Top 11 Free Tools For Schools
April 22, 2010
1. Free office productivity apps: Google Docs and Open Office.
2. Don’t print! Have students do as much as they can online.
3. Use Web sites, email, and blogs instead of paper for communication.
4. Evernote: Take notes using this tool. No paper needed.
5. Who needs textbooks? Use Web sites and online textbooks like http://www.physicsclassroom.com, which are more current, instead.
6. Engrade: free online grade book for teachers. List all your classes here; students are given access codes so they can see their grades anytime they want.
7. Free professional development: Use your personal learning network for free advice, tips, and resources. There are also plenty of free Webinars and virtual conferences.
8. Sugarsync: This online system backs up your files and allows you to access them from any Web-enabled computer or smartphone. A free twogigabyte account is available. The program even keeps your files in sync among many computers.
9. Free educational technology magazines: There are a lot of educational and educational-technology journals and magazines out there.
10. Free educational Web sites: way too many to list but easy to find!
11. Raise money for your school using Donors Choose. Simply sign up for an account; fill out a project proposal, selecting the items you need from a variety of vendors; and then ask your community to donate through the Web site. Donors can see exactly where their money goes and how it benefits specific school programs.
—David Andrande
RuthK MakerSpace 