Based on: Bower, M., & Torrington, J. (2020). Typology of free web-based learning technologies (2020). EDUCAUSE digital library. https://library.educause.edu/resources/2020/4/typology-of-free-web-based-learning-technologies
(Return to Introduction to Typology of Free Web-based Technologies)
(Search by Instructional Function – opens GoogleSheet in new tab)
Online book creation
Online book creation sites enable individual users to create a story based on pictures and text, and share them via URL or repository. These can allow adults to publish and distribute their work in book form, and there are also a range of tools that support story composition by younger students.
| StoryJumper (http://www.storyjumper.com) | allows students to create and publish e-books by uploading their images and text |
| Tikatok (http://tikatok.com) | GONE? allows students to create and publish e-books by uploading their images and text |
| StoryBird (http://storybird.com) | provides a wide variety of artistic theme-based templates and graphics to enhance and structure story creation |
| Mixbook (http://mixbook.com) | well-renowned site for creating books based on uploaded photos than enables collaborative authoring and sharing (including in print form) |
| Book Creator (https://bookcreator.com) | provides a user-friendly interface to combine text, images, audio and video to create, read or publish books |
Comic strip creation
Comic strip creation sites allow users to drag and drop characters and backgrounds into templates and then overlaying individualized images and text. Comics are often used as elementary yet motivating ways to summarize scenarios or demonstrate processes.
| Storyboard That (http://storyboardthat.com) | allows users to drag and drop characters and backgrounds into templates and then overlaying individualized images and text |
| MakebeliefsComix (http://makebeliefscomix.com) | allows users to drag and drop characters and backgrounds into templates and then overlaying individualized images and text |
| Pixton (http://pixton.com) | allows users to drag and drop characters and backgrounds into templates and then overlaying individualized images and text |
| WittyComics (http://wittycomics.com) | provides an adult genre for their comics |
Animated videos
Animated video sites enable creation and sharing of animated videos and presentations through drag-and-drop interfaces with a large variety of elements, styles and templates. This is useful for creating videos without the need to shoot footage.
| Powtoons (http://powtoon.com) | enables creation and sharing of animated videos and presentations |
| Moovly (http://moovly.com) | enables creation and sharing of animated videos and presentations |
| DigitalFilms (http://digitalfilms.com) | GONE? enables creation and sharing of animated videos and presentations |
| Voki (https://www.voki.com) | creates customisable animated speaking avatars from written text, that can be shared to a range of platforms |