create professional quality whiteboard animation video without any prior graphic design/animation knowledge or skills.
Redefinition: Students can collaborate with peers and professionals located around the world on a Powtoon.
Features of Powtoon:
- Easily create your own free (or paid) studio-quality HD live and animated videos in minutes — eliminating the high cost of hiring a video production team.
- Powtoon offers a huge library of professionally-designed templates, scenes, characters, props, millions of videos, soundtracks, text, and more.
- It can upload your own media, videos, GIFs, images, voiceovers and anything you need to create awesome videos in no time.
- Integrations include: YouTube, Facebook, Facebook Ads Manager, Twitter, Wistia, Hubspot and more!
2. Animoto - it is a free classroom tool for educators, students, and administrators. Easily create and share videos with your class, with parents, and beyond. It is web-based and intuitive, with video creation capabilities that make it a reliable choice among students, photographers, teachers, business professionals, and video marketers. Users of Animoto do not need to have previous knowledge of other slideshow video creation software, as the solution already provides features that are basic to every slideshow video creation program.
Features of Animoto:
- High-quality video
- HD 1080p
- Over 3000 licensed music tracks
- Pre-built marketing storyboards
- Multiple memories styles
- Font library
- Color customization
- Landscape & square videos
- Download video
- Share on social media
- Huge music library to be used in the video background;
- Animoto app makes it accessible on any device etc.
- Simplicity of use;
- High quality of HD videos;
- Availability of both desktop and mobile apps;
- A majority of styles to choose from;
- Great in education as encourages collaboration, creativity, tech and media literacy;
G. Testing and Quizzing Tools
1. ProProfs Quiz Maker - it is a cloud-based software to create and deliver online exams and tests. The ProProfs solution helps you to author quizzes, secure tests and student/employee assessments. It comes along with complimentary test templates, automated grading and integration with ProProfs LMS.
Features
- Allows you to make a test using existing templates or create your own from scratch
- User-friendly drag-and-drop interface
- You can save time with automatic grading.
License options
ProProfs Quiz Maker is freemium software. A free subscription covers pretty much everything you need, except reports and private tests (all your tests will be made public by default). Paid subscriptions range from $9 for Basic up to 199$ for Enterprise. Nice add-ons include cloud storage, marketing tools and premium support for the most sophisticated.
2. Typeform - it allows the creation of conversational forms, quizzes, and surveys that increase user engagement. This helps collect more data and increases memory retention. Teachers and trainers use quizzes to make learning lessons a more interactive experience. This system supports many question styles, including questions that incorporate pictures.
Features
- It is very easy to create quizzes using this system. There are many free templates to choose from when setting up a new quiz.
- This system allows logic jumps. A logic jump allows a quiz to respond to a user’s answers. For example, not to present questions, which are irrelevant based on a previous answer.
- Branching forks are possible for subgrouping, such as making an early choice between being a dog lover and a cat lover to see different questions for the quiz.
- Offers a calculator function, which can present different questions to respondents based on their cumulative score.
License Options
- This service offers a free plan, an Essentials monthly paid subscription plan, a Professional yearly paid subscription plan, a Premium plan, and a Custom plan for heavy users.
- The free plan allows limited use but is good for evaluating the system. The essential plan is a monthly subscription. Cancel at any time. It allows 1,000 responses per month. The professional plan is the same price as the essential plan but since the subscription is paid-up for a year; this plan requires more commitment. It allows 5,000 responses per month. The premium plan allows up to 10,000 responses per month. Additional custom plans allow up to 100,000 responses per month.
H. PDF Tools
1. PDF-XChange Editor - it is a free PDF editing program for Windows computers developed by Tracker Software. The interface is a little more complex than that of the Smallpdf editing suite but gives you easy access to plenty of helpful features such as a stamp option for marking documents as 'Expired' or 'Approved'. But for most users, the main reason to use PDF-XChange Editor is the fact that it comes with inbuilt Optical Character Recognition (OCR). This means that if your original PDF document is a photocopy, PDF-XChange will still recognize the text and allow you to edit it. Also, PDF-XChange Editor lets you reformat text, and even convert it into fonts that aren’t already loaded on your computer.
And like Smallpdf, you can use this platform to merge or split individual PDF files. The only serious downside of this powerful editor is that, if you haven’t signed up to the Pro version, a small 'Created with PDF-XChange Editor' watermark will be added at the bottom of any PDF files that you export.
![PDFescape Review, Alternatives & Free Download [2020] | TalkHelper](https://www.talkhelper.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/PDFescape.jpg)
2. PDFescape - It this tool we can either edit online or through a desktop application. The desktop application is the more powerful of the two as it supports edits to pre-existing PDF content and allows us to scan paper documents. However, only the online version of PDFescape is free to use.
All the same, we get plenty of useful PDF editing options with PDFescape online such as the ability to make freehand notes and a tool for adding clickable URL links to our documents. We will also find that it’s pleasingly easy to add, rotate, and annotate pages with the in-browser version of PDFescape.
The only major flaw of this free PDF editor is that we can’t upload documents that are larger than 10MB. A regular A4-size PDF page only takes up about 100KB of data though, so this shouldn’t cause a problem unless we were editing a book-length document.
Credits
Group 2 PEC 204 Technology for Teaching and Learning 1
BSED2-FILIPINO
Leader: Bandol, Loreden Mae
Members:
De Chavez, John Mark
De Torres, Myka
Lusterio, Marsha
Oblefias, Lucia
Remo, Mary Grace
Reyes, Bernard
Tomon, Jay
References:
Zotero
https://www.educatorstechnology.com/2014/02/10-of-best-bibliography-and…
Citelighter
https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/citelighter
GIMP
https://www.gimp.org/
Fotor
https://www.techradar.com/best/free-photo-editor
Plickers
https://help.plickers.com/hc/en-us/articles/360009518353-Is-Plickers-Fr…-
https://moodle.ssruic.ssru.ac.th/mod/page/view.php?id=507
Survey Monkey
https://www.genroe.com/blog/what-is-surveymonkey/7979
BigBlueButton
https://bigbluebutton.org/
Join.me
https://searchmobilecomputing.techtarget.com/definition/joinme\
StockSnap.io
Burst (by shopify)
https://blog.snappa.com/free-stock-photos/
Powtoon
https://50wheel.com/powtoon/
Animoto
https://comparecamp.com/animoto-review-pricing-pros-cons-features/
ProProofs Quiz Maker
Typeform
https://myelearningworld.com/top-10-free-online-quiz-makers-for-teacher…
PDF-XChange Editor
PDFescape
https://www.techradar.com/best/free-pdf-editor