Jane Hart, who I respect greatly for her contributions to learning and technology throughout the last decade has recently published her top 100 tools for learning in 2014.
This is the eighth incarnation of this list since being introduced in 2008 and was put together with the contributions of over 1000 teachers globally.
It is a genuine snapshot of what people are using in education.
Twitter, Google Docs and YouTube top the list which is hardly surprising.
PowerPoint at number 4 was quite a shock as I would have definitely considered this and 'old favourite' when comparing it to a plethora of presentation tools that have hit the scene in the last eighteen months but it is a solid tool and for some old habits are hard to break.
There was no interest around Google Classroom as yet. It didn't even crack the top 100 which is sure to change over time as this product continues to evolve.
My favourite iPad app of 2014 Adobe Voice did notmake the list either which makes me wonder if I am a little out of touch with Jane's Audience.
Jane's top 100 can be seen below and if you visit her site you can download the top 100 guidebook which is really useful for developing an understanding of what these tools are and where they all fit in the bigger picture of teaching and learning.
I'd love to hear your thoughts around this list too.
It would be remiss of me not to put together an obligatory iPad story that is loosely linked to education so here are some top iPad apps for educators who feel as though they need to do something work related on it after they have finished playing with all the fun stuff on it
iWork Until Microsoft release office for the iPad iWork offers the MS Works equivalent of a productivity suite for the iPad. Pages, Numbers and Keynote make for a fairly impressive productivity suite for $30, or $10 each.
The Elements: A Visual Exploration: Sounds a bit pricey for a periodic table, but the vividly animated illustrations of every substance our world is made of more than make up for it. $14
Mobile Air Mouse: Do you use an Interactive whiteboard and have wireless keyboards and mice floating around the place that either don’t work or you have to actually sit in front of a computer to type something on your IWB. Download and install Mobile Air Mouse and you can use your iPad to do everything on your IWB. Now I sit with my students and run a lesson. Media controls, Keyboard and Mouse. My all time most used app at school on my iPhone. Works through a wireless network and is pretty painless to set up. Check out the video below.
DropBox: I own a laptop, 2 desktop PC’s at home, have files on the network at school and now have some stuff on my iPhone and an iPad. I was going crazy trying to keep track of it all. Drop box allows you to sync everything without any hassle at all to every PC you use both locally and in the cloud and now best of all you can access all of your files through your iPhone. Also you can create public folders for your students to access files from the web too. It’s free - Absolute Gold
Pi83 Graphing Calculator A simple calculator isn't enough for most math students once they hit high school, so having a graphing calculator handy is always welcome. And since Pi83 Graphing Calculator, which mimics Texas Instruments' Ti-83 graphing calculator, costs just 99 cents. Never be outsmarted by your students again.
WorldBook – This Day in History. This interactive calendar is powered by World Book Encyclopedia and features historical information for each day of the year. Struggling for a lesson idea today or just need to fill in 10 minutes with some great facts from history.
Cram Cram is designed specifically to help students study for a big test. The app allows them to create multiple-choice quizzes and study guides with a flash-card-like system. The app even randomizes the answers to ensure students aren't memorizing a particular option. Best of all for teachers it has a massive bank of online tests you can access and administer. Don’t sit up all night planning or correcting a test again.
History: Maps of the World One of the most important tools any student can use is a historical map of the world to help them in both geography and history classes. That's where History: Maps of the World comes in.
After downloading the free app, users can view maps of all the continents at different points throughout history. The app features up-to-date maps showing current boundaries. But where it provides the most value is in its historical maps, which display boundaries and important places from periods throughout history. It's a great way to help students increase their effectiveness in geography and history class and a great discussion point in geography lessons.
Flash-Me - This educational iPhone App lets you use Cramberry (the amazing online flashcard maker) on your iPad. With Flash-Me, you can create, edit and study your flash cards on your iPhone. These can be later shared with students in class.
Mathematical Formulas Mathematical Formulas is a must-see app for any math student. It not only helps users gain access to hard-to-remember formulas quickly, but it might also prove to be a handy studying tool.
Like me if you are not Rainman and your students hit you with something from left field in maths this is a great tool to get you out of what can be an embarrassing spot.
Anyhow I know some these are iPhone apps but I am sure that by next week there will be another thousand useful and useless apps that will take their place. Enjoy your playtime over Easter with your iPad and let me know what you have found useful.
