Free Web 2.0 Tools to Improve Reading and Writing Motivation

For the reluctant writer, this tool allows students to create a virtual picture book by dragging and dropping collections of animations and drawings done by professionals and simply adding the text and formatting the pages in any way they choose.

Here is a website also recommended by attendees to the session at CATE. It has full text, cartoon animation, analysis, and translations for students to interact with text.

A resource recommended by one of the attendees at the CATE session.

Here is an interesting video on the potential of augmented reality - as different form of education. It shows a mechanic getting instructions on the spot while he is doing the work.

Here is an example of Augmented Reality Book.

Links to videos

Here is wiki with all links.

This site creates an electronic poster that can be layered with preloaded frames, decorations, animations, designs, and allows users to add small chunks of text. It is easy to use and has lots of options and customization. Regular site has some potentially objectionable glogs.

A very flexible web based application that allows people to upload pictures or powerpoint presentations. Once uploaded, there is a social feature where people can comment through recorded audio, written text, an online pen, or even text message. You can use the comments to tell a story through either audio or words. It is a way to podcast with simple pictures.

an alternative to XtraNormal, this has premade cartoon characters and allows users to animate and move them around with plenty of animated backgrounds. Much like the cartoon or comic strips, users drag and drop pictures and type in the words while the software renders them into movies with transitions and text.

This web interface takes short video clips and digital pictures and adds snazzy transitions, zooming, and pannings (the Ken Burns effect) to create a more professional looking movie without having to know IMovie. Has limited formats in the free version, but once a teacher creates educators account, the program gives an access code that students can use to sign-up create longer and more elaborate tools. The default without the code is only a 30-second movie.