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What it is: Gliffy is an online diagraming software that provides users with an easy drag-and-drop feature for creating graphic organizers. Multiple themes and templates are available to help get users started, or users may create diagrams from scratch. Why it's better: There are several graphic organizing software available online. However, Gliffy is integrated with Google Drive which allows users to create diagrams from anywhere. In addition, they provide an optional wiki plug-in to make the graphic organizers editable within an individual's or organization's wiki.

Online graphic organizer creation tool. Great for generative learning processes helping students make connections to prior learning. Explanation of choice: Recommended because it is online, free, and unlike other tools, no signup is required.

Gliffy provides users with an online interface for creating flowcharts, diagrams, and other graphic organizers. This site allows users to either choose from predesigned templates or to build graphic organizers from scratch. The diagrams can be easily saved as .jpeg files or published to the Internet. This online interface makes is possible for users to visually depict essential material and then develop the necessary connections for generative processing. This website is better than other sites that offer access to graphic organizers because users have the choice between preformatted templates and creating their own diagrams. In addition, users are responsible for inputting the relevant information related to their project. In addition, this website allows users to create their diagrams on the computer rather than simply printing off templates and completing them by hand.

Gliffy allows users to create custom graphic organizers. Starting with a basic design, users can edit the graphic organizer to fit their needs, based on the content. Customization includes additional boxes, connections, or color. A teacher could also begin to fill in the graphic organizer with major topics or key terms. With a pro account, users can add collaborators or publish the graphic organizer to the web. Gliffy can contribute to essential and generative processing by allowing learners to manage and organize the information being presented to them. It is better than other similar sites because it allows the user to customize the graphic organizer to the needs created by the content.

free software for creating diagrams, flow charts, and designs. Because you create online, this is a good tool for collaborative efforts. Try it out.

A site which allows the teacher to prepare all types of graphic organizers. This site has a free trial version after which the software needs to be bought but it has a great array of diagrams; flowcharts; brainstorming diagrams; organizational plan; flow charts; cause and effect diagrams; mindmaps; floor plans; science materials and webdiagrams.

Gliffy is an online diagramming software site that is designed to be used directly with the user's browser. This site provides users the ability to produce quality, professionally styled flowcharts, charts, diagrams, floor plans, technical drawings, and much more. Gliffy can be used in various ways when it comes to learning. Gliffy's offer learners and instructors the ability to design and share various types of charts for their assignments, projects, and lessons. I liked Gliffy as apposed to other online chart sites because it has HTML and Flash capabilities as well as the ability to work collaboratively on the diagramming software activities.

For those of you familiar with the software Inspiration, this is a web version with some of the same options. This is a mind mapping tool that helps you "capture ideas, organize information, collaborate and share your work, and create diagrams.

Webspiration is a teacher friendly site that contains a vast array of graphic organizers, diagrams, writing organizers and many others. This site is typically used in grades 5-12. With many options, students and/or teacher are able to find an organizer that suits their project or essay. This site is easy to use and is effective in assisting students in independently developing their graphic organizer. 

Webspiration offers collaboration and graphic organizer software for classroom or professional use. Webspiration has free subscriptions available as well as subscriptions for purchase. I found it to be easy to use and share.

This web site provides a variety of templates and diagrams in pdf format that may be useful as supplemental materials.

Talks about the cognitive presence which is diagrammed in Anderson (2008) page 345

This site allows you to create graphic organizers quickly and on the fliy.  It includes Venn diagrams, KWL charts, scientific method and much more.

This is a free graphic organizer tool that can be used collaboratively. It allows for simultaneous use among multiple users.

Blockposters is a free online tool that will accept .jpg or .gif images up to 1 MB in size, allow for poster sizing, and return a .pdf file containing the image rendered across multiple pages. Simply print the file and assemble the pages for an instant poster-sized rendition of an image, graphic organizer, instruction page, or just about anything else. This is a tool I have been looking to find for some time! While I have tried replicating the functionality of this online tool using various desktop tools, the ease of use of Blockposters is amazing and the fact that a .pdf file is returned for easy downloading and printing is a welcome surprise. This tool could easily be used for pre-training by enlarging for print most graphic organizers, mind maps, and other types of assistive instructional material that facilitates essential cognitive processing tasks. By printing a graphic organizer in large format and posting in front of a class, students can easily refer to the diagram as needed while using their computers directly in front of them. Posting a large scale printout also eliminates students having to shuffle through miscellaneous printouts on their desktops while operating their computers. Handouts of the graphic organizer could be provided, but the timing of providing the handout could be strategically incorporated into the presentation / workshop to eliminate extraneous materials during the discovery and learning phases.

Frobee.com allows users to upload images, arrange them, set transition and timing options, add captions, and save the presentation as a Flash (swf) file for immediate download. The site does not provide hosting of the presentation, but the simplified interface and quick generation of output are outstanding features that help this online tool stand apart from the rest. By using Frobee.com, pictures or diagrams could be sequenced and displayed in a particular sequence to demonstrate a concept that unfolds across time or to demonstrate a specific process and the steps required to reach the end state from the beginning state. This type of media and demonstration could assist learners during essential and generative cognitive load.

This site contains numerous links to outside sources (downloadable/web based, online interactive and pre-made) for creating graphic organizers. Links are also here for Inspiration, Kidspiration and SmartIdeas. I prefer sites that are a "one-stop" resource for the tools that I am looking to use. Since I use PowerPoint a lot in my area of work, this site also provides a link to a comprehensive list of pre-configured PowerPoint templates to create charts and diagrams.

Xtimeline www.xtimeline.com The second website that I have chosen to share for authentic assessment activities is Xtimeline. Xtimeline is an online timeline creator that allows users to plot dates, events, plot details and other linear occurrences. Xtimeline is a great tool for authentic assessments because the students create the timeline from scratch and build on their timeline as they continue to work on it. Xtimeline also provides access to previously created timelines for research and background purposes. Xtimeline is capable of creating advanced, organized and visually advanced timelines for free. I especially appreciate the fact that Xtimeline lets members (membership is free) upload pictures to add to the timeline making them much more appealing and interesting to look at. I like Xtimeline because it helps me to observe the linear thinking process of my students. I have used Xtimeline for plot diagramming lessons as well as biography mapping. Xtimeline is a resource that I believe social studies teachers would find extremely useful and purposeful in their classrooms. I also like the physical set up of Xtimeline the tabs, categories and search engine make using this site easy for any user no matter their experience.