SKYPE
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Skype is not nearly as well known amongst teenagers as it was a couple year ago, since Facebook, Whatsapp and other apps have taken on similar features. The most lovely characteristic of Skype for education, however, is that no information needs to be shared in order to have a conversation.

Some time ago I used Skype to connect my classroom to a classroom in the USA. We talked, helped each other learn, and interviewed each other. Apart from connecting on Skype, the teacher in the US and I didn't have to be friends on Facebook or contacts on a different platform that provides tons of personal information. Eventually some students started to connect, too. They did so via Skype as well, to ensure privacy and safety.

Besides using Skype to connect people around the world, even within your own country, I found out that using it within your classroom can be very interesting too. Think of a quest where one student has to walk around the school while the student remaining in the classroom has to provide directions. Apart from that, Skype can of course be used for collaboration outside the classroom, fake job interviews, and practising speaking a foreign language. For the latter, being behind a screen truly takes away some of students' fear of speaking.


Requirements
- Device
- STABLE internet connection

Pros
- No personal info needs to be shared
- Works well on all devices
- Students enjoy speaking via their device
- Connects people all around the world

Cons
- Requires stable internet connection

POWTOON
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This week's tool is PowToon, often quite well known amongst educators. PowToon is a perfect tool to liven up your lesson, pique your students' interest, and engage them!

If you're new to PowToon, it's easiest to compare it to a PowerPoint presentation turned into a video. You can create your own animation, using an already existing template or starting from scratch.

The free version of PowToon provides you with 100MB storage and videos with a maximum length of 5 minutes. This is not such a bad deal, considering you should avoid videos longer than 6 minutes; your students will lose interest soon.

PowToon looks very professional and is very easy to use. This means your students can make one, too! Perhaps as an extra assignment for the students who need an extra challenge, or the creative student who doesn't quite grasp a topic yet? Letting the students create something they like using the material you provide them with really build motivation.


Requirements
- Device
- Internet connection

Pros
- Very easy to use
- Can be used by teachers and students
- Great visuals
- Useful templates

Cons
- Extra features/storage requires upgrade

Have you ever used PowToon? Please leave a comment!

Any other suggestions for ICT tools? Please let me know!

HUZZAZ
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Not all ICT tools featured on my website seem suitable for education at first sight. If you take a bit of a closer look though, there are lots of possibilities to use certain tools to your advantage. This certainly goes for Huzzaz.

Huzzaz is a platform where you can stash all your favourite videos. You can place them in folders, similar to playlists, and you can import them from YouTube, Vimeo, or any other video-supporting website. Once you've placed your videos in the correct folder, you can easily embed the videos on your website or any other online learning environment.

That is one way to make good use of this tool; organise your own videos and embed them. This tool, however, may also be very useful for you students. They can collect videos they find interesting or make their own videos and share them later. Apart from that, they'll be able to organise them for example per chapter or even per lesson. You may also want to consider using this tool as an online video portfolio.


Requirements
- Internet connection
- Device
- Videos

Pros
- Very easy to use
- Great for organising
- Supports several websites (YouTube, Vimeo, etc.)
- Can be used as an online portfolio

Cons
- It's only about videos- not other media
- Use requires sign up

Have you ever used Huzzaz? Please leave a comment!

Any other suggestions for ICT tools? Please let me know!

PLAYPOSIT
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Since Zaption, a tool I blogged about some time ago, is almost terminating its services, it's time for a worthy replacement. PlayPosit is not only an easy way to create interactive videos, but it also has a feature that allows you to take all your videos created in Zaption with you, for free!

The concept of PlayPosit is to create interactive videos. You can easily upload a link from Youtube or Vimeo, or of course upload your own video. Subsequently, you can add questions, comments, links, and images to the video. This doesn't only force your students to pay attention to what is being said, but they also process the material immediately. Tip: Don't make your video any longer than 6 minutes. Most students are not able to concentrate for any longer and therefore won't do anything with the content presented to them.

When the students have watched the videos, you can take a look at the analytics to see how they've done. Did they understand the questions? Did they answer correctly? Were they sneaky enough not to do any work?

For foreign languages PlayPosit can be a great way to practise listening skills. Students work on their own pace, they work quietly, and you can see how well each individual student understood the content.

Requirements
- Internet connection
- Laptop/pc/tablet/phone
- Earphones (very important!)

Pros
- Easy to create videos
- You can use your own Zaption videos again
- Useful analytics

Cons
- Making a video, especially in the beginning, can take some time
- Premium features require payment

Have you ever used PlayPosit? Please leave a comment!

Any suggestions for another ICT tool? Please let me know!