Will Rogers once said, “Half our life is spent trying to find something to do with the time we have rushed through life trying to save.” Can you believe how fast the summer is passing? Does it seem like time is your enemy? Use these free and time-ly applications to track time, count-down time, manage time, save time, or to help students learn how to tell time.

Track, Manage, and Save Time

• Clocking It – this tracking application makes it simple to develop projects, collaborate (if need be), and track different aspects of various projects. Registration requires a valid email address, but does not require verification. When you set up your account you can assign yourself (or your classroom) a dedicated web address (generally speaking, dedicated web addresses appeal to network managers because specific addresses can be unblocked, rather than determining whether an entire application should be unblocked). I found there was a learning curve involved in using this application, so give your self some time to experiment and work with it prior to sharing it with students or colleagues. I would also suggest that you “un-check” the send notifications boxes that are automatically checked when you create a new task (otherwise, you can expect to get a lot of email reminders). This tool could be used to help high school students manage large projects and track time. It would also be a good tool for educators who serve as consultants, especially if they are shared by more than one school or district. At the end of each month a consultant who used this application could pull up charts and graphs to share with principals or administrators.
• Paymo Timetracker – this timetracking application was easy to set up and is designed to address the needs of 1-3 employees (each student could set up an account that included him/herself and an instructor if this application was being used to track a long-term project). Registration required a valid email account, but email verification was not required to use the tool. You can also personalize an account with a dedicated website address. I found this application a bit more intuitive to navigate than Clocking It and particularly liked the stop-watch timing device, which I found easy to access and use.
• Emergent Task Timer – this online bubble sheet can be used to track time. It is a prototype of a Flash-based time-tracking tool and is based on anEmergent Time Tracking PDF worksheet. This timer does not communicate with the site server, so you will have to complete the online worksheet and print it in order to use it as a task timing tool.
• Chron me – initially, I thought this application was a simple count-down application much like the devices I am sharing later in my post. After working with it briefly, I realized this is a simple, but effective time-tracking tool. It could not be easier to use. Simply click on the start/stop button when you start a project and click on it again to record and chronicle how you spent your time. This would be a great tool to show students as you ask them to track their time in the computer lab or library. Your recorded time can be downloaded and saved in a comma or semi-colon separated format.
• Naked Alarm Clock – the following application could be used as an alarm clock on the road or in the office. Click on the image below to access the application.
  

Count-Down the Time

• e.ggtimer.com – this nifty looking application could not be simpler to use. Simply type the time you would like to count down in the form and click go. No registration required. This would be a great application to project during a timed activity.
• I.D.E.A.S. Online Timer – click on the image below to access an excellent online timer that counts up or down.
  
• TimeMe.com – click on the image below to access a simple and easy to use online timer that would project nicely in the front of the classroom…
  
• Online-Timer – Use this timer/stopwatch full screen or as is in your classroom by clicking on the image below…
  
• Classroom Timer – Count time up or down with this simple online application…
  
• Fiery Ideas Timer – this fun and colorful timer features music and a graphically appealing interface. Click on the image below to access and use the timer…
  
• One Plus You Count-Down Timer – customize and create a countdown timer widget (similar to the one below) that you can embed on a webpage or blog…
  

  Created by OnePlusYou

Telling Time and More…

I created the It’s About Time portal website as a go-to place where teachers and students could learn how to tell time, learn about daylight savings time, time management and more. I hope you enjoy the site, as well as the time-ly resources included in this post. Simply click on the image below to access the site…

Yesterday I shared three Web 2.0 organizational tools that could be used in schools by teachers, administrators, and/or students. Today I will share some additional resources that could be used to organize and ease your lives. Please check with your Technology Coordinator prior to implementing any of these Web 2.0 tools on a large scale and test them prior to sharing them with students. Although I review these resources with security and safety in mind, some school policies and filtering systems are more conservative than others.

Toodledo is another to-do tool that makes it easy to permanently store and access all those lists and to-do’s so you can relax, knowing that you won’t forget anything. Toodledo is similar to Doris (see yesterday’s post) only it has more bells and whistles. You can use folders, subtasks, due-dates, priorities, tags, contexts, goals, notes, time estimates and other information to easily organize, search and sort through your tasks. “For those of us who are procrastinators, Toodledo has a special tool that analyzes dates, priorities, time estimates, and other characteristics to create a customized schedule of the best use of your time.” I’ll be honest, I didn’t take time to check out that special tool…I’ll check it out later .

I did take time to work with the goal setting feature, however and feel it could be used as a tool to help students think about their short and long term goals. Once you have established goals you can attach your goals to various tasks on your list, assuring you don’t lose sight of your overall goals. If you work with middle school or high school students this goal setting feature would be great to share with your students. The notebook feature included with Toodledo could be used very effectively as students work on research projects and the booklet feature really sets Toodledo apart from other to-do applications I have reviewed. Users can use the booklet feature to print out a small book that includes their hotlist, their top 110 most important tasks, and a section for written notes…this is a very cool feature…take time to check it out.

Toodledo also makes it easy to collaborate with other people and share to-do lists. Each account has a unique user id code that can be shared or kept private. You can use the collaboration option to privately share tasks with individual people or groups of individuals. The user has complete control over who has permission to read and/or add tasks to your to-do list.

Wridea is a simple and easy tool that makes it easy to record and save ideas….a great tool to use with interactive whiteboards for brainstorming. It’s easy to create categories and organize your ideas. Wridea could also be used as a basic project management tool. Create a page for each project and different categories for each work type. Sign up is simple and quick. You can also set up a unique web address for your account during the registration process. Try Wridea as you brainstorm or assess prior knowledge while introducing a new concept in class. Try out the tool and see what you think…remember each idea includes an option to expand and add details, as well as a collaboration option. As a side note…I don’t recommend the “idea rain” tool…it was too fast for my liking, but see what you think.

I’m going to end my post today with mySchoolog an app that has been developed specifically for student use. This free online tool is offered to students in 15 languages so foreign exchange students could even take advantage of this organizational tool. Students can enter all their classes and individual assignments/grades for each class. mySchoolog also features a variety of tools such as calculators, log charts, etc, and file storage so students can access school related files from anywhere. Students can set up a virtual schedule and planner and will be alerted regarding items on their your to-do list (as long as they log on the day they are scheduled). There is also a notes system, so students can upload all their notes and assignments to the site. On the down side…students do have access to their email when using this tool…you will want to work with your Technology Coordinator to assure students are not using this organizational tool to usurp the school filtering system if student emails are not permitted in your district.

Anyone who has worked with kids (or adults, for that matter) knows that even the most talented individuals sometimes lack organizational skills…sometimes due to overscheduling, sometimes due to procrastination, or sometimes just because… As educators we are constantly trying to encourage and help students as we provide them with tools and resources to help them remember assignments, think about long term project management, etc. Personal agendas and planners are very effective tool, but there are other tools that may appeal to techno-connected individuals as well. For example, while I have mixed feelings about student use of cell phones, I have to admit there are some students who use their phones very effectively by scheduling calls to themselves regarding an assignment or by setting up study dates with friends prior to a test. The Web 2.0 tools I am reviewing today are just a few of the free online tools that are available to supplement the more traditional tools we use as educators. Oh, and let’s not forget that one of the best ways to teach is through example. These tools are great for educators, parents and administrators, as well as students!

Moreganize, a relative newcomer on the Web 2.0 scene looks very promising. It is an organizational suite of tools that help you poll individuals for best meeting times or opinions regarding various issues. Use this online tool to help find the ideal date and time for a appointment or private event (think community meetings like Site Based Management Teams or student meetings like Class Officer meetings). Send a link to all the participants so they can access an online table where they can enter their possible dates. Moreganize automatically lets you know the best date for those polled. Another tool offers the option to post a shared To Do List…what a great tool to use when students are honing 21st Century skills that involve collaboration. No registration required and results for any of the tools can be monitored online.

Doris is another quick and easy application that makes it very simple to manage a “to do” list. Registration is required, but immediate email authorization is not necessary…you can begin to enter tasks in your list right away (just remember to check your email to authenticate your account…hmmm…is this an oxymoron-type-statement, considering today’s topic?). As a Mom who is accustomed to juggling the many facets and schedules of family life, the descriptive phrasing of the tool caught my fancy: “Offload all the things you need to remember onto your Doris account and free up your mental RAM.” Any tool that claims to free up mental RAM sound good to me. Rhetoric aside, Doris really is very intuitive and quick to use…the learning curve is almost non-existent as you enter, prioritize, and group various tasks. This would be a great alternative to agendas if students have access to computers or iphones.

Activciti is an event planning tool that could be used to help plan a conference day, school play, prom, Grandparents tea, sports events…you name it. You do need to register to use the tool and email verification is required prior to use. Registration was almost instantaneous. Creating an event was fairly simple. I especially liked the fact that you could add images and create a web address that could be linked to your district or teacher webpage. You have the option of creating up to 5 polls which will run through the course of your event. Using polls, you can ask your users just about anything – alternate dates, locations, food, etc. In addition you can link your event to an online mapping resource, so that individuals have instant access to directions. Events can be categorized as public or private and the organizer (or assigned organizers) can post messages on the site very quickly and instantly (say a baseball game was cancelled, for example). Organizers also have the option to send out invitations, track guests, and send automatic event updates to individuals. Activciti holds a lot of potential for club advisors, principals, and coaches…check it out and let us know what you think!

Organization can be be cool, simple, and fun especially when you use these neat Web 2.0 applications…I’ll be reviewing additional tools tomorrow!