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
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Image sharing
Image sharing sites are designed to facilitate asynchronous public sharing of images. Users can utilize these to source and share image resources.
| Flickr (http://flickr.com) | provides a large repository of publicly shared photos (and more recently, videos) that people can use or share using Creative Commons Licenses |
| Instagram (http://instagram.com) | facilitates photo (and video) sharing through individual postings |
| Pics4Learning (http://www.pics4learning.com) | provide archives of pictures that can be used for education via open repository |
| Burst (https://burst.shopify.com) | provide archives of pictures that can be used for education via open repository |
| Pexels (https://www.pexels.com) | provide archives of pictures that can be used for education via open repository |
| Openclipart (http://openclipart.org) | offers general purpose clipart |
| Wikimedia Commons (http://commons.wikimedia.org) | incorporates images (and videos) that can be reused under Creative Commons licenses |
Image creation and editing
Image creation and editing sites enable users to individually create and edit images as well as add effects (e.g. on photos), and then share images via URL. This can be useful when users need to produce and disseminate an image, for instance to represent a concept.
It should be noted that there is also a range of free image creation and editing tools that are available as a software download, for instance the popular Gimp program. There are also several image creation and editing tools that can be operated via some browsers via installation of proprietary extensions or plugins.
| Befunky (http://befunky.com) | provides a simple online photo editing tool with cropping, resizing, colour mixing, exposure and sharpening adjustments as well as filters |
| Pixlr (http://pixlr.com) | provides more powerful image creation and editing facilities with layers and effects much like proprietary commercial software, yet available directly through a web browser |
| Sumopaint (http://sumopaint.com) | provides more powerful image creation and editing facilities with layers and effects much like proprietary commercial software, yet available directly through a web browser |
| DeviantArt (http://muro.deviantart.com) | provides more powerful image creation and editing facilities with layers and effects much like proprietary commercial software, yet available directly through a web browser |
Drawing and painting
Drawing tools allow users to use their mouse as a pen to create a picture and share it via a URL. This can be useful for sketching and illustrating purposes.
| Sketchpad (https://sketch.io/sketchpad) | offers a user-friendly platform to create, share, print and export artworks using a variety of drawing tools |
| Slimber (http://slimber.com) | GONE? enables individual users to replay their creation at speed to see how the image was constructed |
| Flockdraw (http://flockdraw.com) | GONE? enables multiple users to enter a free-form collaborative drawing session through their browser with integrated text chat |
Online whiteboarding
Online whiteboarding tools differ from drawing tools in so far as they include line, shape and text tools (and in some cases other features) to structure the illustrative process.
| Web Whiteboard (http://awwapp.com) | GONE? provides a simple whiteboard for real-time collaborative whiteboarding activities |
| Google Drawing (http://docs.google.com/drawings) | provides more fully featured whiteboarding with live collaboration. |
| Board800 (http://board800.com) | GONE? provides more fully featured whiteboarding with live collaboration |
| CoSketch (http://cosketch.com) | GONE? incorporates text-chat to support live collaboration |
| Twidlla (http://twiddla.com) | facilitates both free drawing using a variety of tools and AI assisted creations, which can be exported as a PDF file. |
| Autodraw (https://www.autodraw.com) | facilitates both free drawing using a variety of tools and AI assisted creations, which can be exported as a PDF file. |
| Canva (https://www.canva.com) ?? | provides user-friendly, layer-based image manipulation functionality to design and create interesting documents |
Diagramming
Diagramming tools impose more structure to the drawing process by offering a range of templates for creating diagrams and flowcharts. This can be useful if users need to quickly develop a procedural schematic diagram.
| Gliffy (http://gliffy.com) | quickly develop a procedural schematic diagram |
| Lucidchart (http://lucidchart.com) | quickly develop a procedural schematic diagram |
| Draw.Io (http://draw.io) | quickly develop a procedural schematic diagram |
| Creately (http://creately.com) | enables collaborative diagram creation, including flowcharts |
| Cacoo (http://cacoo.com) | enables collaborative diagram creation, including flowcharts |
Mindmapping
Mindmapping tools support the development of images to represent interrelated concepts in the form of a visual knowledge network that can be shared via URL. This can be used to represent conceptual and even metacognitive understanding.
| Bubblus (http://bubbl.us) | provides simple text based mindmapping with the ability to save and disseminate maps via URL |
| Mindomo (http://mindomo.com) | provides simple text based mindmapping with the ability to save and disseminate maps via URL |
| Wisemapping (http://wisemapping.com) | provides a large range of editing and formatting features including the ability to embed images |
| Mindmup (http://mindmup.com) | also allows documents and videos to be attached |
| Popplet (http://popplet.com) | allows images, text and freestyle drawing to be organized and linked |
| Mind42 (http://mind42.com) | advanced formatting capabilities, image insertion, and also allow real-time collaborative authoring |
| Mindmeister (http://mindmeister.com) | advanced formatting capabilities, image insertion, and also allow real-time collaborative authoring |
| Slatebox (http://slatebox.com) | advanced formatting capabilities, image insertion, and also allow real-time collaborative authoring |
| Coggle (http://coggle.it) | provides real-time collaborative authoring and the ability to track back through versions of the mindmap to see who has made changes at various points in time |
| Debategraph (http://debategraph.org) | provides groups of users with the ability to visualise a network of documented ideas with features to view the knowledge networks in different ways including as trees, radial graphs, nested and content boxes |
Mapping
Mapping tools support the creation of custom maps by marking up publicly available mapping information, which can then be shared by link or by embedding within another site. This can be useful for representing a travel path or a series of related sites.
| Google Maps (http://maps.google.com) | allows users to pin text, images, and videos to maps that can then be shared by URL |
| Scribblemaps (http://scribblemaps.com) | allows image, text and marker placement on Google maps |
| Google Tours (https://sites.google.com/view/earthedu-community/resources/tutorials/tourbuilder) | enables text, images and videos to be integrated to build a 3D virtual excursion experience |
Word clouds
Word cloud tools enable users to create and share image arrangements of keywords of a text based on the file, text or URL provided by users. This offers educators a visually appealing way to represent a literary composition and also enables lightweight analysis based on the words that are more frequent and thus occur in larger text.
| WordClouds.com (http://wordclouds.com) | visually appealing way to represent a literary composition and also enables lightweight analysis based on the words |
| Tagcrowd (https://tagcrowd.com) | visually appealing way to represent a literary composition and also enables lightweight analysis based on the words |
| Word Art (https://wordart.com/) | visually appealing way to represent a literary composition and also enables lightweight analysis based on the words |