I work in the Learning and Teaching
Institute at Sheffield Hallam University in the UK. My
job is to horizon scan and to develop innovative
pedagogies that reflect the changing profile and needs
of our students and the opportunities presented by
emerging technologies. I am particularly interested in
opportunities for integrating digital media into the
blended curriculum.
Andrew's Top 10 Tools as at 26 February
2008
Audacity - a well
focussed tool that academics and student can pick up easily.
It's very portable and this is important for digital audio
where many users want to work in private spaces.
Gabcast - All of
our students have a mobile phone and if they could learn to
not only reflect (as we all do) but make notes of their
reflection, we would see a change in educational ownership.
Students moving from 'being taught' to 'constructing my
knowledge' - Gabcast is the tool to do it.
del.icio.us -
whenever I have to introduce someone to Web 2.0 this is
where I start - its value is clear, its web accessible is
clear, its collaborative nature is clear. Then i can start
to use and share some of my links with my colleagues.
Pageflakes - I
keep my todo list right there at the top, so everytime I'm
in danger of drifting off into browse mode I'm reminded of
what I must finish. This is how I organise my RSS feeds and
keep up to date.
Voice Thread -
Social audio and social imagery personified. A perfect
demonstration of how digital media can be integrated into
the curriculum and at the same time explains the value of
digital storytelling.
YouTube - Its
ubiquity makes my job as an educational developer easier.
You can't ignore the fact that user generated media is
important to our students, whether they are producing it or
their tutors.
Google Docs -
it supports writing academic papers, bid documents,
impossible deadlines and working with interesting, busy
people. For students making the transition to Web apps the
collaborative features support peer support and negotiation.
Wikipedia - The
best starting point for entering a new topic. Whether the
content is right or wrong it's sure to get you engaged and
developing your own understanding quickly.
Flickr - digital
photography is so accessible and Flickr is a fantastic
resource and a space for group work. Now we can do images
can we think outside of the text box?
Bubbl.us - a great
flow charting tool that lets individuals and groups sketch
out their conceptual map.
What are your
Top 10 tools for learning? Let us know and help to build the
Top 100 Tools for Learning 2008
