New Tools! TinyURL, DropBox, and Teamviewer
Tiny URL:
This might be my new favorite thing. Yes, I am channeling Fraulein Maria. It's just so simple, fast, and easy. tinyurl.com allows you to paste in a lengthy URL, click "make tinyurl," and PRESTO! you can copy and paste the new "tiny" URL and link to it. This will be great for use in the classroom! If I have students blog, they can create tiny url links to articles or stories they find interesting, for example.
DropBox:
DropBox is an amazing and easy way to share and store files. Simply install DropBox onto your computer, and SNAP! you are ready to go. Your files automatically sync and are available to you on your work computer, your home computer, any computer on which DropBox is installed. This is an excellent tool for the school setting. As a teacher, I could work from both home and my office without having to email myself attachments. I could also have students work on group projects and share their files through DropBox. I could share files with students through public folders, and they could share files with me and each other. I really appreciated this short youtube video explaining DropBox.
Teamviewer:
Teamviewer is a free tool that provides remote access to any computer. I see a couple of really great applications of this tool in the educational context: (1) file sharing and (2) being able to demonstrate how to use a variety of applications. I love the idea of remote accessing a student's computer if he/she has trouble with an assignment and being able to actually show the student how to overcome obstacles, or being able to work through problems together. Check out Teamviewer.
I am really looking forward to using all three of these tools in both my professional life and my personal life!
That's a great Dropbox tutorial ... certainly illustrates how one can now overcome barriers involving file syncing and sharing. Nice example you provided for TViewer.
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