1. Youtube: Youtube has become a common tool in the modern classroom. Youtube can serve as a digital window to the world for your students. Youtube is a great media to show students how others live, think, and communicate. Youtube is ideal for acquiring background information on the peoples, cultures, and places of the world and contains videos and recordings on thousands of themes and subjects. Youtube can also be used as an outlet for students to create and upload videos and share them via social media. http://www.youtube.com
2. Skype: This is an essential tool for facilitating digital connection with others around the world. Through video and audio capabilities, Skype provides a digital platform for students to communicate virtually, facilitating cross-cultural communication and connection. http://www.skype.com
3. ePals: This online global community allows teachers and students to connect directly through online delivery and share inter-culturally. It is essentially an online version of the old-fashioned pen pal idea. Students can connect safely and learn about each other and work on projects together. There are also lesson plans and other activities for teachers and students to utilize. ePals facilitates school-to-school partnerships that can be used for engagement and project-based learning. This media is an excellent venue for meeting all the global competencies. http://www.epals.com
4: Facebook: In this day of social media and instant dissemination of thoughts, opinions, ideas, and information, Facebook stands as a "go-to" site for sharing information. It can be, when used safely, a tool for learning. It provides an ideal venue for students not only to talk and share interests, but also to work collectively on assignments. Facebook can be used internationally in the classroom as a media for students and teachers to interact, collaborate, share ideas, and engage in cross-cultural dialogue. I talk more about social media usage in global ed below. http://www.facebook.com
5. Pinterest: For global education, Pinterest is a great place to get and share ideas. It is easy to stay current on new material in global education. For classroom application, it can be a forum for students to explore topics of interest and post their findings. It can also be used as a class project site where students can collectively post pins dedicated to a particular subject matter with samples, articles, videos, pictures, etc. https://www.pinterest.com
6. Padlet: This may be new bit of tech for some teachers. It is lots of fun to use and is extremely versatile. padlet.com/
How can I use Padlet in the Classroom?
For younger classes, use it as a portfolio to share with parents. Snap pictures of student work and share them.
One can almost uses it as a blog.
Have a class Padlet and put the links to everything else in it. Set the student web browsers to start with that page. If you set it to flow, the work is already at the top. Students will know quickly what they are doing that day.
Have kids sort pictures on Padlet to classify them (and use the Interactive White Board (IWB)).
Use it as a class backchannel and have discussions on it.
Have students work a problem, and snap a picture of how they worked it.