10 Epic Digital Tools That I Can't Live Without! Digital tools are the meat and potatoes of my work day. There are so many wonderful digital tools that make life easier and more fun! I often get asked about what tools I prefer for certain tasks, so I thought it would be useful to share some of my favorites. This is by no means an exhaustive list of tools that I use, but these are the ones that I don’t want do without, and yes, they are EPIC! |
Google Drive: No surprise here! I store all of my files in Google Drive, which of course syncs across all of my devices. Of course I also use Drive to create documents, spreadsheets, presentations and more. I cannot tell you the last time I used Microsoft Office. Google Drive allows me to store, create, and most importantly, collaborate! (Tip: Google storage is fairly cheap. If the free 15 GB (personal accounts) isn’t enough for you, it’s easy to upgrade. Plus if you buy a chromebook, you get 100 GB free for a year.) Be sure to peruse all of my Google Drive resources here, including the New Google Drive Cheat Sheet. |
Google Chrome Browser: If you are reading this and still using Internet Explorer by choice, close the browser now! IE is Evil! Chrome is better, faster, more secure, and offers you a million ways to customize with themes, apps and extensions! Check out some of my favorite Chrome Apps and Extensions here. |
Diigo: Diigo is a social bookmarking and web annotation tool, and much more! If you are still using favorites in Internet Explorer, I repeat, stop using Internet Explorer! Get smart and save your bookmarks to the web where you can access them from anywhere, on any device! I bookmark everything in Diigo (follow me here). Diigo has some amazing features for teachers and students, so be sure you check out my 8 Reasons You Should Be Using Diigo. |
Weebly: Weebly is a very easy-to-use website creator. The Shake Up Learning website and blog are running on Weebly Pro. I do not have a lot of time to maintain servers, updates and plugins, so Weebly is a must for me. There are tons of professional-looking templates to choose from. The free version offers a lot of features for teachers and students, including blogs, forms, file uploads and more! Be sure you sign up for the education account. |
Snagit: I have the full version of the Snagit software, and also use the Snagit Chrome extension and App. I use the software to annotate screenshots when I’m creating tutorials and cheat sheets. It’s very easy to use. I use the Chrome the extension and app on the fly, and for less complicated annotations. Snagit is always adding new features to make it even better. Be sure to follow Kelly Rush to get the latest on Snagit! |
Canva: Canva makes design simple! You can create designs for print and the web, including templates for social media! So if you are wondering how to create an image for Pinterest, update your Twitter or Facebook profile, or even create a poster for your classroom, Canva has you covered. I frequently use Canva to design images for my blog posts, including this one! I also love to use Canva to design presentations. If you haven’t tried Canva, you must stop what you are doing and check it out! Go ahead, I’ll wait… |
PicMonkey: PicMonkey is an amazingly simple image creator and editor. I use PicMonkey to create logos, fine tune images, and create collages. It’s web-based and allows me to use my own fonts. I frequently combine the power of PicMonkey and Canva to create exactly what I want. I even pay for the additional Royale features ($33/year), but there are tons of free features to make any teacher happy! Here’s a recent PicMonkey blog post full of ideas for teachers. |
Google+: Many of your know that I am very active on Google+ (follow me). It has become my favorite social media platform, and has allowed me to connect and collaborate with some brilliant educators across the globe. If you are not yet on board, check out my 5 Reasons Educators Should Use Google+ to learn more. |
Hootsuite: Keeping up with all of your social media accounts can be a challenge to say the least. Hootsuite helps me make sense of the chaos! I use Hootsuite to manage multiple Twitter accounts, Google+ pages and LinkedIn, but it will also connect to Facebook and many other social media accounts that may float your boat. Hootsuite allows me to schedule my posts so that I can attempt to keep things flowing at a nice pace for my audience. There is also a new feature that will suggest content based on your selected topics. |
Pinterest: My world would not be complete without the inspiration of Pinterest! This tool allows me to not only curate resources onto digital boards, but also allows me to collaborate and discover hidden treasures across the web. Currently, I have 71 boards! Most of those are for educational resources, but I also use Pinterest to find recipes, crafts, fashion, and travel spots! New to Pinterest? Check out this list of 35 Educators You Should Follow on Pinterest. |