We have developed our own unique 10 category classification system, designed to help you find the right tool for the purpose you require. The 10 categories are:
Course Creation Tools/E-learning Authoring Tools. Software or online services that enable users to create courses, simulations, or other educational experiences. These tools typically support conventional, presentation-like courses, and may enable screen recording, multimedia, interactivity and non-linear or adaptive approaches.
Course Management Tools/LMS Tools. A learning management system (LMS) is a software used for delivering, tracking and managing training and education. For example, an LMS tracks attendance, time on task, and student progress. Educators can post announcements, grade assignments, check on course activity, and participate in class discussions. Learners can submit their work, read and respond to discussion questions.
Quizzing, polling and testing Tools/Online Assessment Tools. Assessments are a vital part of determining learner achievement and engagement. Online assessment is used primarily to measure cognitive abilities, demonstrating what has been learned after a particular educational event has occurred, such as the end of an instructional unit or chapter. Online Assessment Tools are very useful whether you want to have learners turn in homework via an online form or simply take a quiz or test, online quiz tools are critical to having a connected classroom
Presentation Software/Animation Tools. Presentation software is used to display information in the form of a slide show. It has three major functions: an editor that allows text to be inserted and formatted, a method for inserting and manipulating graphic images, and a slide-show system to display the content. Animation tools on the other hand, are great platforms for presenting your idea, with a huge variety of pre-made themes, props and characters tailored for making professional presentations.
Video hosting services/Editing Tools. Video hosting services are websites or software which allow users to distribute their video clips. Web based video editing sites generally offer the user some form of editing application. Some of these applications simply allow the user to crop a video into a smaller clip. Other services have invested much time and effort into replicating the same functionality that has previously only been available via Windows Movie Maker, iMovie and other client-side applications that run outside of a web page. Some of these websites may additionally offer downloadable editors, however this is not a desktop- but a web-based video editor list.
Webinar/Meeting Tools. Since webinars enable their attendees to interact with each other, they are similar to personal meetings. These tools allow their users to participate in a course or project even if they cannot be personally in class. They also offer the chance to share information as documents, photos or videos.
Screencasting, Audio and Capture Tools. Screencasting allows users to share their screens directly from their browser and make the video available online so that other viewers can stream the video directly. The presenter thus has the ability to show their ideas and flow of thoughts rather than simply explain them as simple text content. In combination with audio and video, the educator can mimic the one-on-one experience of the classroom and deliver clear, complete instructions. Learners have an ability to pause and rewind, to review at their own pace, something a classroom cannot always offer.
Collaboration and File Sharing Tools. Collaborative software is an application software designed to help people involved in a common task to achieve their goals. In more recent years, Cloud collaboration has emerged as a new way of sharing and co-authoring computer files through the use of cloud computing, whereby documents are uploaded to a central “cloud” for storage.
Blogging and Social Network Tools, Group webpages, blogs, wikis, and Twitter allow learners and educators to post thoughts, ideas, and comments on a website in an interactive learning environment. Social networking sites are virtual communities for people interested in a particular subject to communicate by voice, chat, instant message, video conference, or blogs. Social networking encourages collaboration and engagement and can be a motivational tool for self-efficacy amongst learners.
Bookmarking and Curation tools. Bookmarking tools are an emerging educational technology that has been drawing more of educators’ attention over the last several years. This technology offers knowledge sharing solutions and a social platform for interactions and discussions. These tools enable users to collaboratively underline, highlight, and annotate an electronic text, in addition to providing a mechanism to write additional comments on the margins of the electronic document.