TOP TOOLS 2008
Andrew Middleton

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

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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?

10. Bubbl.us - a great flow charting tool that lets individuals and groups sketch out their conceptual map.