30hands Learning is the excellent company for creating an innovative LMS (Learning Management System) as well as the popular mobile iOS apps that are ideal for digital storytelling (30hands Starter (free), 30hands Pro (paid)).  The 30hands community is a perfect cloud based solution that allows educators to: manage/track students, hand in/out assignments, schedule events, and more.  While the mobile apps are being used in education for project based learning, digital storytelling, and more.30hands has lots of exciting news on the horizon...This Fall, we will be adding new functionality to 30hands Pro based on user feedback. At the same time, we will have to impose some limits on the free Starter version in order to be able to sustain the product. After upgrading to Pro, users will have access to existing advanced features and new features in the works: • Video clips as slides • Google Drive + Dropbox Integration • Importing of Google Slides and PDFs as 30hands slides • Backgrounds and scenes • Higher quality videos • Advanced drag-and-drop drawing with editing (Aug 2015) • Slide sharing with parents and students (Fall 2015) • Slide Transitions (Fall 2015) • Unlimited presentations • Unlimited saves to Camera RollDistricts that purchase 30hands Pro will get free or discounted professional development (depending on licenses purchased). The PD can be onsite or virtual and selected from our areas of expertise: Digital Storytelling, PBL, Blended Learning, Teaching Coding, and Teaching Entrepreneurship. 30hands Learning is putting 20% of the net sales of 30hands Pro toward helping kids without hands get a 3D dream hand. Your students can help by printing a hand, assembling a hand, designing a hand, telling a story or buying 30hands Pro.For more info on how your school can participate, email info@30hands.com.Join our newsletter here: http://30hands.com/newsletter.*30hands Learning is an advertiser of Technology Tidbits.

Zoom In is a wonderful new site for History teachers that I just found out about from Larry Ferlazzo's excellent blog.  Zoom In allows educators to create online classrooms to teach US History through interactive lessons.  These lessons have built in templates to help students' writing, built-in glossary, assessment tools, and more.I highly recommend checking out Zoom In by clicking here!!!Below is a brief demo video...

EDpuzzle is vastly becoming one of the premiere web/iOS tools around for learning in the classroom.  This is fantastic free tool for editing a video, cropping, adding quizzes/polls, narration, etc. then embedding into site/blog.  It is being used to flip a classroom or lesson, Project Based Learning, grading/assessing, and even for differentiating instruction.  The educational portal allows students to sign-up w/out needing an email account and lets educators track student progress in real-time.Due Date feature...A while back EDpuzzle updated their fantastic site/app to integrate a "due date' by assigning it via drop down calendar to a video.  This helps students and educators organize their videos/lessons and see not only how far along an assignment is completed but when it is due as well.  An unfinished assignment can even be archived by the user.  I like how teachers can create their assignments before hand and assign it a "due date' to get a nice visual of what they class will be working on in the weeks ahead.I highly recommend checking out EDpuzzle by clicking here!!!Below is a brief demo video...I highly recommend checking out EDpuzzle by clicking here!!!For my Pinterest board on Flipping a Classroom click here.*EDpuzzle is an advertiser of Technology Tidbits.

Dino Dog is a fun little iOS for kids 6-8 yrs old learning about dinosaurs.  Dino Dog has a dog and bear travel through an interactive cartoon experience digging up dinosaurs bones, cleaning them, and then assembling them to create dinosaurs.  There are over a dozen dinosaurs and four levels of each chapter of Dino Dog.  Finally, once a dinosaur is assembled it can then be kept in a student's very own virtual museum.I highly recommend checking out Dino Dog by clicking here!!!For my Pinterest board on Educational iOS Apps click here.

Help Teaching is an excellent site for educators looking for educational resources such as: online assessments, quiz/test creators, or printables and worksheets.  These resources are for grades PreK-12th, and organized by subject and grade.  Finally, Help Teaching offers online assessments in their own virtual private room.  This area is safe for students to take quizzes/tests where teachers can assess them in real-time.I highly recommend checking out Help Teaching by clicking here!!!For my Pinterest board on Educational Resources click here.*Help Teaching is an advertiser of Technology Tidbits.

Matific is a great site for finding educational resources for Math in grades K-6th.  These resources include videos, worksheets, activities, and more w/ an educational portal that allows educators to track student progress.  Also, teachers are using this to assess students performance in Math and differentiate instruction.  There is even a free mobile (iOS/Android) app for El Ed math games.I highly recommend checking out Matific by clicking here!!!Click here for the iOS app.Click here for the Android app.For a more detailed review check out Edshelf.For my Pinterest board on Educational Resources click here.

Prodigy is a fantastic free online Math game that is ideal for Game Based Learning.  This super fun highly engaging game designed for grades 1st-6th and is aligned to Common Core Standards.  Best of all is the teacher portal which allows for educators to assess students and get instant real-time reporting.  Prodigy, even has a unique learning engine which allows the game to differentiate instruction and help students w/ areas they are struggling in.  Teachers can modify the game to suit their needs and select which skills their students need to focus on too.  Also, Prodigy is browser based and works on any device (i.e iPad or Chromebook).*Prodigy is now for 7th-8th grade too!!!** Prodigy has added thousands of questions covering more than 150 new Math skills!!I highly recommend checking out Prodigy by clicking here!!!For more information on the latest news from Prodigy click here!!!Below is a brief demo...For my Pinterest board on Game Based Learning click here.*Prodigy is an advertiser of Technology Tidbits.

Storyboard That the innovative site for creating storyboards, digital lessons/storytelling, project based learning, and more, has just released an update that allows users to create timelines.  All a student/teacher has to do is create a new storyboard and select timeline.  They then have the option to add a date, text, image, or select one of the many templates/styles of their choice (i.e web, t-chart, grid, etc.).  This is a simple and great way to make a timeline or graphic organizer.  Educators can use this to create templates and then have students fill it out online through Storyboard That's educational portal, making it a perfect tool to use for any subject or grade level.I highly recommend checking out Storyboard That by clicking here!!!*Storyboard That is an advertiser of Technology Tidbits.

Be sure to check out the latest updates!!!Answerables is one of the most unique sites to come around in awhile.  It is a cross between a Learning Management System and Game Based Learning environment to deliver a innovative and fun learning experience for students.  All of this takes place in a 3D virtual world (i.e. think Second Life but geared towards education) that allows educators to create lessons, scavenger hunts, collaborate w/ other educators, and much much more.  Best of all, all of this takes place in Answerables safe interactive environment.  Also, Answerables can be used by any curriculum to teach any subject using Project Based Learning, "gamifying"a lesson, and differentiating instruction.I highly recommend checking out Answerables by clicking here!!!Below is a brief demo video...*Answerables is an advertiser of Technology Tidbits.

Super Teacher Worksheets is absolutely one of my favorite sitse for finding worksheets and printables in a wide variety of subjects.  Also, this is a great site for finding other educational resources such as: custom puzzle/worksheet/crosswords generators, Smart Board files, and more.  Almost every resource at STW is aligned to Common Core Standards and very easy to use.I highly recommend checking out Super Teacher Worksheets by clicking here!!!For my Pinterest board on Educational Resources click here.*Super Teacher Worksheets is an advertiser of Technology Tidbits.

DimensionU is one of my favorite companies for Game Based Learning.  These games take place in an interactive 3D virtual world where students strengthen their Math & Literacy skills.  The games are designed for kids grades 3rd-9th and are aligned to Common Core Standards.Here are a list of DimensionU games...Watch the videos below to see all 4 AMAZINGDimensionU Games in action:Meltdown is the DimensionU game thatoffers students a second chancewhen answering difficult questions, andrewards creative strategies to achieve victory.Swarm is DimensionU's team-basedgame that most strongly reinforcescooperation and collaboration betweenstudents to achieve a common goal.Towerstorm is the DimensionU game that is best for working through the most curriculum in the shortest amount of time.Velocity is DimensionU's high-speedobstacle course that ensures playersanswer questions correctly in order tocontinue progressing through the race.Click to view the MATHEMATICS or LITERACY content included inDimensionU Games.I highly recommend checking out DimensionU by clicking here!!!For my Pinterest board on Game Based Learning click here.*DimensionU is an advertiser of Technology Tidbits.

NameCoach the innovative site for learning students names and how to pronounce them correctly has  just released their latest update, Directory Integration Service.  Directory Integration Service allows a district/school to embed a voice recording of your students' name pronunciation directly into your existing directory listings.Here are some more benefits...Build a stronger community, promoting diversity and enhancing team relations.  Encourages inclusion not just diversityHelpful in orientation and recruitmentHelpful with Alumni relationsCommunication made easier across your institutionHelps build student-faculty rapportSeamlessly integrate with our Commencement ServiceWe make all of this secure, scalable and easy to deployI highly recommend checking out NameCoach's Directory Integration page for schools by clicking here!!!Below is a brief demo...*NameCoach is an advertiser of TechnologyTidbits.

Apricot is a site I covered awhile back that is a nice tool for educators/parents.  The way this works is educators sign up and create a class that students join through a code (i.e ClassDojo).  Once the class is created educators can then ask a question, the students respond in real-time, and then their parents get the results emailed to them.  Also, parents can join the same class as their child's w/ a unique login code.I highly recommend checking out Apricot by clicking here!!!For my Pinterest board on Web 2.0 click here.

ClassDojo the mega popular positive reinforcement/behavior management system for schools has just launched their latest feature, Class Story.  Class Story allows educators to share their classroom stories via text or photos using ClassDojo's free site/app.  Posts are seen by connected parents and teachers can see when a post gets viewed.  This is a fantastic way to help parents keep engaged w/ their child's classwork.To sign up to be a beta tester of Class Story click here!!!I highly recommend checking out ClassDojo by clicking here!!!*ClassDojo is an advertiser of Technology Tidbits.

Seesaw the wonderful free site/app (Android, iOS, etc) for students making digital portfolios has just released their biggest update so far.  Students can upload photos, videos, PDFs, or even create their own digital content for their portfolio.  Educators can manage, monitor, and organize student work in folders, flag items, and invite parents to view their student's work.Here is a list of their new features in version 2.0...Seesaw is now fully supported on iOS, Android, Chromebooks, and computers with Firefox/Chrome.We’ve added support for Google sign in, so that older students can login with their existing Google account and access their Seesaw portfolio from anywhere.We’ve enabled likes and comments for students so that classes can use Seesaw as a place for peer feedback and review. Teachers can choose to enable these feedback options, or keep portfolios private.I highly recommend checking out Seesaw by clicking here!!!Below is a brief demo video....*Seesaw is an advertiser of Technology Tidbits.

Chronicle is an amazing iPad app that helps educators harness and organize their best teaching methodologies.  This is done by "chronicling" a students' data and using it in a beneficial and meaningful way.  Chronicle is an all-in-one tool that teachers are using for classroom management, grading, assessing, and so much more.Here are some of Chronicle's features...1. Ideal for Reading and Writing Workshop conferring notes, but great for any subject2. The ability to capture multiple pics, videos, and audio recordings within a note enables teachers to easily provide rich feedback, document student growth, share student achievements, and intervene for student needs.3. The integrated grade book and traffic light system equip teachers with a means of formatively tracking unit goals, grades, report card descriptors, and more!4. Many customizable features, including the option of associating any Common Core Standards with a class, if desired. Below is a demo video...I highly recommend checking out Chronicle by clicking here!!!

Plotagon is an excellent app for digital storytelling that reminds me of the now defunct Xtranormal.  It's a super easy tool to use that lets students create a digital story by choosing a character and selecting and then typing their script.  Plotagon does the rest.  However, a user can also create their characters from scratch, add sound effects, and more.  Best of all, is the educational portal that allows educators to manage/create student accounts as well as "house" their animations/stories in a safe controlled environment.  Finally, educators are using Plotagon to help teach any subject and curriculum as well as for Project Based Learning and to "flip" their classroom.I highly recommend checking out Plotagon by clicking here!!!For my Pinterest board on Digital Storytelling click here.

Outwhiz is a free site/app (iOS, Android) for students K-8th learning Math or English.  This fun app has over 200+ exercises aligned to common core standards.  Best of all, Outwhiz tracks student projects and generates detailed reports for parents and educators.  Also, this is a great app for self paced learning and offers lots of motivations for students such as digital and "real" rewards, badges, and more.I highly recommend checking out Outwhiz by clicking here!!!Below is a brief demo...

formative is a new site for giving students quizzes/exercises and assessing them in real-time, that I just found out about from Free Technology 4 Teachers.  The way this works is an educator creates a class on formative and students join w/ a unique code (i.e. ClassDojo).  Once the student answers the quiz/questions, teachers get instant real-time results.  This is a great way for educators to assess students and differentiate instruction. I highly recommend checking out formative by clicking here!!!

Trandori is a rather interesting Kickstarter campaign for educators that introduces a new kind of search engine for interactive educational problems.  All search results are generated from user created content and it combines the best features of a LMS and CMS.  This is an ideal resource for self paced learning.Below is a brief demo video...I highly recommend checking out Trandori by clicking here!!!For a more detailed review check out Edshelf.For my Pinterest board on Educational Search Engines click here.

TowerStorm is a fantastic free iOS app/broswer based game for Game Based Learning in the subjects of Math and Literacy. As w/ any game created by the award winning company DimensionU, this game takes place in a multiplayer 3D virtual world.  Players can create their avatar and unlock special power ups as they immerse themselves in a fun 3D world while solving problems in Math/Literacy aligned to Common Core Standards.  Best of all, the game tracks a players score and generates detail reports as well as lets a player customize and select what problems they want to encounter (i.e. Algebra, Vocabulary, etc.).  Also, TowerStorm has high replay value as each game lasts only 5 minutes and has students trying to answer as many questions correct as they can while trying to score points by changing the color of rings on the Tower.I highly recommend checking out TowerStorm by clicking here!!!For more DimensionU games click here.For my Pinterest board on Game Based Learning click here.To find TowerStorm on Edshelf click here.* DimensionU is an advertiser of Technology Tidbits.

Brainscape is an excellent free iOS app/site for flashcards.  Brainscape's innovative "smart" flashcards works in timed intervals that a user rates on a scale of 1 to 5.  Brainscape then used an adaptive learning algorithm to differentiate instruction and display the flashcards that need more focus on.  This is a great way to learn difficult subjects and break down difficult concepts.Below is a brief demo video...I highly recommend checking out Brainscape by clicking here!!!

Answerables is a wonderful new innovative site/game that is perfect for Game Based Learning (or more accurate Game Based Learning meets Learning Management System).  It reminds me of Second Life but geared more toward kids w/ their fantasy/SciFi environment.  The game takes place in the 3D virtual world of Answerables on a planet called Proxima, where the native Ansibles (students) encounter an alien race.What makes this so great for education that is the safe/COPPA compliant environment that Answerables provides.  This is an ideal place for students to collaborate w/ others and develop their social learning skills.  Answerables provides windows (i.e. Second Life) to view the web, go on quests, etc.  The student dashboard allows students to track their quests, notifications, events, PODS (Personal Online Development Spaces), and more.Educators can create a lesson/POD (manage permissions), create webquests, internet scavenger hunts, host live events, and best of all "Gamify" their lesson.  This is great for introducing a new concept, guided/differentiated instruction, and even "Flipping" a classroom.  Also, teachers (parents too) can track/monitor student progress, share and view resources by collaborating w/ other educators, and even setup tutoring courses where they set their own rate.I highly recommend checking out Answerables by clicking here!!!Below is a brief demo that has to be seen to be believed...For my Pinterest board on Game Based Learning click here.*Answerables is an advertiser of Technology Tidbits.

Math Snacks is an excellent site for educational games, animations, and more, for Math grades 3rd-7th.  This is a great learning tool to use w/ any Math curriculum and can help teachers differentiate instruction.  Also, this is a nice way to introduce Game Based Learning into the classroom.  Best of all are the abundance of teacher resources such as: lesson plans, teacher guides, etc etc, and all resources are aligned to Common Core Standards and available in Spanish.Below is a brief demo...I highly recommend checking out Math Snacks by clicking here!!!For a more detailed review check out Graphite.