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Tools: Prezi and Show Me

Two colleagues have pointed me in the direction of these tools that I plan to start using this year:

Prezi

Slide-less slideshows. Think of a large, blank canvas on which you can add unlimited content by panning or zooming in and out.

Price: Free (paid options available)

Platform: Web (with free iPad viewing app)

Site: http://prezi.com

Examples: http://prezi.com/explore/

 

Show Me

A free app for iPad that allows you to record and upload audio/white board presentations.

Price: Free

Platform: iPad (web to view)

Site: http://www.showme.com

Examples: http://www.showme.com/browse/

Current Events and Information Overload

From BBC News Magazine (read the full article here):

The obsession with current events is relentless. We are made to feel that at any point, somewhere on the globe, something may occur to sweep away old certainties. Something that if we failed to learn about it instantaneously, could leave us wholly unable to comprehend ourselves or our fellow human beings.

No doubt this can easily relate to our media obsession. I think it also has some pretty significant implications for historical and theological studies.

TeuxDeux and Formspring in the Classroom

Here are a couple of great web tools I have been using lately to help organize and enhance my classroom:

1. TeuxDeux, a simple, free, online to-do list. (iPhone app available, $2.99)

I am a big fan of the simplicity and the price. I haven’t tried out the iPhone app yet, but love the minimal web interface. One quick tip: to edit a task once you create it, simply click and drag it back to the edit box.

 

2. Formspring, a simple, free, online Q&A platform. (iPhone app available, free)

Formspring is usually used as a “Ask me anything” platform among friends. I was not interested in my students asking me anything, but I did want a easy way for them to ask a question about upcoming exams and receive an answer that is also available to everyone else. The days of copy/paste answers to multiple emails asking the same question are over!