Tools You Can't Live Without

Online tools are one of the most useful resources available on the Internet, but many educators don't even know about them. What exactly are online tools? They're Internet-accessible sites that enable librarians and teachers to create interactive Web pages for students, as well as offline products, such as certificates. Some online tools allow users to complete simple tasks quickly; others offer tutorials on creating Web sites, assessments, graphs, and much more. There are tools for teachers and tools for students. Online tools are not usually substitutes for full-blown, stand-alone software programs, but they can often meet some of your instructional needs.

To take advantage of these resources in the library or classroom, you need access to up-to-date computers and browsers and a network that functions well and is robust. Online tool sites often require a fairly fast connection, and use some of the newest browser features. (I recommend at least version 4 of the browsers with Java and JavaScript turned on.) Some of these tools require plug-ins, but most work just fine with the default browser features. Although online tools are free, some may require you to register so you can get back to the items you have previously created and stored online.

Before using online tools, it's a good idea to take time to plan out their uses with the classroom teachers with whom you'll be collaborating. Specifically, you'll want to consider how the tools relate to your school's curriculum and standards. If you are not a self-proclaimed techno whiz, it is also a good idea to plan the lesson with your computer technology teacher. Discuss the ways the use of technology will enhance the learning activities. Both ISTE NETS*S and the American Library Association's Information Power standards include suggestions for using online tools to boost students' technology and information literacy skills.

To prepare your students to use these programs successfully, you'll want to provide them with printed instructions, printouts of the help files, and, most importantly, a rubric that clearly explains why the use of the online tool is important to the task at hand. Often there are print sources that need to be used with an online tool, so you and your students should gather any pertinent information and make sure it's in a handy place, close to the computers.

After you've used an online tool with your students, it's always wise to evaluate its effectiveness. For example, has the tool made the students' learning experience better? Would you use it again? The students should also reflect on the use of the tool. Has it helped them understand the lesson content in a more meaningful way? Some other questions you'll want to ask yourself include:

• Does every lesson need to include a technology component?
• How can I infuse technology seamlessly into my curriculum?
• How can the use of online tools enhance my curriculum?
• How can the use of online tools enhance my professional development?

The following list of recommended online tools may be useful to you and your students. Additional links may be found on my Web site (kathyschrock.net/cooking).

Calendar Server allows you to create an easily accessible classroom or school calendar with information for students, parents, and the community. The calendar is created and updated by simply using the browser. You are given a personal URL, or Web address, which may be posted on your school's Web site. The calendar is useful for keeping track of those constantly changing school events, and students and parents can easily find out the due dates for projects and upcoming school and classroom events.

Puzzlemaker is an easy-to-use program that lets users create and print customized word searches, and crossword and math puzzles that incorporate your own word lists. Worksheets and answer sheets are also generated and easy to print out.

This site aptly describes itself as "a fill-in-the-blank interactive Web site that guides you through picking a topic, searching the Web, gathering good Internet sites, and turning Web resources into learning activities." The five learning activities vary from a "Hotlist," which is simply an annotated list of links on a topic, to a WebQuest, which is an intricate, inquiry-based unit which involves higher-order thinking skills, scenarios, and role-playing.

This site has a wonderful free suite of productivity tools such as a roster-maker, lesson planner, grade book, online file cabinet, presentation creator, and an easy-to-use, interactive Web site builder. Items are housed on its server, and educators are given a personalized URL to post for student and parent access.

With this online tool, you can create flash cards, game boards (like Bingo), and quizzes. Using your browser, you can even print out predefined lists of subject-specific words. If you'd like, each word may be printed out on a large sign for displaying later in the library or classroom. The strength of this site is the inclusion of the multitude of specialized word lists for each of the major subject areas—terms for everything from dinosaurs to contractions.

RubiStar helps educators who want to create their own rubrics but don't have the time. The site offers many rubric templates to choose from, and creating a rubric is as easy as using a drop-down menu. The scoring tools may be edited and customized, and are stored on RubiStar's server. The completed rubrics are also a snap to print out.

Want to create a framed Web site with a list of links down the left-hand side, a Web site in the center, and guided instructions for students in the upper area? Then TrackStar's right for you. It is wonderful for guiding students through the process of creating Web sites. TrackStar also offers hundreds of examples of tracks that are keyword-searchable, which, in turn, will lead you and your students to come up with your own great ideas for Web sites or new resources on a topic.

This useful site enables students to create bibliographic citations in both APA and MLA formats by simply filling in the information needed for each type. Many of the common citation types are included, such as those used for encyclopedias, Web sites, and interviews. The citations can be cut-and-pasted into a word-processing document. Students may leave the site open behind the active browser window, and then add more citations as they discover additional information.

This nifty site does two things very well—it provides students with the background necessary to understand the basic types of graphs, including area, bar, line, and pie. It also allows them to input data into a Web-based form and create a graph online. The resulting graph can then be saved as a JPEG on the local hard drive and used in a report or multimedia presentation.

Through a simple fill-in-the-blank process, and by following step-by-step instructions, students can publish a "project" on the Web. This single Web page can include elements such as the report title, explanatory text, an image, and links to other related sites. It is a source of pride for students to see a simple overview of their project displayed in HTML format and posted on the Web, and the page is housed on the SCRTEC server.