This list represents my thinking as of the end of June 2009.... PLEASE join this wiki and add YOUR ideas! Please DO NOT edit out the contributions of others, simply add your examples or add your ideas to the Special Consideration Section at the bottom of this list! You can always email me if you have concerns, complaints or compliments...

THANKS IN ADVANCE!

Gail - Gail@GailLovely.com

Gail Lovely
twitter: glovely
Skype: GailLovely

The Tenth Best Web 2.0 Tool for Early Learning!

Vocaroo

Easy tool for recording sound and embedding into websites.

Link: http://www.vocaroo.com

Why it matters - easy integration of speech (or other sounds) is especially useful for young learners who may not be fluent or capable readers.

Examples:

Ninth Best Web 2.0 for Young Learners

SimplyBox

Bookmarking tool which creates an easy, pictoral representation of websites which can be navigated by non-readers and easily accessed by teachers and students.

Link: http://simplybox.com

Why it matters - ease of collection of good sites, ease of sharing and the ability for even young students to use these as access points to websites.

Example: http://simplybox.com/public/?id=27729

Eighth Best Web 2.0 Tool for Young Learners

Kerpoof

Interactive creative tool. Create "movies", scenes, and more.

Link: www.kerpoof.com

Why it matters - young learners can create a variety of products with appropriate elements (perspective, etc.) and learn beginning skills for future video and audio editing and more.

Seventh Best Web 2.0 Tool for Young Learners

YackPack!

link: http://yackpack.com

Why? voice-driven communication device - can be private or public - on a website for all.

Why it matters - ability to send and share information, instructions privately to one or many is key. Imagine multilingual instructions, different instructions for different students and more!

Sixth Best Web 2.0 Tool for Young Learners

Glogster (edu)

link: http://www.glogster.com/edu/

Why? Interactive "posters" in a private or public world... GREAT way to share information, ideas, and thoughts.

Fifth Best Web 2.0 Tool for Young Learners

Animoto

link: http://www.animoto.com or for the education version: http://education.animoto.com/

Why? The ease of use and the focus on the images and the order of images rather than on editing and STILL an interesting and wondrous product!

examples: http://simplyteaching.blogspot.com/2008/10/more-animoto-video-poems-based-on-red.html

Fourth Best Web 2.0 Tool for Young Learners

Skype!

link: http://www.skype.com

Why? COMMUNICATION and Connecting with the REAL world!

Video window:

Resources: Skype with Authors http://skypeanauthor.wetpaint.com/

Third Best Web 2.0 Tool for Young Learners

VoiceThread!

link: http://voicethread.com

Why? Meaningful discussion of images and concepts - through voice or through writing. Use of images to provoke thought and discussion.

Examples:

http://voicethread.com/#q.b80590.i411457

http://voicethread.com/#q.b119840.i725961

http://voicethread.com/#q.b4973.i38883

Second Best Web 2.0 Tool for Young Learners

Blogs!

Why? Versatility, powerfully engaging, authentic audience and authentic purpose.

A FEW examples…(I had a hard time choosing)

Kindergarten: http://classblogmeister.com/blog.php?blogger_id=51141

Grade one: http://classblogmeister.com/blog.php?blogger_id=1337

Grade Two: http://2mgems.blogspot.com/

Grade Four: http://classblogmeister.com/blog.php?blogger_id=94924

Grade Five: http://classblogmeister.com/blog.php?blogger_id=88116

Teacher Blogs: http://chalkdust101.wordpress.com/

More Class Blogs: http://lipskymatthews.blogspot.com/ and http://wwwmrshumphreys3d.blogspot.com/ and http://upperhouse.edublogs.org/

Tools:

Blogger: www.blogger.com

Class Blogmeister: http://classblogmeister.com/index.php

21Classes: http://www.21classes.com/

Gaggle: https://www.gaggle.net

Yola: http://www.yola.com

AND, the number ONE, THE Best Web 2.0 Tool for Young Learners














Wikis!

Why? Versatility! They can be anything and do almost anything!

A few examples – focus on different uses

–https://monsterproject.wikispaces.com/Mrs.+Valentine%27s+2nd

–http://responsibilities.wikispaces.com/

–http://terrythetennisball.wikispaces.com/

–http://room2-wiki6.wikispaces.com/

Tools:

–http://www.wetpaint.com

–http://pbwiki.org

–http://www.wikispaces.com

For Special Consideration:

Voki

link: http://www.voki.com

Uses? Students reading spelling words (giving the test?), as avatars, narrators to blogs and wikis ...


Create a Graph!
Link: http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/createAgraph/default.aspx
Why? Tool which makes data and graphing easy to demonstrate and easy to create... encourages polling and graphing and numbers all in one and it is reliable!


Yola

link: http://yola.com

Great, easy and beautiful websites - hosted here or on your own place...


Bubbl.us

Link: http://bubbl.us

Easy-to-use mind mapping online tool which allows for collaboration and saving and sharing of the "maps"


And also:
Flickr Storm: http://www.zoo-m.com/flickr-storm/
Read The Words (it reads the words...): http://www.readthewords.com/
LetterPop (simple newsletter templates and tools): http://letterpop.com
Moourl (url shortener): http://moourl.com
Bubbleshare (image manipulation and more): http://www.bubbleshare.com/
Drop.io File Sharing and storage: http://drop.io
TinyPaste (share snippets of text via link): http://tinypaste.com/
Wordle (make word clouds): http://wordle.net
Jing: http://www.jingproject.com