Pro’s and Con’s

Pro’s: It is simple to learn and use. Can be used in a verity of ways. Works on computers, smartphones, and tablets. Best of all its free!

Con’s: Limited ability to resize text and is not intuitive. Can not change font. Its best of brief notes.

Why might an educator want to learn and utilize this tool?

PowerPoint is a versatile tool created by Microsoft that is simple to learn and use. It can be utilized on a computer, table or smartphone. Many schools provide access to the software for faculty and students when using school issued devices.

Pedagogical Uses:

PowerPoint can be used at all levels of education. A few of things that can be created using PowerPoint are:

• Worksheets

• Certificates

• Calendars

• Poster

Pro’s and Con’s

Pro’s: This tool has a variety of uses. Schools often make it available for free for students and staff. There is a lot of information and how to videos to help with learning new ways to use this software.

Con’s: You may have to pay to use! It can be restrictive in the placement of text and objects within a frame.

Why might an educator want to learn and utilize this tool?

PowerPoint is a versatile tool created by Microsoft that is simple to learn and use. It can be utilized on a computer, table or smartphone. Many schools provide access to the software for faculty and students when using school issued devices.

Pedagogical Uses:

PowerPoint can be used at all levels of education. A few of things that can be created using PowerPoint are:

• Worksheets

• Certificates

• Calendars

• Poster

Pro’s and Con’s

Pro’s: This tool has a variety of uses. Schools often make it available for free for students and staff. There is a lot of information and how to videos to help with learning new ways to use this software.

Con’s: You may have to pay to use! It can be restrictive in the placement of text and objects within a frame.

Why might an educator want to learn and utilize this tool?

PowerPoint is a versatile tool created by Microsoft that is simple to learn and use. It can be utilized on a computer, table or smartphone. Many schools provide access to the software for faculty and students when using school issued devices.

Pedagogical Uses:

PowerPoint can be used at all levels of education. A few of things that can be created using PowerPoint are:

• Worksheets

• Certificates

• Calendars

• Poster

Pro’s and Con’s

Pro’s: This tool has a variety of uses. Schools often make it available for free for students and staff. There is a lot of information and how to videos to help with learning new ways to use this software.

Con’s: You may have to pay to use! It can be restrictive in the placement of text and objects within a frame.

Why might an educator want to learn and utilize this tool?

This tool is a great way to introduce 3D art and printing. This program is fairly simple to use. You can find or purchase a lot of how to videos. It can also, be used when teaching lighting to photography student's by allowing them to see how light placement and lumens effect a scene. It is best used with middle school and high school students or above.

Pedagogical Uses:

Daz 3D encourages creativity, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration. Teachers can use this tool to create STEAM based projects that are fun and exciting.

Pro’s and Con’s

Pro's: Its free to use and comes with a free starter package. The work done in Daz 3D can be transferred into other 3D software packages allowing for greater amounts of collaboration.

Con's: While its free to use most of the addon's are not. It can get pricey. It's an easy program to learn but not for the easily intermediated. Teachers need to be careful some of the addon materials are for adult use only!

Why might an educator want to learn and utilize this tool?

Mind Meister is a great online mind mapping tool that allows a teacher to share ideals and concepts with their students visually. It is completely online, so there is no need to update or download the product. It also, allows for teams to work on a project together. Best of all it's simple and easy to learn.

Pedagogical Uses:

Mind mapping is an effective tool that can be used in promoting better understanding by providing a visual representation of concepts and ideals, all while promoting creativity. It can also be used to organize ideals, for brainstorming, simplify complex ideals, problem solving, project management, and to summarizing materials.

Pro’s and Con’s

Pro's: It's all web-based so there is no need to download or update. Its simple to learn and use and it can be used for collaborative works.

Con's: While there is a free version it's very simplified and for more option you will need to upgrade. To work in teams you have to have a Pro membership which is the most expensive.

Why might an educator want to learn and utilize this tool?

This tool is simple to learn and use. It offers a large amount of shapes and tools all while be free to use. It can be used online or can be downloaded for offline work. The versatility make this tool worth knowing.

Pedagogical Uses:

As stated under the MindMeister tool "mind mapping is an effective tool that can be used in promoting better understanding by providing a visual representation of concepts and ideals, all while promoting creativity. It can also be used to organize ideals, for brainstorming, simplify complex ideals, problem solving, project management, and to summarizing materials".

Pro’s and Con’s

Pro's: This tool can be downloaded or used exclusively online. Its simple to learn and use. The tool provides a large amount of shapes and elements for free.

Con's : My main complaint about this tool is that it does not allow for collaboration. I have not been able to find a way to link this project inside of a website where students can interact with the mind map.

Why might an educator want to learn and utilize this tool?

Pixton is a great tool to bring creativity and excitement into the classroom. Those students that have difficulties focusing on writing about a subject may find it more interesting to do using this format.

Pedagogical Uses:

This is an effective tool effective tool that can be used in promoting better understanding by providing a visual representation of concepts and ideals, all while promoting creativity. It can also be used to simplify complex ideals, project management, and to summarizing materials".

Pro’s and Con’s

Pro's: Its simple to learn. Has a lot of resources available to make each comic unique and interesting. The comics can be done collaboratively.

Con's: For your class to have access to all of the materials it expensive. The resources maybe to simple for high school students, need access t internet.

Why might an educator want to learn and utilize this tool?

Often into days digital world we need to show students how to use a program. This tool allows you to open and recoded a how-to video for students to watch. The best thing about it is that it's available for free on windows computers.

Pedagogical Uses:

This tool allows you to record demonstration for students. They can later use it to learning new material or as a refresher when studying for a test.

Pro’s and Con’s

Pro's: It free and already installed on a windows computer.

Con's: It will not record itself or anything in the settings bar. This is for windows only.

Why might an educator want to learn and utilize this tool?

YouTube is a great resource of educational materials. Most students are already familiar with how to navigate this platform, making the learnings curve minimal for most of them.

Pedagogical Uses:

YouTube is a great supplement resource that can be used to show real-world applications, provided additional information, or simply to explain a topic in a different way. It can be used in class or for students to use at home. It is also a great networking resource for educators. It can also be used by educators to continue educating themselves.

Pro’s and Con’s

Pro’s: It free! It can be used as a supplement resource that can be used in school or at home. Often you can find videos that will offer a different approach for different learning types. It also can be used as a networking tool for educators to meet and discuss education.

Con’s: You have to have the internet to assess, the variety of videos and advertisements can be distracting, not all videos come from reliable sources, and not all videos will be age appropriate.

Why might an educator want to learn and utilize this tool?

You can collaborate, manage projects, present materials on an interactive canvas, create videos, and share projects.

Pedagogical Uses:

This can be used to collaborate with students and teachers. Teachers can use this for brainstorming, lectures, lesson introductions, summarize lessons, homework instructions, and to provide feedback,

Pro’s and Con’s

Pro's: it is versatile, and it works on phones, tablets, and computers.

Con's: Need access to internet, It's not intuitive, some functions are only available on the tables and phone versions.

Why might an educator want to learn and utilize this tool?

This is a great way to create breakout activities. There interactive fun and engaging for students.

Pedagogical Uses:

This tool can be used to foster critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, communication, risk-taking. Student's learn when they fail it's ok and that they just need to try again.

Pro’s and Con’s

Pro's: Its easy to learn, there are many videos on how to use it, there are many ways you can use this, and best of all its Free!

Cons: Its designs are limited, need access to internet, and it's not intuitive (need to watch videos to learn how to use).

Why might an educator want to learn and utilize this tool?

This is a great resource for stimulating a student's curiosity, encouraging web based research, all while being simple to design and use. The paid version allows you take all ready created WebQuest and adapt them for your own use saving time.

Pedagogical Uses:

This tool can be used for individual and team learning. It encourages creativity, inquiry-based learning, independent thinking, critical and high order thinking, requires reading, and can accommodate diverse learning needs.

Pro’s and Con’s

Pro's: It has a free version, it's simple to use, and the paid version (it's inexpensive) has premade WebQuest that can be easily adapted.

Con's: To access premade WebQuest you have to upgrade, you have to have internet access.

Why might an educator want to learn and utilize this tool?

This tool allows for for screen capture and allows you to record yourself. Is has full editing capabilities, and is easy to use.

Pedagogical Uses:

This tool allows you to record demonstration for students. They can later use it to learning new material or as a refresher when studying for a test. This tool can also be utilized by students as a way for them to demonstrate knowledge of material.

Pro’s and Con’s

Pros: Ease of use, has free version, has full editing capability, can up load directly to YouTube, and allows lectures to be recorded ahead of time.

Cons: To have access to all functions you have to subscribe, You may need to watch a video or two to learn how to use all functions.

Why might an educator want to learn and utilize this tool?

Teachers can use this platform for collaboration, assessments, polls, opened questioning, draw-its. It can house PowerPoint presentations, google slides, videos, and can download videos directly from YouTube. A few other features include adding questions directly to videos and a large library of pre-made lessons and videos.

Pedagogical Uses:

This can be used for class collaboration, assessments and polls. It encourages creativity, inquiry-based learning, independent thinking, critical and high order thinking, requires reading, and can accommodate diverse learning needs.

Pro’s and Con’s

Pros: most of the essential feature are available for free, it simple to use.

Cons: some useful features you have to pay for, some of the best are for school memberships. You can upload videos from Google drive.

Why might an educator want to learn and utilize this tool?

This is a great way to create professional looking, eye catching surveys, quizzes, forms and polls. Its simple to learn and very easy to use.

Pedagogical Uses:

The pedagogical uses depended on the type of survey being created. But in general they are excellent ways to gather information about the effectiveness of a lesson either by testing the student's knowledge or by having student's assess the lesson.

Pro’s and Con’s

Pros: It has a Free version and easy to use. It any takes a few minuets to learn and create a survey.

Cons: as with most tool to get full access to all functions you will need to upgrade.

Why might an educator want to learn and utilize this tool?

Ted-Ed has original content/ lessons, can create your own interactive lesson plans, and even has clubs for students.

Pedagogical Uses:

This tool can be used for individual and team learning. It encourages creativity, inquiry-based learning, independent thinking, critical and high order thinking, requires reading, and can accommodate diverse learning needs.

Pro’s and Con’s

Pros: Its Free! Their is a wide verity of videos, and lesson available, you can create your own videos. IT even allows you to track student's progress.

Cons: more time in front of a screen. Some subjects are more limited in what is available.

Why might an educator want to learn and utilize this tool?

Crayola.com provides innovative lesson plans that can be incorporated across curriculum. Lesson plans include supply list, standards (may need to be adapted for your state), adaptations, and direction.

Pedagogical Uses:

This lesson plans spark creative, collaboration, innovation, and use higher order thinking skills. Teachers can used these to introduce a subject or as a final project that demonstrates students knowledge about the subject.

Pro’s and Con’s

Pros: these lesson plans are simple and easy to follow, and can be used by any teacher they don't need to be artist. Free!

Cons: To simple for a visuals arts program.

Why might an educator want to learn and utilize this tool?

Using Prewriting will help you become a better writer. It has made a huge impact on the way that I write. When students use this software they see where their common mistakes are and learn to avoid those issue. It can help to build the writers confidence as they see themselves progressing in skill over time.

Pedagogical Uses:

This tool can help students and teacher learn to communicate more clearly over time, building confidence. It will highlight issue such as passive voice, hidden verbs, excessive adverbs, and emotional tells. It can check for plagiarism.

Pro’s and Con’s

Pros: it will make you and your students better writers over time. Its easy to use. It can check for plagiarism.

Cons: This is great for academic works, but it can take the writers personal voice out of your writing if you make all of the suggested changes.

Why might an educator want to learn and utilize this tool?

This is a great resource to help teacher change up their lesson and get out of a rut. With massive amounts of materials available you are most likely to find what your looking for.

Pedagogical Uses:

These resources are great for building online and in class lessons and activates. There are also, assessments tools, and organizational tools available.

Pro’s and Con’s

Pros: Huge amount of resources available, already created lesson many with state standards included.

Cons: Pricey, can be difficult to sort through everything even with filterers on.

Why might an educator want to learn and utilize this tool?

This is a simple way to make presentations more interesting and exciting for both teachers and students.

Pedagogical Uses

Pawtoon can be used at all levels of education. A few of things that can be created using Powtoon are:

• Animated Presentations

• Animated Reports

• Animated Certificates

Pro’s and Con’s

Pros: It fairly simple to learn, make presentation more interesting for those watching. Presentation can be created quickly once you learn the system.

Cons: The system is pricy if you want all of the tools. You have to save and refresh often because of glitches. Figures don't have enough poses and I have not been able to find away to adjust arms and hand positions.