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!