This post will be the master list of all the different tools that are helpful to people involved in distance education and online learning, sorted by what platform used.


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Browser-based Tools
  • Blackboard - Commercial server-side learning management system used to add online elements to courses traditionally delivered face-to-face and to develop completely online courses with few or no face-to-face meetings. Similar to Moodle.
  • Blogger - Google-provided weblog service tied to your Google Account. Integrate other Google tools like Picasa image hosting, use forms made in Google Docs, share your Google Calendar or Google Books Library, and update your Google Reader with different blog's posts.
  • CampusCruiser - commercial course/learning management system with integrated communications such as email, news, forums, chat, and mobile alert functions.
  • Google Docs - Google-provided office suite tied to your Google Account. Create, share, and collaborate rich-text documents, presentations, spreadsheets and more. Download created files in most open and proprietary formats. Upload "any file" (with size restrictions) and share it for free. Only the owner of the file must have a Google Account, collaborators and downloaders may be anonymous.
  • Streaming Media - Fresno Pacific University has a streaming server that the Center for Online Learning uses to host files for the faculty and staff teaching courses on campus and online. Often we convert videos from VHS and DVD formats to do so.
  • Mindomo - Mind maps are used to generate, visualize, structure, and classify ideas, and as an aid in study, organization,problem solving, decision making, and writing. Mindomo is an online mind map application where users can create, view and share a number of mind maps in their browser.
  • Moodle - Open Source course/learning management system designed to create online courses with a focus on interaction and collaborative construction of content. Extended through "modules" that allow you to do almost anything you can imagine. Similar to Blackboard.
  • Ning - Create-your-own social network. Commercial. Educators may have an option for a free 150 member network, but that hasn't been finalized yet.
  • Prezi - web-based presentation application and storytelling tool that uses a single canvas instead of traditional slides.
  • Stickam - free service to host and embed video files and live videos - chat live with up to 12 people at a time.
  • TaskStream - commercial learning management system with similarities to Moodle and Blackboard.
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iPhone, iPad, iPod Tools
We currently have no iPhone, iPad, or iPod tools listed. Please check back later, thank you.
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    Win/Mac Tools
    • Dropbox - Cloud storage of your files means that you can access them from any computing device that has internet access. Dropbox is a free or paid utility that gives you the ability to sync files directly from the file browser.
    • Open Source Applications
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    Windows Tools
    • Notepad++ - Open source text and source code editor that supports syntax highlighting (and folding) for 48 programming languages, including web-programming languages such as JavaScript, PHP, ASP, and HTML. Vim and Komodo Edit are other Open Source programming text editors that run also on MacIntosh and Linux.
    • Raptivity - commercial tool for schools to develop learning tools and games to use and embed in online courses.
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    Mac Tools
    We currently have no Mac-only tools, check also the Win & Mac Tools section.
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      Linux Tools
      We'd also list Linux-only tools, but the list would be much too long simply from the tools you can download for Ubuntu using the Software Manager!
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