Free Connection and Sharing Tools
Creating Shared Spaces -- Wikis and Things:
- Moodle - you have the Linux server, they have the open source toolset for running an online learning space
- Squooltools.com -- Moodle-based free enviroment for K-12 teachers
- Classroom 2.0 info session on Moodle -- recorded
- Mguhlin.org on Moodle -- more than I ever wanted to know!
- Wikispaces -- easy to use -- special deals for K-12
- Wetpaint -- visually crisp easy wiki site
- Ning -- social network tools for free (ad-supported) or premium services
- Nings in Education -- Group to help you use Nings in your classroom -- http://education.ning.com/
- PBWiki -- create your own easy wiki
- http://meetmeatthecorner.org/ -- Sharing learning podcasts by kids
- Etherpad -- Writing together online in a free text single-project workspace, saveable
Student Video-Sharing
- School Tube -- student-sharing video space for school projects, based in St. Louis, MO; teacher-monitored resource
Webinar/Conference Call Tools
Conference call
- Skype -- Videoconferencing free one-to-one; by phone many-to-many up to 24 (?) callers by free conference call
- Google Talk -- in closed beta -- will have similar features to Skype
VideoConference
- Elluminate -- 3 people for free, after that gets expensive
- Flashmeeting -- nice tool from the EU -- free to teachers and distributed learning organizations working with the EU -- basic graphics, but nice multiperson video, with rotating speaking on webcams. Unclear if usable for non-EU initializers. Have been on many fine webinars all over the world with this service
Polling
- PollEverywhere -- Poll for free for up to 32 students by SMS with their cellphones - embeds in websites or even PowerPoint slides
- Wiffiti -- Have students SMS directly onto your computer screen
Make Your Own Interactive Whiteboard
- Wiimote: Johnny Lee (Carnegie-Mellon) has a make-it-yourself interactive whiteboard for a $40 Wii remote plus his free software