When I was asked to share a resource, I wasn’t sure where to start. There are so many, it can be overwhelming for even the most tech savvy. So, as I began the process of narrowing down my choices, I thought about the resources I use the most or allow me to gain a lot with a minimal amount effort or time investment. Knowing that I’m not the only teacher with time constraints, I chose the latter of the two – resources where I can quickly see what may or may not work for my purposes (perhaps through a short video demo), what other educators have to say about it (good AND bad), how much it costs (really looking for FREE), and on which platforms it works. Once I thought about this, my choice was easy – Edshelf!
As described on their website, Edshelf is a “discovery engine of websites, mobile apps, desktop programs, and electronic products for teaching and learning.” Its directory is created by teachers and parents, for teachers and parents. So, each app/program/website contains the information that matters most to us.
Can I tell you how much I LOVE Edshelf, and for a variety of reasons. At the top of my list are their newsletters. Believe me, I am not a fan of receiving a lot of unnecessary and useless email. But, Edshelf’s newsletter, which arrives almost every Monday, is very informative, short and to the point. Quickly, I can scan it for the tools that might be of interest to me or a colleague. Since the tools are hyperlinked, I can click a tool of interest and arrive directly on its page on Edshelf.
As described on their website, Edshelf is a “discovery engine of websites, mobile apps, desktop programs, and electronic products for teaching and learning.” Its directory is created by teachers and parents, for teachers and parents. So, each app/program/website contains the information that matters most to us.
Can I tell you how much I LOVE Edshelf, and for a variety of reasons. At the top of my list are their newsletters. Believe me, I am not a fan of receiving a lot of unnecessary and useless email. But, Edshelf’s newsletter, which arrives almost every Monday, is very informative, short and to the point. Quickly, I can scan it for the tools that might be of interest to me or a colleague. Since the tools are hyperlinked, I can click a tool of interest and arrive directly on its page on Edshelf.
Once I’m on the selected tool’s page, I can view a short video demo of the tool, read a brief description, view pricing, reviews by other teachers, related tools, as well as a link to “Get this tool.”
If I’m looking for a specific tool or kind of tool, I can go directly to Edshelf and conduct an quick search. EdShelf allows me to narrow my results by price, age, subject, platform, and/or category. Once I’ve done this, I’m usually presented with a plethora of tools that I’m able to simply click on an app of interest to learn more about it. |
And, if you would really like to share your finds and opinions with the rest of the community, you can also add tools and reviews to the directory.
In the end, Edshelf is my “go to” resource when I’m looking for just the right technological tool for my course. It is a quick, reliable source for apps, programs, and websites that can help me improve my instruction and my students’ learning.
~ Mrs. Lisa Turner, Ed.D Central York High School Language Arts/21st Century Skills CYHS Technology Coordinator |