Archive for the 'Freeware' Category

OpenSource: Open Use For Teachers At Home

Published May 20, 2007 Freeware , Home , Open Source , Teacher , technology 1 Comment

OpenOffice logo

Often when I work with a professor, teacher, or a student, I hear “I don’t have that program on my computer at home so I can only work on it in school.” I respond with the magic words of “Open Source and FreeWare.”

Professor, teachers, or students, can use OpenOffice for their word processing, “PowerPoint”, spreadsheet, database, and some graphic needs. Open Office is the equivalent of or better than Microsoft Office. They can use GIMP to manipulate photos just as they would PhotoShop. They can use CMAP or Glippy which are like Inspiration. All of these programs are very high quality and are free.

I’ve receive more emails from professors, teachers, and students thanking me for telling them about these programs than any other type of email I receive. They are amazed at how good the programs are. They are amazed that people voluntarily contribute to constantly improve the programs. They are so pleased that they now have educational resources in their home.

How do you share the good news about OpenSource with your fellow educators? How do you give them tools for their work at home?

© Harry Grover Tuttle, 2007

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Some Free Concept Mapping Programs

Published April 14, 2007 Concept Map , Free , Freeware , higher level thinking , Student , Teacher , Think 9 Comments

Gliffy(Gliffy)

Thanks to Freeware resources, you and your students can use concept mapping programs in school and at home for free. You can map out your ideas and structure your higher level thinking activities.

Online

Bubb.us can create a bubble concept map with ease. Each box has several icons: + to move the icon; X to remove it; color icon to change the color; folder for a sibling folder; folder for a new child balloon; and a paper clip to attach a bubble to another bubble. It is quick to use. However, I did not see how to format the text. The maps can be exported. It is primarily text-based.

Gliffy Online allows you to create three private and unlimited public maps in the free version. Its many shapes are drag and drop. You can change the color of the font and the background of any shape. You can eliminate the background grid. To make it public, click on Share and Public. It appears the closest to the Inspiration program that many teachers are familiar with.

Download Program

Compendium uses a node metaphor. There are drag and drop icons for questions, answers (argument, pro, con) notes, and references (actual docs like pdf, PowerPoint, weblink), strategy, activity, etc. You can easily link from one item to another. Has a great tutorial.

Cmap tools permits a map within a map. A primary item usually has a proposition (phrase connecting one item to another). It is primarily text based. This program is supported by several universities.

Additional programs are briefly listed in Wikipedia

Now you can do concept maps at home, your students can do them at home, and you and the students can do concept maps on any school computer even if it does not have have Inspiration.

Map On! Think On!

© Harry Grover Tuttle, 2007

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