E-Learning Toolkit #35: Challenge | Recap
In a recent workshop someone asked a question about my favorite tools and resources. I replied that I would pull some forum conversations together ...
Published 11 years ago
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K...made TOO many after 5" so I'm stopping now. Not sure I could get anything "pretty" done, and wanted to share some of my favorites that really help my workflow, so here it is in all its "unpretty" form:
ORGANIZING
Evernote: https://evernote.com/
and/or
Google Drive
https://www.google.com/drive/index.html
How I use: Notebooks with text, images, links;
content is synced so always available
WRITING
http://thesaurus.com/
http://onelook.com/
How I use:
Thesaurus: as expected synonyms and antonyms
OneLook: type in a word and get links to a large number of dictionaries
Also use these to hear pronunciations
PROOFING
Free Natural Reader: http://www.naturalreaders.com/
In Microsoft Word the "Speak selected text" tool
How I use:
Listening to my written content (proofing with my ears) almost ALWAYS enables me to pick up mistakes I miss when proofing with my eyes
Natural Reader is awesome because it includes a floating bar that allows you to read selected text in any language
I've placed the Word "Speak selected text" tool on my Word Quick Access toolbar. Select text and click the button
PICKING COLORS
http://www.nattyware.com/pixie.php
Pick us any colors in any window (for when I can't use the Storyline color picker)
COPYRIGHT FREE IMAGES
http://pixabay.com/
There are many of these sites, but Pixabay is really awesome. Here's a quick excerpt from their FAQ
Can I use your images?
You can copy, modify, distribute and use the images, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission and without paying attribution. However, depicted content may still be protected by trademarks, publicity or privacy rights. Read more in our blog (http://tinyurl.com/plrvf92).
URL SHORTENERS
URL Shortening
http://tinyurl.com/
How I use it:
Added to Browser Bookmark Toolbar - when you're at a website, simply click this button and a Tiny URL is automatically created
NAME GENERATOR
http://uinames.com/
How I use it:
My mind can be a blank when I need to name characters in a scenario
AUDIO RECORDING AND EDITING
Yep...agree about audacity
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
How I use it:
To record/edit my own audio; to edit "raw" audio from narrators
ORGANIZING
Evernote: https://evernote.com/
and/or
Google Drive
https://www.google.com/drive/index.html
How I use: Notebooks with text, images, links;
content is synced so always available
WRITING
http://thesaurus.com/
http://onelook.com/
How I use:
Thesaurus: as expected synonyms and antonyms
OneLook: type in a word and get links to a large number of dictionaries
Also use these to hear pronunciations
PROOFING
Free Natural Reader: http://www.naturalreaders.com/
In Microsoft Word the "Speak selected text" tool
How I use:
Listening to my written content (proofing with my ears) almost ALWAYS enables me to pick up mistakes I miss when proofing with my eyes
Natural Reader is awesome because it includes a floating bar that allows you to read selected text in any language
I've placed the Word "Speak selected text" tool on my Word Quick Access toolbar. Select text and click the button
PICKING COLORS
http://www.nattyware.com/pixie.php
Pick us any colors in any window (for when I can't use the Storyline color picker)
COPYRIGHT FREE IMAGES
http://pixabay.com/
There are many of these sites, but Pixabay is really awesome. Here's a quick excerpt from their FAQ
Can I use your images?
You can copy, modify, distribute and use the images, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission and without paying attribution. However, depicted content may still be protected by trademarks, publicity or privacy rights. Read more in our blog (http://tinyurl.com/plrvf92).
URL SHORTENERS
URL Shortening
http://tinyurl.com/
How I use it:
Added to Browser Bookmark Toolbar - when you're at a website, simply click this button and a Tiny URL is automatically created
NAME GENERATOR
http://uinames.com/
How I use it:
My mind can be a blank when I need to name characters in a scenario
AUDIO RECORDING AND EDITING
Yep...agree about audacity
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
How I use it:
To record/edit my own audio; to edit "raw" audio from narrators