Tools and Resources relating to: __ Essential Toolbox

  • Checkology | The News Literacy Project - Checkology® Virtual Classroom can help educators, students, and anyone learn how to tell the difference between fact and fiction. Checkology | The News Literacy Project
  • Microsoft 365: Here’s how to get it for free - This blog post by c|net explains how anyone can use Microsoft's Word, Excel, and PowerPoint apps without spending any money.   Microsoft 365: Here's how to get it for free
  • Search Tips: Getting Started - Learn how to find and use library materials at UB and across SUNY. We now have a single, unified system that gives you the ability to search databases, UB library collections, and all SUNY campus library catalogs, all in one place, all at one time.   Search Tips: Getting Started  
  • Research Skills Tutorial - This is a self-paced, non-credit course that covers research skills, critical thinking, media and internet literacy, and understanding the complexities of the modern information environment (including libraries.)   Research Skills Tutorial   Keywords: Advanced Searching
  • Recast Studio – Online Video Editor - Recast focuses on helping creators to produce professional-quality videos in minimum clicks. Making video is time consuming. The entire process of editing the video is broken down to increase the speed of making the video, helping creators focus on the important aspects like storytelling and less on learning how to edit videos.   Recast Studio is built so that creators can spend more time doing what matters, such as publishing quality content.  Recast Studio is a cloud-based online video editor that help creators repurpose text, audio or video into dynamic social videos. Recast Studio’s online video maker comes with all the editing features like trim, crop, cut, rotate & flip videos and it has features like automatically adding captions to video, adding and animating images to videos.   Recast Studio - Online Video Editor
  • Equation Editor - This application includes a complete math equation editor along with the option to discuss math problems in a common forum. This application includes a full-featured math equation editor is included and you can easily write calculus, matrices, determinants, or trigonometry equations with a user-friendly interface. All symbols are included and most frequently used symbols are accessible with a single click. You can also share equations edited/created using this app as images and write a math equation using three different colors to explain solutions.   Equation Editor
  • Mega - MEGA provides secure cloud storage and communication. Privacy protection is built-in by design. This service provides end-to-end encryption. In the future, MEGA will continue to develop innovative products and features that complement its existing platform to help improve security on the Internet without compromising on usability.   Mega
  • New to Working Remotely? These Resources Can Help – LinkedIn free training resources - Almost overnight, remote work has become mainstream. Companies around the world are encouraging their employees to work from home to prioritize the health and safety of their workforce and communities amid coronavirus. Working through this rapid change can be hard and we’re moving quickly to help members get information they can trust, stay connected to their community and learn how to be more productive and successful in their jobs.   New to Working Remotely? These Resources Can Help - LinkedIn free training resources
  • WebEx - Cisco Webex is a web conference tool that enables fully interactive video and audio connections with people locally and around the world. WebEx provides web conferencing and desktop sharing through a web browser. Share whatever you're viewing on your computer with everyone in the meeting. A WebEx account isn't needed to connect to an established meeting. Collaborate in real-time using whiteboarding, note-taking, and annotation tools. WebEx also allows the option for participants to connect to a meeting using a phone. This is helpful when the person does not have access to a computer, if their computer does not have a microphone, to just to get better quality audio on low bandwidth connections.   WebEx   Keywords: webconferencing, webconference
  • Ultimate Guide to Easily Make Instructional Videos - A wonderful outline on how to create educational videos, including how-to videos, tutorial, and instructional videos.   Ultimate Guide to Easily Make Instructional Videos
  • Screenshot Tools, Tips, and Shortcuts: How to Capture Anything on Your Screen - Screenshots are a simple way to show what displays on your screen. Screengrabs can help you point out a bug, save a picture on Facebook to your camera roll, or demonstrate anything you see on your screen. All operating systems comes equipped with a screenshot tool. Use this guide to help you take screenshots.   Screenshot Tools, Tips, and Shortcuts: How to Capture Anything on Your Screen: The Best Screenshot Apps and Shortcuts   Keywords: screengrab, screenshot
  • Answer Garden - A tool that can be used for real-time classroom brainstorming or online homework. Can be used in the classroom, for professional development, creativity and more. Results can be displayed in a visual Wordcloud format with the most often used responses showing in relatively larger text-size. AnswerGarden   Keywords: response, polling, wordcloud, audience response, classroom response
  • Panopto: Lecture Capture - Panopto is a lecture-capture program.  It is used to record any activity on a computer to an online video.  The video is then indexed automatically for certain events, such as each slide advance of PowerPoint slides.  Panopto records audio as well, along screen activity such as clicking on the screen and navigating web pages, the computer's folders, and the use of software to display any activity.  The videos can be saved on the local computer, but the real power is that they are saved in a Panopto server for streaming to many people at once. There is also an editing function available as part of the Panopto full software download.   Panopto   Keywords: lecture capture, screencast, podcasts
  • Pixabay - Discover the best source for free images and videos. Free for commercial use. No attribution required. Over one million royalty free photos, illustrations and vector graphics - and thousands of free video clips. All images and footage on Pixabay are released under Creative Commons CCO: Free for commercial use, no attribution required.   Pixabay   Keywords: photos, stock photos, images, videos, Creative Commons  
  • TED Talks - TED Talks: ideas worth spreading include talks from speakers from a variety of backgrounds who provide thought-provoking presentations about a wide variety of topics. The short TED Talk videos average 10 to 18 minutes. This is a powerful tool for life long learning. The talks are given by people from all walks of life who share insights about a wide variety of topics.   TED Talks   5 Benefits Of Watching Ted Talks   Keywords: Lifelong Learning, Video  
  • 24 Tips for Creating High Quality Screencasts - This article provides useful tips for creating screencasts. Screencasts capture the content on the computer screen which can also be combined with additional graphics, presentations, and audio.   24 Tips for Creating High Quality Screencasts   Keywords: audio, podcasts, presentations, recording, screencast, video
  • WhatsApp - This app is a cross-platform messaging and Voice over IP service that can be used to send text messages and voice calls, as well as video calls, images and other media.   WhatsApp Keywords: Audio, Collaboration, Video  
  • YouTube - Get started with YouTube, playing, watching, and creating videos. YouTube is a video-sharing site available in nearly every country and over fifty different languages. Anyone with an Internet connection can share content, whether they are organizations with large budgets or an individual with a video camera. The material is organized into channels and users can create their own private channels. YouTube is an extremely large platform that allows people to upload videos to the internet to inform, entertain, and share things with people around the world. Although many people think of YouTube as an entertainment-based website, the number of educational videos are innumerable. You can teach yourself almost any skill by watching Youtube videos. Youtube is a very useful tool to not only learn things but also to network with other people. So many people have connected through similar interests on Youtube. ...
  • YouTube – Edit Captions - When creating videos, it is important to use captioning so that the information is accessible to everyone regardless of disability. You can edit or remove the captions of your YouTube video by using the captions editor tool.   Edit Captions in YouTube Videos   Related resources: YouTube - Automatic transcriber YouTube - Contribute Captions and Translated Content in YouTube   Keywords: video, accessibility, captions, captioning, transcript
  • Google Docs Voice Typing - In Google Docs you can type with your voice instead of your fingers by using the Voice Typing tool, turning voice into written word. In addition to straight dictation, this tool enables you to edit a document. Some examples include highlighting text, inserting a link, deleting words, changing text layout, or adding comments.   Google Docs - Type with your voice   How to use Google Docs Dictation   Keywords: Audio, Blogs, Digital Literacy, Mobile Apps, Presentations, Productivity Tools, Wikis  
  • WeVideo – Collaborative Online Video Editor in the Cloud - WeVideo is the online video editor that makes it easy to capture, create, view and share your movies at up to 4K resolution for playback anywhere. Videos can be uploaded easily from DropBox, and edited online from multiple devices.   WeVideo   Review: WeVideo is a cloud-based video editor that makes editing in your browser fun and simple - An easy-to-read description of how this tool works. The Video Marketing Best Practices You Need To Know - This site offers a free download for the book, "Tips For Creating The 6 Most Common Business Videos"   Keywords: Presentations, Productivity Tools, Recording, Social Media, Video
  • Google Calendar - Google Calendar is a time-management and scheduling calendar service developed by Google. Google Calendar allows users to create and edit events. Reminders can be enabled for events, with options available for type and time. Event locations can also be added, and other users can be invited to events.   Google Calendar   Google Help - Calendar Support - Help getting started with Google Calendar and information about notifications, sharing, syncing, importing events, and more. 26 tricks to help you tame Google Calendar - Many of Gcal's best features lurk beneath the surface. This site helps you handle it like a pro.   Keywords: File Management
  • Google Drive (and Google Docs) - Google Drive is a file storage and synchronization service developed by Google that allows users to store files in the cloud, synchronize files across devices, and share files. In addition to a website, Google Drive offers apps with offline capabilities for Windows and macOS computers, and Android and iOS smartphones and tablets. Google Drive encompasses Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides, which are parts of the office suite that permits collaborative editing of documents, spreadsheets, presentations, drawings, forms, websites, and more. Files created and edited through the office suite are saved in Google Drive. Google Docs is the original term that described the tools that now make up a portion of the Google Drive suite of applications. Drive is  a place to store your files and Docs refers to the applications that make up the suite of tools found within Google Drive to ...
  • Canva – A powerful online graphic design platform - Canva is a graphic design platform that allows users to create social media graphics, presentations, posters, and other visual content. It is available on web and mobile and integrates millions of images, fonts, templates, and illustrations. Users can choose from many professionally designed templates, and edit the designs and upload their own photos through a drag and drop interface. The platform is free to use, and paid subscriptions like Canva Pro and Canva for Enterprise offer additional functionality. Users can also pay for physical products to be printed and shipped. This free presentation software gives you access to hundreds of beautifully designed layouts to create presentations on any topic. There are other online design tools like Canva but when it comes to creating high-quality graphics and designs quickly, easily, and for free there are few tools that can match Canva's offering. Whether you're ...
  • Google Slides - Google Slides is Google's free presentation editor. Because it is included in the Google Docs/Drive suite, you can readily use it to collaborate on presentations with colleagues or students no matter where you are. Google Slides is very similar to Microsoft's PowerPoint (PPT). Like many online tools, it allows groups to work together to create and edit online presentations. Google Slides is web-based - it is easy to access it from various mobile devices.   Google Slides   Get Started with Google Slide - Getting Started with Google Slides provides tips for the beginner. 2017 Updates to Google Slides - Youtube Video - Created by TeacherCast, this YouTube video details the new updates and functionality of Google Slides.   Keywords: Collaboration, Flipped Learning, Presentations
  • Google – Advanced Image Search - Click the tab labeled "Images" when using Google to limit your searches to just images. You can then click on "Tools" to reveal advanced search options. Advanced options include size, color, type, and the timeframe of when the image became available. The most useful feature of the Google image search is being able to limit your results based on its usage rights to locate images that are able to be used based on the image's license information. Google recently changed the way image license info is displayed. When filtering by Usage Rights -> Creative Commons licenses, a badge that says “Licensable” is displayed over photos in search results. When you click a badged photo to view, you’ll see a link to the license details of that photo. A reverse image search option is also available by dragging an image into the Google search ...
  • Open-NYS - Open-NYS is the collaboration of the State University of New York (SUNY) and the City University of New York (CUNY) to provide support for the implementation of Open Educational Resources (OER) across both systems.   Open NYS   Getting Started with Open Resources - Guide to help educators adopt, adapt and build open resources for the classroom.   Keywords: Open Educational Resources (OER) & Open Access
  • Pixlr - Pixlr is a cloud-based set of image tools and utilities, including a number of photo editors, a screen grabber browser extension, and a photo sharing service. The suite was intended for non-professionals, however, the apps range from simple to advanced photo editing. PIXLR   Pixlr Support Page - The link to the Pixlr Support and FAQ page. WikiHow - How to Use the Pixlr Online Image Editor - This wikiHow teaches you how to navigate and use the options in the Pixlr online image editor in order to make changes to an image or photo.   Keywords: Media, Photos & Images Review Accessibility/Security Info
  • Zoom - Zoom is a video conferencing and web conferencing service that provides video, phone, and chat services. The basic package is free and hosts up to 100 participants, and an unlimited number of meetings. The basic package includes video conferencing, web conferencing, and group collaboration features such as polling and whiteboards. ZOOM has been noted to be more reliable and easier to use than competing software. The use of the platform is free for video conferences of up to 100 participants, with a 40-minute time limit. For longer or larger conferences with more features, paid subscriptions are available. Features geared towards business conferences, such as Zoom Rooms for large audiences, are also available at higher subscription costs.   Zoom   Keywords: Audio, Collaboration, Mobile Apps, Recording, Screencast, Video, Webinar, webconference, webconferencing
  • Google Meet - Google Meet is a webconferencing platform that includes instant messaging, voice, and video calls. It is useful for individual and group conversations. Technology that connects us while we're apart and video meetings can bring us together—whether we’re working with teammates, talking to healthcare professionals, sharing with loved ones, or learning from home. Note: Google Meet has replaced Google Hangouts within G Suite.   Google Meet   Review of Google Hangouts - This review discusses the pros and cons of Google Hangouts, features, and tips for getting started.   Keywords: Audio, Collaboration, File Management, Mobile Apps, Video, Webconference, Web meeting
  • Audacity - Free audio recording and editing software that rivals many commercial tools. Record live audio through a microphone or digitize recordings imported from other media. Audacity's capabilities rival many commercial tools. The Save menu in Audacity saves files in the Audacity proprietary format (AUP). Select the menu Export > Export as MP3 format for easy playback of audio files created in Audacity.   Audacity   Audacity's Help Pages - Tutorials and tips on using Audacity. Audacity in Education - Wiki page by Audacity team with best educational uses and examples of uses by several institutions.   Keywords: audio, media, Recording, podcasts Review Accessibility/Security Info
  • SoundCloud - Discover, stream, and share a constantly expanding mix of music from emerging and major artists around the world. SoundCloud is described as a 'social sound platform' and is basically the same as Youtube but for audio files. With SoundCloud you can follow millions of people, musicians, radio channels and podcasts on a vast range of topics or you can create your own channel and upload recordings for people to listen to.   SoundCloud   Get Started on SoundCloud - Guide to starting and managing a SoundCloud account with support resources. Podcasting on SoundCloud - Resource page to get started with recording your podcasts.   Keywords: audio, media, recording, podcasts Review Accessibility/Security Info