Top 100 Tools for Learning 2009

LEARNING TOOLS

Index

Learning Tools Directory 2010
Now completely overhauled, updated and reorganised into 12 categories of tools
for formal, personal, group and organisational learning

Index

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INSTRUCTIONAL TOOLS

LIVE TOOLS

DOCUMENT & PRESENTATION TOOLS

BLOGGING, WEB & WIKI TOOLS

IMAGE, AUDIO & VIDEO TOOLS

COMMUNICATION TOOLS

MICRO-BLOGGING TOOLS
& TWITTER APPS

MORE COLLABORATION TOOLS

SOCIAL NETWORKING & COLLABORATION SPACES

PERSONAL PRODUCTIVITY TOOLS

BROWSERS, PLAYERS & READERS

MOBILE TOOLS

Top Tools for Learning
Here are the Top 100 Tools lists for the last 3 years compiled from the Top 10 Tools lists of learning professionals worldwide

2009

2008 | 2007

Top 10 Tools Lists of Learning Professionals worldwide

Top 10 Tools Lists 2009

Alpha list of contributors 2007-2009

25 Tools
Key tools every learning professional
should have in their toolbox

2009 version

2008 version

Jane's Pick of the Day

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Jane's E-Learning Pick of the Day

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Top 100 Tools for Learning 2009
Winners & Losers in 2009
Main list here

KEY
F = Free, C= Commercial, W = Windows, M=Mac, S=Server, O = Online
Cells shaded blue are new tools on the list this year
WINNERS
(1) New tools on the list this year

2009	2008	2007	TOOL
2009	2008	2007	Name	Platform	Cost
27	-	-	Evernote Note taking tool	O	F
28	-	-	Prezi Presentation software	O	F
30	-	-	Wordle Word cloud generator	O	F
31	-	-	animoto Create videos from your images	O	F
43	-	-	Dimdim Web conferencing	O	F/C
43	-	-	Tweetdeck Desktop social software client	W M	F
50	-	-	Sharepoint MS Intranet portal and collaboration environment	S	C
55	-	-	Glogster Make an interactive poster	O	F
55	-	-	Google Chrome Web browser	W M	F
55	-	-	Posterous Blogging/posting place	O	F
55	-	-	Screenr Screencasting tool	O	F
64	-	-	Lectora Course authoring tool	W	C
64	-	-	Udutu Online collaborative course authoring tool	O	F/C
67	-	-	Cirip Micro-blogging platform	O	F
67	-	-	Webex Web conferencing tool	O	F
71	-	-	Dropbox Sync files online and across computers	O	C
71	-	-	Etherpad Real-time document collaboration	O	F
71	-	-	Flip Digital camcorder	-	C
71	-	-	GoToMeeting/GoToTrain Web conferencing system	O	C
71	-	-	Picnik Photo editing tool	W	C
71	-	-	ScreenToaster Screencasting tool	O	F
71	-	-	xtranormal Movie-making software	D	F
71	-	-	Yammer Private micro-blogging platform	O	F
86	-	-	Friendfeed Info sharing tool	O	F
88	-	-	Edmodo Educational micro-blogging service	O	F

(2) Tools back on the list again this year (after a break in 2008)

2009	2008	2007	TOOL
2009	2008	2007	Name	Platform	Cost
53	-	40=	Elgg Social engine	S	F
63	-	57=	Picasa Photo organiser	W/O	F
88	-	57=	Adobe Fireworks Image editor	W M	C
88	-	72=	Paintshop Pro Image editing software	W	C

(3) Tools moving up within the list in 2009
in descending order of number of places

# places UP	2009	2008	2007	TOOL
# places UP	2009	2008	2007	Name	Platform	Cost
+28	38	66=	101=	Google Apps Google application suite	O	F/C
+28	55	83	-	Bubbl.us Online mindmapping tool	O	F
+25	41=	66=	72=	Adobe Connect Web meeting/ conferencing	O	C
+24	35	59=	50=	Adobe Photoshop Photo/Image editing tools	W	C
+19	31	50=	43=	iPhone/iPod/ Touch and apps	-	-
+17	48	65=	72=	Keynote Presentation software	M	C
+16	64	80=	57=	TeacherTube Instructional video sharing site	O	F
+15	3	18	22=	YouTube Video sharing site	O	F
+13	7	20	31=	Slideshare Hosting presentations	O	F
+13	22	35=	72=	diigo Social annotation site	O	F/C
+12	71	83=	50=	Scribd Document hosting/sharing	O	F
+10	1	11	43=	Twitter Microblogging tool	O	F
+10	49	59=	72=	Edublogs Educational blogging tool	O	F
+8	22	27	17=	Adobe Captivate Demo and scenario tool	W	C
+7	43	50=	50=	Elluminate Web conferencing	O	F/C
+6	20	26=	-	Jing Screen captures/ casting tool	W M	F/C
+5	11	16	31=	Ning Social networking platforms	O	F/C
+4	19	23	101=	VoiceThread Collaborative slideshows	O	F
+4	55	59=	-	Garageband Personal recording studio	M	C
+3	9	12	11	Audacity Sound editor and recorder	W M	F
+2	5	7	14	Google Docs Office suite	O	F
+1	16	17	17=	iGoogle Personalised start page	O	F
+1	24	25	22=	Articulate Presenter/Engage/ Quizmaker	W	C
+1	34	35=	43=	PBworks (prev PBwiki) Wiki tool	O	F/C

(4) Tools maintaining their place on the list in 2009

2009	2008	2007	TOOL
2009	2008	2007	Name	Platform	Cost
26	26=	50=	Camtasia Studio Screencasting tool	W	C
38=	38=	43=	Flash Animation authoring tool	W M	C

LOSERS

(1) Tools moving down the list in 2009
in ascending order of number of places

# places DOWN	2009	2008	2007	TOOL
# places DOWN	2009	2008	2007	Name	Platform	Cost
-1	2	1	2	Delicious Social bookmarking tool	O	F
-1	4	3	7=	Google Reader RSS / Feed reader	O	F
-1	6	5	6	Wordpress Blogging tool	O	F
-2	8	6	3=	Google Search Web search tool	O	F
-3	18	15	16	flickr Photo storage/sharing site	O	F
-3	44	40=	40=	Google Earth Satellite and aerial imagery	W M	F
-4	14	10	9	Blogger Blogging tool	O	F
-4	17	13	26=	Wikipedia Collaborative encyclopedia	O	F
-4	25	21	26=	SnagIt Screen capture tool	W	C
-4	88	83=	-	Movie Maker Create, edit and share home movies	W	C
-4	88	83=	-	Paint.NET Image/photo editing software	W	F
-4	88	83=	-	Twhirl Twitter desktop client	W M	F
-5	13	8	5	PowerPoint Presentation software	W M	C
-5	14	9	12=	Moodle Course mgt system	S	F
-5	71	66=	-	Basecamp Track and manage projects	O	F/C
-6	50	44=	-	Wetpaint Wiki tool	O	F
-7	9	2	1	Firefox Web browser and extensions	W M	F
-7	11	4	3=	Skype Instant messaging/VoIP	W M	F/C
-7	21	14	7=	Gmail Web-based email	O	F
-7	31	24	17=	Facebook Social networking site	O	F
-9	53	44=	26=	Dreamweaver Web authoring tool	W M	C
-10	29	19	15	Wikispaces Wiki tool	O	F/C
-13	41	28	26=	iTunes/iTunes U Music/podcast player and site	W M	F
-13	55	42=	17=	Mindmanager Mindjet Mindmapping software	W M	C
-14	36	22	10	Word Word processing software	W M	C
-17	71	54=	50=	Freemind Mind mapping tool	W M	F
-17	71	54=	-	SecondLife Virtual world application	O	F
-18	55	37	26=	Netvibes Personalised start page	O	F
-21	50	29	36=	Google Calendar Web-based calendar	O	F
-21	88	66=	-	iMovie Video editing software	M	C
-27	71	41=	31=	OpenOffice Desktop office suite	O	F
-28	71	59=	-	Google Sites Create web/wiki sites	O	F
-28	88	59=	-	MindMeister Mind mapping tool	O	C
-29	67	38=	17=	Outlook Email client	W	C
-29	88=	59=	72=	Adobe Acrobat Pro Create and control PDF documents	W M	C
-33	64	34	36=	Google Maps Maps of the US. UK, etc (and mobile version)	O	F
-33	88	54=	-	Survey Monkey Survey/questionnaire tool	O	F/C
-43	88	44=	57=	TypePad Blogging tool	O	C
-47	88	31=	-	Pageflakes Start page tool	O	F
-54	88	33	57=	Google Alerts Keep track of new information	O	F
-56	86	30=	12=	Bloglines RSS/Feed reader	O	F

(2) Tools moving off the list this year

2008	2007	Tool	Plat- form	Cost
83	-	Zamzar	O	F
83	-	Wink	D	F
83	-	Tumbr	O	F
83	-	TiddlyWiki	D	F
83	-	SMART Whiteboard tools	D	F/C
83	79	Safari	D	F
83	36	MediaWiki	D	F
83	-	LibraryThing	O	F
83	-	Jott	O	F
83	43	GIMP	D	F
83	31	Internet Explorer	D	F
83	72	Furl (now acquired by diigo)	O	F
83	-	CourseLab	D	F
83	72	Adobe Presenter	D	C
80	-	Nvu	D	F
80	72	Adobe Reader	D	F
66	72	Zotero	D	F
66	72	Yugma	D	F/C
66	-	UStream	O	F
66	-	Windows Live Writer	D	F
66	-	Stumbleupon	O	F
66	-	Polldaddy	O	F
66	-	Opera	D	F
66	-	OneNote	D	C
66	72	Notepad	D	F
66	-	Joomla	D	F
54	-	Remember the Mil	O	F
54	72	Drupal	D	F
50	22	Thunderbird	D	F
50	22	Excel	D	C
44	57	Zoho Suite	O	F
44	72	Exe	D	F
42	36	Google Scholar	O	F