Emerging Web Technologies

Web technologies bring powerful new dimensions to K12 education. Share our key resources in your district.

Interactive Multimedia Technologies (back to top)

Major interactive multimedia technologies and applications that are transforming the Web:

• ActiveX from Microsoft – www.microsoft.com
• Java Technology from Sun – java.sun.com
• QuickTime from Apple – www.apple.com/quicktime
• Shockwave and Flash from Macromedia – www.macromedia.com ; www.shockwave.com

Application Areas

Finding People and Businesses (back to top)

Find telephone numbers, mail and e-mail addresses; the Web knows a lot about YOU!

• AnyWho – www.anywho.com
• Bigfoot – www.bigfoot.com
• InfoSpace – www.infospace.com
• Lycos People Search – www.whowhere.lycos.com
• SuperPages – www.superpages.com
• Switchboard.com – www.switchboard.com
• US Search – www.ussearch.com
• Who2 – www.who2.com

Genealogy Resources (back to top)

Do online historical research and climb family trees on the Web.

• Ancestry.com – www.ancestry.com
• Cyndi's List – www.cyndislist.com
• Ellis Island Foundation – www.ellisisland.org
• FamilyHistory.com – www.familyhistory.com
• FamilySearch – www.familysearch.org
• Genealogy.com – www.genealogy.com
• National Genealogical Society – www.ngsgenealogy.org
• RootsWeb.com – www.rootsweb.com
• USGenWeb Project – www.usgenweb.org
• WorldGenWeb Project – worldgenweb.org

Mapping/Global Information Systems (back to top)

Print maps for any location in the world, plan trips, track traffic in cities and satellites in space.

• A9 Maps – maps.a9.com
• Atlapedia Online – www.atlapedia.com
• Cheap Tickets – www.cheaptickets.com
• Expedia Maps – maps.expedia.com
• FreeTrip.com – freetrip.com
• Google Maps – maps.google.com
• Google Moon – moon.google.com
• Google Earth – earth.google.com
• MapMachine – www.nationalgeographic.com/mapmachine
• MapQuest – www.mapquest.com
• Maps On Us – www.mapsonus.com
• MSN Maps & Directions – www.mapblast.com
• MSN Virtual Earth TerraServer – terraserver.microsoft.com
• Nationalatlas.gov – nationalatlas.gov
• VirtualTourist.com – www.virtualtourist.com
• Yahoo Maps – maps.yahoo.com
• Example: Earth and Moon Viewer – www.fourmilab.ch/earthview/vplanet.html
• Example: Mars Odyssey – mars.jpl.nasa.gov/odyssey

Live Web Cams (back to top)

Look live through cameras situated throughout the United States and across the world.

• AfriCam – www.africam.com
• EarthCam – www.earthcam.com
• Tommy's List of Live Cams Worldwide – www.rt66.com/~ozone/cam.htm
• WeatherCams – cirrus.sprl.umich.edu/wxnet/wxcam.html
• WebCam Central – www.camcentral.com
• Example: Times Square Cam – www.earthcam.com/usa/newyork/timessquare
• Example: Wailing Wall/Jerusalem – aish.com/wallcam
• Example: Corn Cam – www.iowafarmer.com/corncam/corn.html
• Example: Falcon Cam – falcons.55water.com
• Example: Mount St. Helens VolcanoCam – www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/volcanocams/msh

Online Language Translators (back to top)

Translate text and Web sites to and from other languages instantaneously.

• Babel Fish – babelfish.altavista.com
• Free2Professional Translation – www.freetranslation.com
• ImTranslator – translation.paralink.com
• Example: Student Portal in Argentina – www.educ.ar
• Example: Kids Web Japan –www.nippon-jin.com

Intelligent Agents (back to top)

Use online tools for specialized purposes including comparison shopping and tracking information.

• Active Sales Assistant – www.activebuyersguide.com
• Alexa – www.alexa.com
• DealTime – www.dealtime.com
• Excite Shopping – shopping.excite.com
• Froogle – froogle.google.com
• GottaDeal – www.gottadeal.com
• mySimon – www.mysimon.com
• My Yahoo! – my.yahoo.com
• Shopping.com – www.shopping.com
• Woot – www.woot.com

Chats/Forums (back to top)

Find live forums and discussion groups on topics throughout the world.

• Activeworlds – www.activeworlds.com
• Administrators.Net – administrators.net
• Cybertown – www.cybertown.com
• TalkCity – www.talkcity.com
• Tapped In – tappedin.org
• Teacher Focus – teacherfocus.com
• Teachers.Net – teachers.net
• Topica – www.topica.com

Webrings (back to top)

• RingSurf – www.ringsurf.com
• WebRing.com – www.webring.org
• World of Webrings – www.webringworld.com

Instant Messaging "IMs" (back to top)

Use IM services for real-time online conversations with friends and colleagues.

• AOL Instant Messenger – www.aim.com
• Microsoft's MSN Messenger – messenger.msn.com
• Yahoo Messenger – messenger.yahoo.com
• ICQ.com – web.icq.com

Web Phones/VoIP (back to top)

Make free and low-cost Internet telephone calls worldwide.

• Dialpad – dialpad.com
• Net2Phone – www.net2phone.com
• Skype – www.skype.com
• Vonage – www.vonage.com

People Resources (back to top)

Use Web resources to find keypals, mentors and experts in every content area.

• Academy of Achievement – www.achievement.org
• AllExperts.com – allexperts.com
• Ask an Expert Sites – www.k12science.org/askanexpert.html
• Electronic Emissary Project – emissary.wm.edu
• EPALS.com Classroom Exchange – www.epals.com
• ExpertCentral.com – expertcentral.com
• Mentor – www.mentoring.org
• Pitsco's Ask An Expert – www.askanexpert.com

Online Robots (back to top)

• 123-bots – www.123-bots.com
• Agentland – www.agentland.com
• Botspot – www.botspot.com
• Intelligent-Agents.com – www.intelligent-agents.com
• Example: SmarterChild – www.smarterchild.com
• Example: MySiteAgent – mysiteagent.com

Web-Based Tutoring (back to top)

• Smarthinking – www.smarthinking.com
• Tutor/Mentor Connection – www.tutormentorconnection.org
• Tutor.com – tutor.com
• Example: Sioux Falls School District Tutor List – www.sf.k12.sd.us/documents/tutorlist.doc
• Example: Laredo ISD Tutor Program – www.laredoisd.org/tutor

Wiki Sites (back to top)

• Wikipedia – www.wikipedia.org
• Wiki Books – en.wikibooks.org
• Wiki Watch – www.weblogg-ed.com/newsItems/departments/wikiWatch
• Wiki Wiki Web – c2.com/cgi/wiki?WikiWikiWeb
• Example: Teachers' Lounge Wiki – teacherslounge.editme.com

Podcasting (back to top)

• Edupodder.com – www.edupodder.com
• The Podcast Directory – www.podcast.net
• iPodder.org – www.ipodder.org
• iLoveRadio.org – iloveradio.org
• Weblogg-ed – www.weblogg-ed.com
• Podcasting Resources for Educators – www.stager.org/podcasting.html
• Example: ESC From the World – www.matthewbischoff.com

Really Simple Syndication (back to top)

• RSS Quick Start Guide for Educators – www.weblogg-ed.com/rss_for_ed
• FeedForAll – www.feedforall.com
• Bloglines – www.bloglines.com
• Pluck – www.pluck.com
• Example: Bryan Independent School District – www.bryanisd.org
• Example: Meriwether Lewis Elementary School – lewiselementary.org
• Example: Manheim Township School District – www.mtwp.net

Alternative Web Browsers (back to top)

• Firefox – www.getfirefox.com
• Spread Firefox – www.spreadfirefox.comMozilla – www.mozilla.org
• NetCaptor – www.netcaptor.com
• Opera – www.opera.com
• Safari – www.apple.com/safari

Web Furling (back to top)

• Macomb Intermediate School District's Guide to Furl – www.misd.net/il/Docs/index.htm
• Visit My Class – www.visitmyclass.com/blogs/wenzloff
• Furl.net – www.furl.net
• Example: The Wenzloff Archive – www.furl.net/members/wenzloff
• Example: The Craig Nansen Archive – www.furl.net/members/craig_nansen
• Example: The Dyrli Archive – www.furl.net/members/dyrli

Affinity Groups and Wikicities (back to top)

• Google Groups – www.googlegroups.com
• Yahoo Groups – groups.yahoo.com
• MSN Groups – groups.msn.com
• ICQ Groups – www.icq.com/groups
• Wikicities – www.wikicities.com
• Example: High School Online Collaborative Writing – schools.wikicities.com

Net Video/Animation (back to top)

• Atomic Learning – www.atomiclearning.com
• BrainPOP – www.brainpop.com
• Unitedstreaming – www.unitedstreaming.com
• Safari Video Networks – www.safarivideonetworks.com
• Example: Warren Consolidated Schools – www.wcs.k12.mi.us
• Example: Pasadena Unified School District – www.pusd.us
• Example: Dubuque Community Schools – www.dubuque.k12.ia.us

Multimedia Players/Directories (back to top)

Use these technologies, directories and application examples to bring multimedia dimensions to online education.

• Quicktime Player – www.apple.com/quicktime
• RealPlayer/RealOne Player – www.real.com
• RealPlayer Guide – guide.real.com
• Windows Media Player – www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia
• WindowsMedia.com – windowsmedia.com

Audio (back to top)

• American Radio Works – americanradioworks.org
• 8 Notes – www.8notes.com
• Boston Pete – www.bostonpete.com
• Entertainers of the USO – www.6thcorpsmusic.us
• Experience Music Project – www.emplive.com
• Lycos Music – music.lycos.com
• MP3.com – www.mp3.com
• My Sheet Music – www.mysheetmusic.com
• Radio Lovers – www.radiolovers.com
• Rhapsody – listen.com
• Songs for Teaching – www.songsforteaching.com
• Example: Capital Steps – www.capsteps.com
• Example: Mt. Carmel High School Band – www.mchsband.com

Graphics (back to top)

• Altavista Image – www.altavista.com/image
• Google Image Search – images.google.com
• Yahoo Image Search – images.yahoo.com
• Pics4Learning – www.pics4learning.com
• Example: Hubble Heritage Project – heritage.stsci.edu

Film/Virtual Reality/Animation/Multimedia (back to top)

• The Greatest Films – www.filmsite.org
• The Internet Movie Database – www.imdb.org
• IPIX Immersive Imaging – www.ipix.com
• TeachWithMovies.com – www.teachwithmovies.org
• Haptek – www.haptek.com
• HowStuffWorks Animation Tour – www.howstuffworks.com/at-1.htm
• Internet Archive/Wayback Machine – www.archive.org
• Sodaplay – www.sodaplay.com
• Visual Thesaurus – www.visualthesaurus.com
• The Virtual Body – www.ehc.com/vbody.asp
• Example: Greenland – www.greatestplaces.org/medias/media_html/qtvr.html
• Example: The Archaeology Channel – www.archaeologychannel.org
• Example: Mars Rover Animation – www.maasdigital.com
• Example: Snowglobe – ww10.e-tractions.com/snowglobe/globe.htm