Digital Resources
Auditory Learning
Audacity-- A free audio recording program you can download to your Mac or PC to create audio recordings (MP3 files). Make sure you have a working microphone before using.
Soundcloud.com-- Sign up for a free account to upload and store the audio files you create or search for interesting podcasts or music that others have uploaded. You can also record audio directly at this site (as long as you have a microphone). You have the option of saving files privately or publicly. Click here for a video tutorial on Soundcloud basics.
Soundcloud.com-- Sign up for a free account to upload and store the audio files you create or search for interesting podcasts or music that others have uploaded. You can also record audio directly at this site (as long as you have a microphone). You have the option of saving files privately or publicly. Click here for a video tutorial on Soundcloud basics.
Engaging Kinesthetic & Spatial Senses
Jing-- Download this free software to your Mac or PC to create screencasts up to 5 minutes in length. Screencasts allow you or your student to record your screen as you demonstrate how to do something on the computer. Screencasting software allows you to narrate as you record and upload your finished work to YouTube for storing and sharing. You can also take still frame pictures of your screen to add to documents or slides. Click here for the tutorial page on how to use Jing.
Dipity.com-- Create free interactive timelines at this site. Consider using a timeline to help organize, experience, and understand stories of immigration, literacy, employment, or cultural history in new and exciting ways. Scrolling through a timeline while working on organizing and presenting content engages the spatial and kinesthetic regions of the brain, enhancing students' abilities to recall the important events they've mapped out. Looking at experience in this way can also provide students with the opportunity to develop a new perspectives on their own learning journey. Here is an example of an interactive timeline from Tiki-Toki, another interactive timeline site that requires a paid subscription (you get one free timeline through Tiki-Toki).
Dipity.com-- Create free interactive timelines at this site. Consider using a timeline to help organize, experience, and understand stories of immigration, literacy, employment, or cultural history in new and exciting ways. Scrolling through a timeline while working on organizing and presenting content engages the spatial and kinesthetic regions of the brain, enhancing students' abilities to recall the important events they've mapped out. Looking at experience in this way can also provide students with the opportunity to develop a new perspectives on their own learning journey. Here is an example of an interactive timeline from Tiki-Toki, another interactive timeline site that requires a paid subscription (you get one free timeline through Tiki-Toki).
Google Maps-- Geolocation technology allows you to create your own maps to mark, describe, and share points of interest or issues in your community. You must have a Google account (gmail address) to save and share your own map. Click here for a brief, written tutorial on adding placemarks to a map.
Visual Learning
Pinterest-- A social media site that allows users to create and share boards of images by "pinning" them. You can follow others and be followed. Great for visual learners, avid hobbyists (photography, cooking/recipes, gardening, crafts, cars. . . anything), and those looking to connect to a larger community. It's also a visual way of organizing photos and web content. The boards you create can be public or "secret" (available only to those you invite to see your board).
Other photo sharing sites include: Flickr, Snapfish, Photobucket, Instagram, Google+, Picasa
YouTube-- This is the "how-to" capital of cyberspace. Search for demonstrations and mock interviews on this website. Students may also upload their own videos recorded on their smartphones, cameras, or tablets to share with others or to save privately for their own use. Using the pause, rewind, and fast forward features allows students to self-pace their learning and to repeat content as many times as necessary. Click here for a tutorial on getting started with YouTube. NOTE: If you have a Gmail account, you are only one step away from activating your YouTube channel. Google purchased YouTube, so you will be required to set up a Gmail account to upload content to YouTube. However, you can always access videos without creating an account.
Other photo sharing sites include: Flickr, Snapfish, Photobucket, Instagram, Google+, Picasa
YouTube-- This is the "how-to" capital of cyberspace. Search for demonstrations and mock interviews on this website. Students may also upload their own videos recorded on their smartphones, cameras, or tablets to share with others or to save privately for their own use. Using the pause, rewind, and fast forward features allows students to self-pace their learning and to repeat content as many times as necessary. Click here for a tutorial on getting started with YouTube. NOTE: If you have a Gmail account, you are only one step away from activating your YouTube channel. Google purchased YouTube, so you will be required to set up a Gmail account to upload content to YouTube. However, you can always access videos without creating an account.
Communication Tools
Facebook-- The most popular social networking site around. If you already have an account, search for the Skype app in the search bar at the top of your FB homepage or status page. Once you've downloaded this app, you can Skype chat with anyone in your FB friends list who has also downloaded this feature. Also, consider creating a group (on the left side of your status page) just with your student and privately share videos, photos, and other content related to your tutoring work in this area.
Google+-- Google's social networking site, similar to Facebook.
Google Hangouts-- Provides a free means of instant messaging and video chat for Gmail users. Can be used for conference video calling as well. Can be used from a desktop or mobile device.
Skype-- A program that allows you to make voice or video calls over the internet for free. Download the program to your computer or use the mobile app on your smartphone, tablet, or laptop. During video calls, you can share your screen or files with the other caller. There is also conference calling capability (up to 24 callers). You do not need to add any money to your Skype account to access of these features.
Twitter-- A social media website that allows you to send and receive brief messages (140 character maximum). Twitter is a great way to follow and write to local politicians, media outlets, cultural groups, and community organizations. To share websites with others, Twitter users often shorten website addresses in order to fit them into the 140 character limit. Try Bitly as a URL/web address shortener when you send out tweets. Twitter has some unique abbreviations. Click here for a handout on Twitter basics for literacy students/tutors.
Google+-- Google's social networking site, similar to Facebook.
Google Hangouts-- Provides a free means of instant messaging and video chat for Gmail users. Can be used for conference video calling as well. Can be used from a desktop or mobile device.
Skype-- A program that allows you to make voice or video calls over the internet for free. Download the program to your computer or use the mobile app on your smartphone, tablet, or laptop. During video calls, you can share your screen or files with the other caller. There is also conference calling capability (up to 24 callers). You do not need to add any money to your Skype account to access of these features.
Twitter-- A social media website that allows you to send and receive brief messages (140 character maximum). Twitter is a great way to follow and write to local politicians, media outlets, cultural groups, and community organizations. To share websites with others, Twitter users often shorten website addresses in order to fit them into the 140 character limit. Try Bitly as a URL/web address shortener when you send out tweets. Twitter has some unique abbreviations. Click here for a handout on Twitter basics for literacy students/tutors.
Organizing Tools
Delicious-- A social bookmarking tool that allows you to keep track of and organize websites from any computer. You simply create an account and begin adding links and tagging them for reference later. You can follow and be followed by other friends who use Delicious, as well as decide whether you will make your links public or private. Here is a beginner tutorial on Delicious.
Google Calendar-- Create a shareable calendar with your literacy student to track your sessions, meeting times, and locations.
Google Maps-- Use Google maps to help organize addresses, data points, or community events. See Google Maps under "Spatial Learning" for more details.
Pinterest-- A social media site that allows users to create and share boards of images by "pinning" them. See full description under "Visual Learning."
Google Calendar-- Create a shareable calendar with your literacy student to track your sessions, meeting times, and locations.
Google Maps-- Use Google maps to help organize addresses, data points, or community events. See Google Maps under "Spatial Learning" for more details.
Pinterest-- A social media site that allows users to create and share boards of images by "pinning" them. See full description under "Visual Learning."
Storing Files
Google Drive-- Store just about any kind of file for free using Google Drive. You can make files private or share them with others, even giving them the authority to edit your files if you wish. If your student does not have a Gmail account, you can still share a file with them by generating a link to your file, which you can then email to them.
Slideshare-- Upload or access slideshow presentations for free. This is a great cloud-based storage service for PowerPoint presentations. Just note-- narrating slides in this program is a little tricky, since it requires you to upload a separate MP3 file. If your slide show requires narration, consider using Jing to create a screen capture of the slideshow as you narrate and then upload the file to YouTube or Google Drive for viewing later.
Soundcloud-- A cloud-based storage service that allows you to upload or access audio files and podcasts. You have the option of making files private or public.
YouTube-- Is a free service that allows you to upload and share videos with others. To search for videos, you do not need a Gmail account. However, if you wish to upload videos for storage, you will need to create an account.
See also "Visual Learning" section for Photo Sharing Sites
Slideshare-- Upload or access slideshow presentations for free. This is a great cloud-based storage service for PowerPoint presentations. Just note-- narrating slides in this program is a little tricky, since it requires you to upload a separate MP3 file. If your slide show requires narration, consider using Jing to create a screen capture of the slideshow as you narrate and then upload the file to YouTube or Google Drive for viewing later.
Soundcloud-- A cloud-based storage service that allows you to upload or access audio files and podcasts. You have the option of making files private or public.
YouTube-- Is a free service that allows you to upload and share videos with others. To search for videos, you do not need a Gmail account. However, if you wish to upload videos for storage, you will need to create an account.
See also "Visual Learning" section for Photo Sharing Sites