They're all FREE- why not give them a try?

There are so many tools out there that could be helpful in education and life in general that are free to sign up for, free to use, and free to access...they are all FREE, FREE, FREE. All you need is an email address which 99.9% of the population has these days. I've been doing lots of reading on how to use technology in education and the number one thing I've come to realize is the how easy it is to started. Twitter, Blogger, Bloglines, Jing, Skype, Yugma, and Second Life are just a few examples of great tools that anyone can use. They each have their own benefits and give you helpful hints on how to get started and great ways to use them effectively. There is no reason that people shouldn't give these programs a shot. Some may not pertain or be helpful to you but others could be life changing.

Skype, for me, is one that not a lot of people know about but many other people live by. I suggest that everyone give it a try because not only is it free to sign up it can be a real money saver. I had heard of it in the past but never used it before studying abroad, now I couldn't live without it. There is no need for a calling card or spending loads of money calling home to the US when I can just sit down to my computer and dial up my family and friends. With skype, you can call land lines for a small fee but if the person you're trying to contact is on their computer, it's free. The video feature is an added bonus because hearing the person's voice is great but having a visual is that much better. I suggest that everyone go to the Skype website and download it because you never know when it will come in handy. Even calling within the US could be improved with the video feature. If you have family across the country, how great would it be to be able to see them while you're chatting?

Relating to education, Skype would be extremely helpful in distance learning. If the school doesn't have access to an ICN classroom or students are stuck at home with illness or bad weather they could just hop onto their computer and dial into the teachers computer and it would be just like they were in class. They could even ask questions and hear what the other students were saying.

Yugma is another one that is free to sign up for and is transforming the way education and collaboration is viewed. How great would it be for everyone to be able to see exactly what's going on on the teacher's computer. With distance education, it's hard because the student can't simultaneously see the teacher and the computer screen. It would be great if people outside of the classroom could collaborate and see what's on the main computer.

Twitter is something that has become a hot topic in the news recently. More and more people are signing up and using twitter regularly. Basically, it's a way for people to keep up to date with what others are up to and there where abouts. There are more and more ways for people to keep in touch. Soon, it won't matter if you're across the world from someone because with all of these programs, as long as you have an internet connection, you can contact anyone, anywhere at the drop of a hat.

The bottom line is ease. So many programs are out there that people are completely unaware of and all you need to do to get started is create an account with an email address. Educators need to just give them a try and see how they could pertain to their individual classrooms. There's no harm in trying because you never know what you'll find along the way and different ways to use these programs that you never knew possible.