Many web 2.0 applications are cognitive tools that can engage students and promote student achievement. Many communication tools can promote interactions between students and with the instructor. We have put together this page to help you find and use the some of the best web 2.0 applications in your classroom and online instruction. Click on the links below to jump to that category. You can also download this list 
of basic interactive tools for faculty.
Collaboration Solutions
Description: Web conferencing software that allow instructors hold a conference with real-time interaction to walk participants through resource materials. Some software allow you to archive the session as it happens.
Pedagogical value: Solutions that allows educators and students to build relationships by combining interactive technologies with instructional best practices.
| Software | Tutorials | Cost |
| Wimba | See CTL's Wimba Tutorial page | Regent University pays for a site license |
Presentation Tools
Description: While traditional presentation tools such as PowerPoint are strictly linear in nature, new software allows educators to create fluid, non-linear presentations.
Pedagogical value: Information can be restructured in ways that show relationships between concepts. Online distribution allows for easy dissemination of the knowledge.
| Software | Tutorials | Cost |
| Prezi | Beginner's Guide to Prezi Animated Tutorials  |
free online |
| Presentationtube | Support | free online |
Wikis
Description: A Web site developed corroboratively by a community of users, allowing any user to add and edit content.
Pedagogical value: Allows instructors to organize and interrelate information, while students can collaborate and co-construct knowledge.(example: create a wiki and have every student post where they get their resources. You can easily see all the information in once place. They can also use this after the course ends.)
| Software | Tutorials | Cost |
| Wikipedia | Wikis in Plain English youtube 4 min video Wiki written tutorial |
free |
| Wiki's in Regent University's Blackboard | Wiki written tutorial for Regent's Blackboard | free for Regent users |
Blogs
Description: A Web site on which an individual or group of users record opinions, information, etc. on a regular basis.
Pedagogical value: The chronological sequence of blogs makes them useful for metacognitive tasks. Students can collaborate on blogs to form and reflect on their understanding of the course subject matter.
| Software | Tutorials | Cost |
| Blogger | Blogger tour Video tutorial |
free |
| Wordpress | Getting Started | free |
| Blogs in Regent University's Blackboard | Blog tutorial | free |
Microblogging
Description: A micro blog is typically smaller in both actual and aggregate file size than blogs. Users share short sentences, links, videos, and images.
Pedagogical value: Micro blogs allows students to "coordinate activity, document an event or follow a live-feed for an event in progress (be it locally or on the other side of the world."
| Software | Tutorials | Cost |
| How to get started What is and How to use Twitter youtube video |
free | |
| How it works youtube video 2 min | free |
Social Bookmarking/Content Curation
Description: Social bookmarking is a method for online users to save, organize, and exchange websites of interest.
Pedagogical value: Assists in the forming of collaborative networks, promotes the identification and exchange of information.
| Software | Tutorials | Cost |
| Scoop.It | Read our CTL Scoop | free |
| Delicious | Getting started | free |
| Article from The Chronicle of Higher Education How-to's |
free (need invitation) | |
| Portaportal | Quick Start guide | free |
Shared Document Creation
Description: Allows users to access and edit the same file while accessing it from different computers regardless of geographic location.
Pedagogical value: Provides opportunity for collaboration on document creation, and offers a method for instructors to provide feedback on students' work.
| Software | Tutorials | Cost |
| Google Docs | How To's | need gmail account |
| Microsoft Office Online | Office help and how-to | free |
Image Creation, Editing & Storage
Description: New software and tools allow users not only to edit photos and create graphics, but provide image repositories, online whiteboards, and diagramming tools.
Pedagogical value: Mulitmedia uses the natural information-processing abilities that we already posses as humans. Our eyes in conjunction with our brain allow us to transform meaningless data into information.
| Software | Tutorials | Cost |
| MS Office Picture Manager | Introduction to MS Office Picture Manager Compressing a picture for the web Editing an image |
included with Windows |
| Flickr-Online photo management and sharing app. | Online help | free |
| Jing- instantly capture images and videos | Video and written tutorials | free |
Podcasting/Audio
Description: Free audio tools allow instructors to create, edit and post to the internet.
Pedagogical value: Supports "dialogic approaches to learning," encourages faster contribution and personalization.
| Software | Tutorials | Cost |
| Audacity | Audacity help website How to Podcast |
free download |
| iTunes U | About Regent iTunes U | free |
Video Editing/Sharing
Description: Multimedia tools that allow video editing.
Pedagogical value: Helps explain procedural information. Editing and sharing means pedagogies can be transmissive to constructive. Mulitmedia uses the natural information-processing abilities that we already posses as humans. Our eyes and ears in conjunction with our brain allow us to transform meaningless data into information.
| OS | Software | Tutorial | Cost |
 |
Windows Live Movie Maker | Movie Maker video tutorial | included with Windows 7 |
 |
iMovie 11 | iMovie tutorials | included with iLife purchase |
 |
iMovie app | Start a new movie Apple tutorial | $4.99 App store |
Screen Recording
Description: Screen recording software alows you to create a digital recording of computer screen output and often contains audio narration.
Pedagogical value: Provides a more effective means of sharing processes than matching images and text.
| Software | Tutorials | Cost |
| Jing- instantly capture images and videos | Video and written tutorials | free |
| CamStudio | Video tutorial | free screen & audio from computer recorder |
| Screencast-o-matic | Tutorials | free |
| GoView | Quick Start | free |
Mindmapping
Description: This type of software assists users in creating a diagram to represent words, ideas, tasks, or other items linked to and arranged around a central key word or idea.
Pedagogical value: Can be used in a range of metacognitive tastes and encourages students to ponder elements of a concept and how that concept might relate to others. This imcreases understanding.
| Software | Tutorials | Cost |
| MindTools - A Powerful Approach to Note-Taking (Also known as Mind Mapping, Concept Mapping, Spray Diagrams, and Spider Diagrams) |
2 min video tutorial | Free |
| Buzan's iMindMap | How to mindmap youtube tutorial | free |
Screen Sharing
Description: Tools that allow you or others to share screens.
Pedagogical value: Screen sharing or capture programs allow concepts to be demonstrated with mulitimedia tools.
| Software | Tutorials | Cost |
| join.me | YouTube tutorial | free |
Digital Storytelling
Description: Digital Storytelling is a short form of digital film-making that allows everyday people to share aspects of their life story.
Pedagogical value: Mulitmedia uses the natural information-processing abilities that we already posses as humans. Our eyes and ears in conjunction with our brain allow us to transform meaningless data into information.
| Software | Tutorials | Cost |
| Jing- instantly capture images and videos | Video and written tutorials | free |
Additional Resources
- Learning Web 2.0 Tools A to Z - A guide on engaging students with Web 2.0 tools.
- Research on Adult Learners - Indiana Wesleyan
- GoodReads - post your own reviews and catalog what you have read, are currently reading, and plan to read in the future. Don't stop there - join a discussion group, start a book club, contact an author, and even post your own writing. Free.
- Doodle Online polling software. Easy scheduling, free of charge and without registration (good for online office hours or have students schedule their presentations)
- TEDTalks -TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) is a global set of conferences owned by the private non-profit Sapling Foundation, formed to disseminate "ideas worth spreading."
- LinkedIn - Allows registered users to maintain a list of contact details of people they know and trust. Connections are built and can be used to be introduced to someone you may wish to know. It can used to find jobs, people and business opportunities. Free
- Wordle - An application for generating word clouds from text you provide.
- Evernote - An application for note taking, remembering things, saving webpages, syncing calendars, or planning your next trip.
