Top 10 free tools that most effective teachers use: you’ll never guess number 4

Education came from the terms ‘educare’ or ‘educere’ which means ‘to draw out’.

Centuries considered this context as an education that assumes that the teaching-learning process can be referred to as a means of a designed pouring-in system; just all about the content and subject matter, implemented and constructed by teachers alone.

However, recent innovations and developments of curriculum lead to a realization that instruction, activities and competencies should focus on building meaningful learning for both students and teachers. This then introduced Outcome-Based, a learner-centered approach that we deal with the promulgation of the K12 Curriculum.

With this kind of curriculum, strengthening instruction and valuing the journey of diverse students are keys to aim an appropriate and inclusive learning.

As a new generation of teachers, our goal is to find a way to make even the driest materials come to life. Accepting the diverse strengths and weaknesses of students will do a great help in equipping teachers of effective strategies and tools in teaching.

A call for help goes to the Web. 2.0 to invite student’s further engagement and interaction in discussions and assessment. This focuses on developing their competencies in distinct faculties, both cognitive and appetitive.

Here are some of the hacks of the Web 2.0 that teachers may consider using to enhance their teaching-learning experience:

1. Animation and Comics

Make Beliefs Comix
Bitstrips
Blabberize
ToonDoo
GoAnimate
Pixton
Voki
StripGenerator
doink
Xtranormal
Zimmer Twins

2. Games and Quizzes

ABCYa.com
gnowledge
Hot Potatoes
JClic
Tutput
KerPoof
sharendipity
Quizlet
QuizRevolution
Kahoot!

3. Instructional Videos and Video Sharing

Youtube
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter

4. Mind Mapping

bubbl.us
mindmeister
slatebox
Spicynodes
spiderscribe.net

5. Online Storage and Sharing

icedrive
Google Drive
OneDrive by Microsoft

6. Presentation Tools and Slideshows

authorSTREAM
PowToon
slideshare
Prezi
Capzles
FakeBook

7. Social Networking

Facebook Messenger (Group Chats)
Instagram
Twitter
Gmail
Yahoo
Google Classroom

8. Surveys and Polls

99POLLS.COM
BLOG-POLL.COM
Google Forms
SurveyMonkey
plickers
tricider
bibme
Plagtracker

9. Tag (Word) Clouds

Tagul
Wordle
Tagxedo

10. Other Tools

ClassTool.com
Zip Grade
QR Treasure Hunt Generator
Random Name Picker
Pac-Man
coursera
personalitymax
edmodo

Even Plato pens, “Do not train children to learn by force or harshness, but direct them by what amuses their minds, so that you may be better able to discover with accuracy the peculiar bent of the genius of each.”

This might have been just some of the new educational tools to use. Feel free to comment on the discoveries of the new Web. 2.0 tools we could explore and share. Let us continue empowering one another as professional teachers. Happy teaching!

Sources:
Corpuz, B., & Salandanan, G. (2015). Principle of teaching 1. 4th edition. Quezon,City, Metro Manila: Lorimar Publishing, Inc.
Corpuz, B., et. al. (2018). The professional teacher. Special edition. Quezon City: Lorimar Publishing, Inc.

A special thanks to Mr. Francis Jeorge Calilan, LPT, MA for sharing his knowledge about the new trends and web. 2.0 tools