2009 Best Web Sites for Teaching and Learning

Selected by the American Association of School Librarians, the 2009 Best Web Sites for Teaching and Learning "foster the qualities of innovation, creativity, active participation, and collaboration." All sites are free and user-friendly.

The AASL has categorized these sites using the organization's Standards for the 21st-Century Learner. Below are the six main categories of the standards with one example of a recommended Web site for each.

Organizing and Managing

Diigo

Web Highlighter and Sticky Notes, Online Bookmarking and Annotation

AASL Tip: Sticky notes are an effective way to start a virtual conversation among teams of students on the merits of a website.

Content Collaboration

Mindmeister

Collaborative Online Mind Mapping

AASL Tip: Effective tools for teams of students to collaboratively brainstorm what they know about a subject and what questions they want to research.

Curriculum Sharing

Partnership for 21st Century Skills

Offers educators information, resources, and tools to understand, identify and integrate the 21st century skills of creativity and innovation, critical thinking and problem solving skills and communication and collaboration skills

AASL Tip: A great resource to help educators learn how to integrate 21st Century Skills into the curriculum.

Media Sharing

Animoto

“The End of Slideshows” -- Create a video in five minutes with photos, graphics, music, text . . .

AASL Tip: A great resource for visual learners! Instead of the typical book report, challenge your students to create a dynamic Animoto to capture the essence of their favorite books.

Virtual Environments

SecondLife

Insert yourself as an avatar in this virtual world and participate in professional development, teaching and learning, interact with musicians and artists, and chat with others.

AASL Tip: Meet with people from all over the world without having to leave your classroom, library, or home office.

Social Networking and Communication

Good Reads

A social network for book lovers; share what you’ve been reading, recommend new books, meet others who like the books you like, and interact with authors

AASL Tip: Teachers can develop a reading group for their students where discussions can develop, suggestions for new material can be found and lovers of particular genres can find each other.


View all 25 sites and their descriptions online at:
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/aasl/guidelinesandstandards/bestlist/bestwebsitestop25.cfm