Annotation studio
Annotation Studio is an open-source platform by MIT designed to engage students in close collaborative reading and textual interpretation. Instructors can upload or write a text and students can collaboratively annotate the text with comments, images, videos or links. The platform also allows students to link annotations to multiple texts, share their comments with groups and tag their annotations. Students can also use the platform to revise papers annotated by peers.
Availability: Web. Registration required. 100% free.
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Hypothes.is
Hypothes.is is an open-source extension that allows users to collaboratively annotate on top of internet resources such as news, blogs, articles, etc. Users can select a text to annotate, add tags and post publicly or save privately. Users can also reply to or share any annotation and search through their notes.
Availability: Web (extension). Registration and download required. 100 % free.
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Kaizena
Kaizena is a web platform that allows instructors to give feedback on students’ assignments. Similar to a social network, each student receives their own private feedback and can easily talk with their instructor by replying to their comments. Feedback can be left as audio, text comments or by creating skills to be rated, which can all be joined to a highlighted part of the assignment. Instructors can also create reusable lessons based on what students commonly miss or use Kaizena’s curated lessons.
Availability: Web and iOS. 100 % free.
COLLABORATIVE BOARDS
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Dotstorming
Dotstorming is a real-time group brainstorming and decision making application. Users can create a brainstorming board and invite participants who will share ideas through images, texts or videos. Participants can then vote for their favourite ideas and discuss in a chat box. The number of votes can be customized.
Availability: Web. 100 % free.
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NoteBookCast
NoteBookCast is a real-time multi-user and multi-platform whiteboard that can support up to 10 users simultaneously. Users can draw, write or add pictures to the board as well as discuss with other collaborators in the text chat. Each board can be shared through a link or a code. NoteBookCast will offer a better experience with a touchscreen.
Availability: Web, iOS and Android. 100 % free.
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Limnu
Limnu is an online whiteboard designed for collaborative work. Users can write, sketch together, add notes and images, and control which members of the team can access, edit and share the whiteboards. Whiteboards can easily be saved and organized.
Availability: Web, iOS and Android. Free Pro plan for instructors for the duration of a class (must sign up for 14-day free trial first)
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Lino
Lino is a sticky notes and canvas tool that can be used as a note taker or as a collaborative bulletin board. Users can use sticky notes or upload images and organize them how they please. Sticky notes can be used to share files among the group and email reminders can be set for special events or due dates.
Availability: Web, iOS and Android. Free basic account.
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Padlet
Padlet is a digital collaborative canvas with which users can create and share content in a great variety of ways. For example, it can be used to create a bulletin board, a blog, a portfolio, a list, a collaborative project, a shared assignment and much more. Users can add posts with one click, copy and paste or drag and drop files, and customize the wallpaper and theme of the Padlet. Almost every file type is supported and content can be embedded from anywhere on the web. The Padlet can be selectively shared and edited among multiple contributors with different roles.
Availability: Web, iOS and Android. Free basic account.
LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS
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Actively Learn
Actively Learn is an online literacy platform that allows instructors to create and develop reading activities by selecting texts from a wide range of subjects or by uploading them in PDF, which can be then read and analysed independently or collaboratively by students. The instructor can annotate the text, insert relevant questions or reading aids tailored to the students’ needs and keep track of the students’ progress and challenges in real time by seeing their annotations and responses.
Availability: Web. Free basic account.
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GoConqr
GoConqr is a personal learning environment that allows instructors and students to create, discover and share learning resources. Among GoConqr’s many possibilities, instructors can create subjects and courses tailored to their students’ needs, create interactive slides, build scheduled quizzes, use resources generated by other users and view students’ progress. Students can take notes, create flash cards and mind maps, and share everything between each other.
Availability: Web, iOS and Android. Free basic account.
POLLING
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AnswerGarden
AnswerGarden is a minimalistic feedback tool that can be used for real time audience participation, online brainstorming or classroom feedback. Users can create a question and invite participants whose answers (up to 40 characters) will form a word cloud, highlighting most common answers.
Availability: Web and iOS (iPad). 100 % free.
Slido
Polling @ McGill (Slido)
Slido can be used to assess student’s learning and encourage participation. Please click here for more information.
Availability: Web, iOS and Android. 100% free for McGill instructors and students.
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PollEverywhere
PollEverywhere is a web-based student response system with which instructors can create a variety of types of questions (multiple choice, true or false, clickable images, free responses, etc.) to be displayed on a mobile-friendly website or embedded into a PowerPoint presentation. The response system includes a live text wall and word cloud to display responses in real time, a survey view to allow users to respond at their own pace, customizable graphics and an option to moderate and censor responses. Poll data and charts screenshots can be downloaded.
Availability: Web. Free basic version (50 polls limit).
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Socrative
Socrative is a classroom application with which instructors can create customized activities such as polls, quizzes, group races and quick questions (multiple choice, true or false, short answer). Instructors can view students or class results in real time and the application generates a report for every activity which allows the instructor to review students’ understanding at the class, individual or question level. Instructors can create virtual room to host the activities in class or remotely and run up to ten at a time.
Availability: Web, iOS and Android. Free basic account.
