I got an email today passing on “The Top 100 Tools for Learning 2009” list. I know I should have left when some people chose Animoto as their number one choice but I didn’t. I wanted to see what the compiled list from 278 people looked like1.
In order to look at it in a more interactive way, threw the data into Exhibit.
It’s interesting to click around and see the data grouped in different ways. Mostly it makes me think that asking for a top 10 is about 5 items too many.
I also wonder a good bit about what people think of when they list “tools for learning.” Photoshop made it to #35 this year.
1 There are a number of problems I have with the way the whole collection of items works but we’ll ignore that for now.
I’m extremely pissed the bava wasn’t on this list. It’s a god damned learning power tools for Christ’s sake.
I’ll add your name in the #1 spot.
I find it very interesting that Twitter made it into the top 100 learning tools. I’m not exactly sure what type of learning anyone is doing on this website other then reading a comprehensive list of friends’ actions throughout the day. In fact, if we’re going to make Twitter number one on the list, why is Facebook number 31 on the list? Maybe I’m completely naive about the subject, but if these “learning professionals” choose a microblogging tool, then to be honest, maybe they should consider bumping Facebook up on the list because anyone can learn to farm, raise a tank full of fish, and learn about the mafia by using their apps. It looks like we can get a good amount of cross curricular integration in our classes, and hey, we can even avoid human contact for awhile. Don’t get me wrong, I have my share of fun on Facebook, and keep in touch with people I would have otherwise lost touch with, but I would in no way consider this a learning tool of much use, especially in the classroom. And I have a slight feeling that an onslaught of phone calls would pour in the day I try to use it in my classroom.
I do find the list very helpful; however, the rankings do nothing for me, and I wonder what other technology we’re missing out on because social networking is taking up space.