What is it? A program that you can use to backup and synchronise multiple computers with files. Also great for sharing files.
How can it be used by teachers? If you have a computer at school, and one at home, you can have documents in the Dropbox folder and not have to transfer files via memory stick.
Can share folders with other people, so whatever you put into a folder will automatically appear in someone else’s folder. Put files in the dropbox Public folder, and share them with students.
How can it be used by students? Students can use Dropbox at home, and have access to assignments from the internet at school without using flash drives or emailing the file to themselves.
Free Software - James Coats
Access this online: http://bit.ly/softwareseminar
Need help? Email me at hemicoats@gmail.com
Dropbox
https://www.dropbox.com/
http://bit.ly/fLTASw
How-to
https://www.dropbox.com/ (watch video)
What is it?
A program that you can use to backup and synchronise multiple computers with files. Also great for sharing files.
How can it be used by teachers?
If you have a computer at school, and one at home, you can have documents in the Dropbox folder and not have to transfer files via memory stick.
Can share folders with other people, so whatever you put into a folder will automatically appear in someone else’s folder. Put files in the dropbox Public folder, and share them with students.
How can it be used by students?
Students can use Dropbox at home, and have access to assignments from the internet at school without using flash drives or emailing the file to themselves.
Handbrake
http://handbrake.fr/
http://bit.ly/heuZuz
How-to
http://bit.ly/hKCYPq
What is it?
Handbrake compresses DVDs so they can be backed up onto the computer as files. It can also convert files from one format to another.
How can it be used by teachers?
Convert DVDs to files so they can be used in class from the computer without having the DVD.
VLC
http://www.videolan.org/vlc/
http://bit.ly/gks4ln
What is it?
Plays pretty much every movie type imaginable.
How teachers can use it?
Avoids awkward situations where you can’t play a video clip. Can be used in conjunction with Handbrake.
Vue
http://vue.tufts.edu/about/index.cfm
http://bit.ly/hOafgC
How-to
http://bit.ly/fVMjcR
What is it?
An open-source mindmapping application
How can it be used by teachers?
To outline lesson plans, unit plans, and concepts
How can it be used by students?
To revise notes and topics. Gives the ability to visualise concepts.
OpenOffice
http://www.openoffice.org.nz/
http://bit.ly/i0AgGt
What is it?
An open-source substitute for Microsoft Office.
Positives:
It’s updated more often than Microsoft Office.
Negatives:
Sometimes the document looks differently when you open the files with Microsoft Office.s
Gimp
http://www.gimp.org/
http://bit.ly/f5KkkA
What is it?
An open-source substitute for Adobe Photoshop
How can teachers use it?
Making resources and graphics, combining images.
How can students use it?
For assignments, posters pictures.
Negatives:
The interface is not as nice as Photoshop, and the controls don’t work the same as on mac.