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=Tool Shed Project=

1. Title: PiratePad 2. Author/Publisher/Creator: Sweden's Pirate Party 3. URL/Source: [|www.piratepad.net] 4. Category: Collaboration 5. Technical Information: Web-based 6. Description: PiratePad is an online collaborative tool. It is built on the Etherpad platform and requires no password. As a shared notepad, users can sychronously work on a document with each member having the ability to save changes. 7. As an educator, I believe that PiratePad is an excellent source for students working on collaborative projects. It provides students with the ability to work together from home with all students actively participating. Minimal requirements make the program easily accessible to all students with a computer and internet access.

1. Title: Pageflakes 2. Author/Publisher/Creator: Pageflakes, Inc. (subsidiary of LiveUniverse) 3: URL/Source: [|www.pageflakes.com] 4. Category: Social homepage 5. Technical Information: web-based 6. Description: Pageflakes allows individuals to create personalized homepages using "flakes". Flakes are small versions of web favorites including local events, photos, music and calculators that can be used to customize a page. Information is also available so that users can create their own flakes. Educators are beginning to utilize Pageflakes for its education-based flakes such a Grade Tracker and Dictionary. 7. Use: I believe that Pageflakes has the ability to replace educational software that require monthly or yearly subscriptions to host teacher webpages. In addition to being costly, they lack the bells and whistles that make Pageflakes unique. I am currently creating a Pageflake for myself and 2 other teachers as a part of my Goals-Based Evaluation. I believe that its possiblities are endless.

1. Title: Brokers of Expertise 2. Author/Publisher/Creator: State of California Department of Education 3. URL/Source: [|www.myboe.org] 4. Category: Professional Networking 5. Technical Information: web-based 6. Description: Brokers of Expertise was designed as a result of a panel's discussion on ways to improve student achievement in California. The goal of the website is to provide California teachers with a professional networking site that provides access to teaching strategies and ideas aligned with CA educational standards. Access is free and open to educators who agree to the strict terms of usage. It is very likely that other states will follow with similar web tools once all of the kinks are worked out. 7. Use: Although a panel of CA teachers have given the website a test run, it is hard to navigate the site without "registering for an account". When attempting to do so, the Terms of Usage were very scary. I guess that advertising the site as the "Facebook for teachers" required strict guidelines for professionalism. Once more CA teachers begin to use the network and share their efforts, the site was be really useful for novice teachers and experienced teachers looking for a little change. Most importantly, developers view this as a way to provide lasting reciprocal relationships between educators in virtual world.

1. Title: Tadalist 2. Author/Publisher/Creator: 37signals 3. URL/Source: [|www.tadalist.com] 4. Category: Personal organizer 5. Technical Information: web-based; iPhone compatible 6. Description: Tadalist is a website that allows users to create to-do lists for their personal usage that can also be shared with others. 7. Use: Tadalist is one solution to the millions of sticky-notes and slips of paper that many of us (educators, students, parents) use daily. I love making list and get a strong sense of accomplishment when things are checked off. Although I love the idea of a virtual list, I find it more time-consuming to turn on the computer and type/create the list than my handy-dandy pieces of paper.

1. Title: Notely.net 2. Author/Publisher/Creator: Tom Whitson 3. URL/Source: [|www.notely.net] 4. Category: Personal organizer 5. Technical information: web-based; iPhone compatible; mobile versions available 6. Description: Notely.net was designed by British student, Tom Whitson, as a way to help organize his school workload. Features include note-taking, calendar, to do lists, task lists, homework planner, and a task list with the option for users to make suggestions for more. Creator Tom Whitson wants Notely.net to evolve as the demands of a students responsibilities increase. 7. Use: Similar to other personal organizers designed for students, Notely.net is very user-friendly. Tutorials are provided to assist new users navigate through all of the features. I found the toolbar (which resembles the one used in Word) easy to use because of my familiarity with Word. I believe that the ability to use this application with other programs such as mobile phones and Microsoft programs make it ideal for students. It is also free.

1. Title: Springnote 2. Author/Publisher/Creator: Openmaru Studio 3. URL/Source: [|www.springnote.com] 4. Category: Personal organizer 5. Technical Information: web-based; wiki-based; iPhone compatible 6. Description: Springnote is a wiki-based web application that is touted to combine elements of file organization with Word and wiki. In order to encourage wiki-like collaboration, Springnote is always in write-mode and features an autosave feature. Features include the ability to create notebooks which can be linked to other notebooks by the same author or different authors. It also include 2 FREE GB of file storage. 7. Use: What makes this tool stand out from others is that it is wiki-based. I assume that this makes this organizer best suited for individuals working on group projects/tasks. I found Springnote to be less user-friendly and aimed at college-level students. The design is very clean and masculine...it was not appealing to me at all.

1. Title: Schoolhouse 3 2. Author/Publisher/Creator: Altered Axis 3. URL/Source: [|www.schoolhouseapp.com] 4. Category: Personal organizer 5. Technical information: web-based; requires a Mac 6. Description: Schoolhouse 3 is a personal organizer for students using a Mac. Features include a grade calculator, smart Notebooks, and file attachment capabilities. Usage is free for up to 20 tasks before a $14 fee is required. 7. Use: I have no access to a Mac so I relied on reviews of the program to determine its functionality. There was also limited information about the features but I am assuming that the tools are similar to those found in similar tools but I am not sure. Online reviews of Schoolhouse 3 varied greatly with some loving the programs and others completely hating it. Having a limited audience (Mac users) may inhibit its mass market appeal which compared to similar web tools.

1. Title: LiveBinders 2. Author/Publisher/Creator: LiveBinders, Inc. 3. URL/Source: [|http://livebinders.com] 4. Category: Personal organizer 5. Technical information: web-based 6. Description: LiveBinder is a virtual organizer of web-based information and uploaded documents. There is no fee for its usage and it is user-friendly. A downloadable bookmarking tool (LiveBinder It) makes adding web information easy. 7. Use: Last semester I began collecting information and documents to begin thinking about my dissertation proposal. My intention was to print them and file them in a binder AND use OneNote to begin making notes on each document. Due to the failure of that plan, I am making very little progress, but I see some light with this program. When I find documents, I can add them to my LiveBinder instead of printing the document out. It is environmentally smart and easy! I also had a chance to view a LiveBinder on the uses of iPads in schools. One tab was completely devoted to ways that school administrators can use iPads which made it easy to begin trying to convince myself AGAIN that I should shell out the money for an iPad. :)  1. Title: ClassTools.net  2. Author/Publisher/Creator: Russel Tarr  3. URL/Source: [|http://classtools.net]  4. Category: Educational tool  5. Technical information: N/A  6. Description: ClassTools.net is a tools that allows teachers to create online quizzes and games that could be used on their websites and blogs.  7. Use: Teachers who could use a little assistance with technology will love this website. Various templates are available to help teachers customize their personal webpages.

1. Title: Assign-A-Day  2. Author/Publisher/Creator: ALTEC at the University of Kansas  3: URL/Source:   4. Category: Communication Tool  5. Technical Information: web-based  6. Description: Assign-A-Day allows teachers to create assignment calendars. Students and parents access the calendar in order to see assignment due dates and to stay abreast of class activities. 7: Use: Assign-A-Day is a worthwhile tool for teachers who do not have access to online tools. It is user-friendly and practical if teachers can find the time to keep it updated.