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Mention gives you 3 alerts for free. Everyone should be following mention of their name and brand names (or school name) it is important. If you want more than 3, you'll have to pay. I use Google Alerts to track flat classroom and cool cat teacher - sad Google Alerts is gone, but here's an alternative.

This is an intelligent spelling and grammar checker which sits in the background in Office and your browser until you need it. It constantly looks for examples of your sentence on the internet and decides whether it is correct and gives alternatives. http://ictmagic.wikispaces.com/ICT+%26+Web+Tools

Free textbooks in a variety of topics on CK-12. This is promoted as "learning made simple." Do students know how to find and download alternate sources of information? Can they find and search for the topics they are currently studying? This is a valuable way to compare and research topics.

A useful site that allows users to dictate and generate text. A great resource for children with writing difficulties to get their ideas written quickly. It works with a range of languages including English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Mandarin Chinese, Japanese and more. For mistakes, the site offers alternative words with similar pronunciation. Only works with Chrome. http://ictmagic.wikispaces.com/ICT+%26+Web+Tools

I've heard that some are going to start using filehippo to keep things clean when installing software. This may need to be your new alternative to download.com.

More information on the Cnet download.com controversy. This one probably explains best why this "gray area" practice is drawing the ire of security analysts and those who have shared their software on download.com. What will be the alternative? Stay tuned.

Another cloud alternative for managing documents and email. For those that may prefer Microsoft or are very heavy Microsoft Office users, this is the site where you can sign up.

This is a great presentation to view for two reasons: 1) This author shares why she wants ipad 2's in her classroom and the reasons are pretty unique. 2) She uses Author stream which boasts it can "do more with powerpoint" - is this an alternative to slideshare? Interesting tool.

The Taboo show talks about things that are hard to discuss. The most recent show talks about how to teach with a broken heart. I know I've been broken hearted enough to quit at least twice in my short 12 year career and most teachers I know have been there. This is an important topic with lots of great discussion from one teacher who is there and some who've been there. If this is you, take a listen and I hope this helps. "Even the best teachers feel disillusioned about teaching at times. However, some are brokenhearted and dispirited about what teaching has become, yet continue teaching because they have limited alternatives. Is there a solution? Follow:@blairteach, @JessedHagopian @coolcatteacher, @bamradionetwork"

Another alternative is to not use the term "MOOC" and call it a Cas". (another hat tip to Stephen Downes for this article). I'm not sure that changing the name really will change what is a movement to learn online. Yes, it needs to be verifiable and so many things need to happen, but sometimes I find it odd how higher ed flees from anything that sounds trendy. Why not just Make Moocs better. Anyway, realize that higher ed has woken up and realized something significant is happening, how they will respond is yet to be seen. Says the author: "The thing formerly known as a MOOC will now be called a CaS.   CaS:  Course at Scale."

Stephen Downes pointed out this great resource that is planning to be the "alternative" to MOOCS. "Open Educational Resources University course will be able to pay a fee to have their work assessed for academic credit, which would then be recognised by all the universities participating in the OERu."

Google presentations is another alternative for presentations online. This can be collaborative (unlike some other options) and track changes, however, is a less beautiful version of Keynote/ Powerpoint. Google presentations has made dramatic improvements recently as evidenced by these templates that you can use and modify. If you're going to use Google presentations, I'd recommend starting with a template so the attractive features are already set for you.

A new website that is easy to align to standards (and share information with other teachers) with your students as you give "exit tickets" but also other activities during class. I like how easy it is to share your questions with other teachers. I'm still testing and learning this system but am impressed that this is an alternative for student response systems that some may want to test as well. For those who do data driven decision making, this is a must test.

twitter blocked at school? here's an alternative way to tweet

Strategies and techniques are provided for integrating podcasts lessons to promote the benefits of greater student engagement and alternative assessment.

To blog, you can't always allow yourself to be burdened by overthinking. At times this will lead you to a scary place. A place without a safety net. A place full of prat falls. Because to blog is to teach yourself what you think. And sometimes what we think embarrasses us and we must then confront our thoughts and consider whether there are alternatives. This is real maturity.

Alternative to drop.io for sharing files via a single drop on the web.