Google Sites are, first and foremost, versatile. Sites can be created for a variety of purposes, and Google has templates to make creation easy. Once a site is created using a template, it can be completely edited and personalized to fit the needs of the user. One way that Google Sites can be used for authentic assessment is to create portfolios. Since templates allow the user to customize their site, the teacher can create a template for the portfolio that each student could adapt to their own taste. Portfolios created using Google Sites can promote generative processing by encouraging students to organize the information they learned and integrate the new content with prior knowledge as they create authentic products. Google Sites is better than other sites for portfolio creation because it is user friendly and can be used with Google Apps for Education.

Wikispaces is an online wiki hosting site. Users can collaborate to create a variety of products using a variety of media including text, pictures, links, and videos. Teachers can create teams to collaborate on authentic projects. The wiki is not what makes the assessment authentic, it is what the teacher and learners do with the wiki that allows it to provide an authentic learning experience. Wikispaces is a great site to create wikis because it is intuitive and easy to use. It tracks each change and allows members to view previous edits, and restore old versions, if needed. Wikispaces can promote generative processing by providing a space and opportunity for learners to integrate the content into an authentic product. It is better than other similar sites because it provides so many options and features for contributors, but it is still user friendly.

GoAnimate! allows teachers to quickly create animated lessons. The site offers a variety of options for setting, images, and avatars. Users can use the text-to-speech feature or record their own voices to narrate the videos. These videos can be used to quickly create engaging videos to present content to learners. GoAnimate! can be used to help learners manage essential processing by using the principles of multimedia to create an effective presentation. It is better than other sites because it is so user friendly, and animations can be created quickly.

Zunal web quest maker allows teachers to create web quests to present content to students. The web quest can serve as a guide while students explore content on their own. This allows them to delve more deeply into topics of interest. Each web quest has welcome, introduction, task, process, evaluation, and conclusion pages. Membership also allows teachers to search all web quests created on Zunal to use them in their classroom. With a Professional membership, users can copy and edit other user's web quests to personalize them for use in their classroom. Professional membership also allows access to other features, like the ability to embed additional pages, pre-test and post-test, rubric, quiz, map, and games. Using a web quest created by Zunal can help learners manage the information being presented. The evaluation page can be used to promote generative processing. This site is better than other similar sites because of all of the features available, including the ability to edit web quests made by other users and all of the pages that can be added into the web quest, like maps and games.

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.

Bubbl.us is a site that allows users to create webs, or mind maps. A hierarchy is created by color-coding the bubbles on each level. The site allows collaboration, as well. Sheets can be shared with other people, who then have the ability to either view or edit the mind map, depending on the permission granted by the creator. Once completed, the mind map can be printed or exported as an image or an outline. This site can help encourage generative learning by providing a medium for learners to visualize connections between key terms and concepts. It is more user friendly that other similar sites. The ease of color coding and outline creation make it better than other sites, as well.

Tagxedo is a site that creates word clouds from user inputs. The site will convert a block of text to a word cloud, which can be transformed into a variety of shapes. Words that occur more frequently appear larger in the cloud. Teachers can use this for pre-training to present key terms. Based on the size of the words, learners can determine the key terms for the content they are learning, as well as important words associated with those key terms. The teacher can manipulate the text to place emphasis on the words of their choice. A feature of Tagxedo that distinguishes it from other sites is the feature that allows the user to upload an image and form the word cloud using she shape of that image. A teacher could use this possibility to further emphasize an important key term or concept. This site can be used for essential learning by providing learners with knowledge of key terms prior to the lesson, freeing important space in working memory for the processing of other information.

Quizlet is a site that allows learners to create online flashcards. Teachers can create sets to share with their learners, or learners can create their own. Some of the best features of Quizlet are the cost (free), capability of adding images to flashcards, and the fun factor. Quizlet creates games using the flashcards creating by the user, allowing learners study vocabulary in a more engaging manner. It can be used for essential learning by providing learners with key terms prior to the lesson. This knowledge will allow learners to focus their attention and working memory on the content, rather than the new terms. This site is better than other similar sites I have found and used because it is easy to use and provides options that other sites do not have, like uploading images.

The Edmodo Resources Livebinder houses basic information about Edmodo, as well as examples of Edmodo's use in classrooms. The site includes ideas for lesson plans, rubrics, sample student work, and links to resources for additional information on using Edmodo in the classroom.

This YouTube video features teachers discussing how they use Edmodo in the classroom and how it has impacted their teaching.

The Edmodo Help Center provides resources for new and existing Edmodo users, including Webinars and videos demonstrating how Edmodo can be used in the classroom.