We have developed our own unique 7 category classification system, designed to help you find the right tool for the purpose you require. The 7 categories are:
Course Creation Tools/E-learning Authoring Tools. Software or online services that enable users to create courses, simulations, or other educational experiences. These tools typically support conventional, presentation-like courses, and may enable screen recording, multimedia, interactivity and non-linear or adaptive approaches.
Presentation Software/Animation Tools. Presentation software is used to display information in the form of a slide show. It has three major functions: an editor that allows text to be inserted and formatted, a method for inserting and manipulating graphic images, and a slide-show system to display the content. Animation tools on the other hand, are great platforms for presenting your idea, with a huge variety of pre-made themes, props and characters tailored for making professional presentations.
Webinar/Meeting Tools. Since webinars enable their attendees to interact with each other, they are similar to personal meetings. These tools allow their users to participate in a course or project even if they cannot be personally in class. They also offer the chance to share information as documents, photos or videos.
Screencasting, Audio and Capture Tools. Screencasting allows users to share their screens directly from their browser and make the video available online so that other viewers can stream the video directly. The presenter thus has the ability to show their ideas and flow of thoughts rather than simply explain them as simple text content. In combination with audio and video, the educator can mimic the one-on-one experience of the classroom and deliver clear, complete instructions. Learners have an ability to pause and rewind, to review at their own pace, something a classroom cannot always offer.
Collaboration and File Sharing Tools. Collaborative software is an application software designed to help people involved in a common task to achieve their goals. In more recent years, Cloud collaboration has emerged as a new way of sharing and co-authoring computer files through the use of cloud computing, whereby documents are uploaded to a central “cloud” for storage.
Bookmarking and Curation tools. Bookmarking tools are an emerging educational technology that has been drawing more of educators’ attention over the last several years. This technology offers knowledge sharing solutions and a social platform for interactions and discussions. These tools enable users to collaboratively underline, highlight, and annotate an electronic text, in addition to providing a mechanism to write additional comments on the margins of the electronic document.
Project Management tools. Project management tools are aids to assist an individual or team to effectively organize work and manage projects and tasks. Despite its name, project management tools are not just for project managers. They include, but are not limited to: Planning/scheduling, Collaboration, Documentation and Evaluation functionality.