25 Tools

25 Tools
every Learning Professional should have in their Toolbox - and all for FREE!
(2008 version)

Note: The 2009 version of the 25 Tools resource
will be available after the next round of
voting for the Top 100 Tools for Learning.

In March 2008 many learning professionals worldwide contributed their Top 10 Tools for Learning. From this we compiled Top 100 Tools for Learning 2008 list. These tools are the most popular free tools in 25 tool categories. They are a mix of personal productivity tools (for managing personal learning) as well as authoring tools (for creating learning solutions). Many of them are Web 2.0 tools that promote a social, collaborative, sharing approach to learning.

25 Tools

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25 Tools Information and Mini Tutorials

Here you can find out more about the Tools: The Info pages link to pages where you can find more general info about the tools and why learning professionals selected them as one of their Top 10 Tools.

Tutorials (where available) are part of the A Guide to Social Learning resource.

	Tool	Type of tool	Tool Information	Tool Tutorial
1	FIREFOX	Web browser	Firefox	Web browsing - with Firefox
2	DELICIOUS	Social bookmarking tool	Delicious	Social bookmarking - with Delicious
3	GOOGLE READER	RSS/Feed reader	Google Reader	Subscribing to blog and news feeds - using Google Reader
4	GMAIL	Webmail	gMail	Webmailing - with gMail
5	SKYPE	Instant Messaging	Skype	Instant messaging - with Skype and Yugma
6	YUGMA	Web meeting	Yugma	Instant messaging - with Skype and Yugma
7	GOOGLE CALENDAR	Productivity tool	Google Calendar	Sharing your calendar - with Google Calendar
8	GOOGLE DOCS	Collaboration tool	Google Docs	Collaborating on an online document- using Google Docs
9	IGOOGLE	Start page tool	iGoogle	Keeping track of your resources - using iGoogle
10	SLIDESHARE	Presentation sharing tool	Slideshare	Presentation sharing- using Slideshare
11	FLCIKR	Photo sharing tool	flickr	Photo sharing - using Flickr
12	VOICETHREAD	Collaborative presentation tool	Voicethread	Setting up a collaborative presentation - using Voicethread
13	WORDPRESS	Blogging tool	Wordpress	Writing a blog - using WordPress
14	AUDACITY	Podcasting tool	Audacity	Creating a podcast - with Audacity
15	YOUTUBE	Video sharing tool	YouTube	Video sharing - using YouTube
16	JING	Screencasting tool	Jing	Creating screenshots and screencasts - using Jing
17	POLLDADDY	Polling tool	Polldaddy	Sharing a poll - using Polldaddy
18	NVU	Web authoring tool	Nvu/Kompozer (Nvu now discontinued but available as Kompozer)	not available
19	PBWORKS	Wiki tool	PBworks (previously PBwiki)	not available
20	USTREAM	Broadcasting tool	Ustream	Live broadcasting - using Ustream
21	NING	Social networking tool	Ning	Joining a social network - on Ning
21	NING	Social networking tool	Ning	Setting up a social network - using Ning
22	FREEMIND	Mind mapping tool	Freemind	not available
23	EXE	Course authoring tool	eXe	not available
24	MOODLE	Course management system	Moodle	Creating a formal online learning space - using Moodle
25	TWITTER	Micro-blogging tool	Twitter	Micro-blogging - using Twitter

Reviews of the 25 Tools resource

"Jane Hart is a great eLearning professional because she pins down what is important and distributes it to anyone who is interested". Ignatia, 17 June 2008

Seb Schmoller reviews the 25 Tools PD resource in his Fortnightly Mailing, 13 April 2008

AlphaPlus Centre blog in Toronto Canada reviews the 25 Tools PD resource, 13 April 2008

"I highly recommend going to the site and working through the activities for any of the tools you are unfamiliar with .." Computer Science Teachers Association, the Advocate, April 2008

"25 Tools Professional Development Programme "is one of many produced by Jane Hart. Its an interesting compilation of 'free' tools' , many of which you are probably aware of. It's a resource that's being constantly updated. Well worth exploring and getting to grips with some of these useful tools. One of the nice things about the site is that it provides you with some simple tasks so you can get an idea of what each tool does." E-Learning Watch, 1 April 2008

Jenny Lucas writes about the 25 Tools Professional Development opportunity in her blog, Lucacept, 31 March 2008