Whiteboard is a tool that allows users to collaborate on the creation of documents. One user can create a whiteboard and upload an original piece of text. They can then invite other users to come to that whiteboard to help revise that text. In my workshop in particular, since the assessment activity is the creation of a group lesson plan using one of the Web 2.0 tools I share with them, Whiteboard can be used by participants to collaboratively create the lesson plan. 

RubiStar is a tool that allows users to create rubrics online that can then be downloaded, printed, or shared online. The user can choose from a variety of products to create rubrics for in addition to choosing which categories will be scored and the descriptors for each category. This tool would be useful in the workshop for creating a rubric to show participants the expectations for their final product. As a teacher, I have used this tool many times to create rubrics for student assignments, so I can attest to its ease of use and the quality of rubrics it can be used to create.

SlideShare is a tool that allows users to upload presentations or videos they have created to be shared with others. This site also allows users to search for presentations and videos on topics of interest. Having used this tool before, I have found it easy to use and can see how it might be used to share any presentations or videos created for the workshop with staff who were unable to attend or with a much broader audience. 

280 Slides is a site that allows users to create presentations similar to a PowerPoint. In fact, if a PowerPoint show has already been created, it can be uploaded to the site. This tool could be used by workshop participants as they collaborate to create a brief presentation about a concept discussed in the workshop. The fact that this tool is so similar to PowerPoint was a big plus, in addition to the fact that, unlike PowerPoint, when the 280 Slide presentation is completed, it can be easily shared to the Web.

Mindomo is a mind mapping tool that not only allows users to create a map for a concept, but also allows for collaboration and the addition of multimedia elements. This tool can be used at the end of a workshop to allow participants to share their knowledge with each other or with those who did not attend the workshop through the creation of a mind map. I have not used this particular tool, but it looks to be fairly easy to use. The fact that it allows for the addition of multimedia elements to the mind map makes it even more appealing.

Bubbl.us allows users to create mind maps that can then be shared in documents or on the Web. It can be used before a workshop to create a blank or partially filled in graphic organizer for participants to fill in as the workshop progresses, which would help them to pay attention to the content being presented. Personally, I have found this tool easy and fun to use. In fact, I used it to create the graphic organizer for the workshop I am creating.

With Wordle, a person can paste in the text they want to create a word cloud from and click "Go" to create it. The user has control over the fonts, colors, and shapes the word cloud takes. Wordle could be used to create a word cloud to peak participant interest in the topic of the workshop. For instance, I might choose to create a word cloud using text that describes what Web 2.0 is. Sharing that word cloud before my workshop would give my workshop participants a preview of what they will be learning about.  This site is easy to use and has received numerous positive reviews. 

Twiducate is a safer, more school-friendly version of Twitter. It is used in much the same way as Twitter in terms of status updates and the uploading of pictures and videos, but the content is much more controlled. Twiducate can be used to stay in contact with workshop participants and students, providing them with a forum for asking questions and getting updates on the workshop or class. This site will meet the need to communicate that workshop participants and students have while keeping them from having to deal with the negative content often found on Twitter.

Glogster is an alternative to the typical two-dimensional posters and PowerPoints that have been the staple of research projects for years. "Glogs" are posters that students can create online to demonstrate their learning about a variety of topics using many different types of media to present their information. This tool definitely allows for active cognitive learning as students are able to choose not only the content to add to their Glog, but also the forms of media to be used on that Glog. The student can choose to use video, sound, pictures, and many other media forms to present content, but they have to remember not to overcrowd their Glog with too much information or too much media. 

As a former user of TimeGlider, I have experienced its usefulness as a multimedia tool for active cognitive learning. With TimeGlider, the user is able to create an interactive timeline to be designed alone or collaboratively and shared with others. This free tool allows the user to not only control how important an event is based on its size on the timeline, but it also allows the user to link events on the timeline to online videos and to upload pictures to enhance the timeline. The student may begin with an idea of the time period they are creating a timeline for, but they make the choices about what material to include in terms of how many events to include and any extras like videos or pictures. 

Museum Box is a great tool for Social Studies teachers and teachers of other content areas. A free tool, it allows teachers and students to create "boxes" of artifacts and information about a topic of their choosing. The focus is on cognitive activity on a student-focused level since users have to think through which artifacts and information would be most effective in terms of presenting the most valuable information about a topic of their own choosing. Even if the teacher assigns the topic to the student, it is still up to the student to choose which items to put in the box. I can see this tool working for Social Studies teachers as a way for their students to present what they have learned about a particular topic, but I can also see it being useful in my English Language Arts classroom as a way for my students to present information about the time period in which a novel occurs.