Here are 10 fantastic Web 2.0 tools that can be used to engage students in your classroom...

1. Prezi

Prezi is a fantastic tool for creating great looking presentations. It allows you to create a presentation that is completely interactive. With Prezi you can navigate to any section of the presentation and then simply return back to where you left off. This gives your audience the chance to see the ‘bigger picture’ during your presentation and puts your information in context. Prezi enables you to quickly and easily add images and videos to a presentation.

2. Animoto

Animoto is a great tool that lets you create fantastic video photo slideshows quickly and easily, You simply import your photos (and movies), choose a theme and soundtrack and click create! The end product looks great!

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

3. Glogster

Glogster is a tool that creates online posters. You can place anything on your ‘Glog’; text, hyperlinks, clipart, images, sounds, video – you can even embed videos from YouTube. Glogs look great and would be an excellent way to display information for you students. Glogs are also a great way for students to display their work online.

4. Wordle

Wordle is a tool that allows you to make a ‘Word Cloud’. Creating a Wordle is as simple as typing in or importing some text and clicking create. You can play around with the colours, size of words and fonts until you’re happy with the outcome.

5. VoiceThread

VoiceThread is a terrific tool that can be used to help a group of people collaborate on a topic and share their ideas. VoiceThread works by somebody sharing something to begin with be it a picture, video or simply a comment – Others can then view the item that was posted and comment on it themselves via text comment, audio recording or video recording. (Have a look at this VoiceThread Guide for Educators created by Suzie Vesper)

6. Xtranormal

Xtranormal allows you to easily create text-to-speech movies. Xtranormal movies and very simple to make. You simply choose your character(s), your scene, background sound effects/soundtrack etc. All you need to do then is type in what you would like your character(s) to say. You can also play around with camera angles, facial expressions, sounds, actions and emotions.

7. Vuvox

Vuvox is a tool that allows you to create three different types of interactive media displays. With Vuvox you can create fantastic looking interactive presentations. A Vuvox collage (panorama) allows you to stick together photos and images as a panorama, you can then add movies and hotspots to the collage to make it come to life and become interactive. Using Vuvox studio you can find many different ways to display images and video in a interactive environment.

8. SpellingCity

SpellingCity is a fantastic website for everything to do with spelling. It allows you to set up spelling lists online that your students can use. The spelling list can then be used for practice and testing, as well as the popular option of using the words in various online spelling games. Students love using the the opportunity to learn their words while having fun playing online!

9. WallWisher

WallWisher is a tool that allows you to build a wall about a topic of your choice. Others can then add to the wall by simply by double-clicking on the wall. Comments, images, audio and video can all be posted on the wall. A WallWisher wall is a great tool for collaboration.

10. BeFunky

BeFunky is a great tool that can be used to add various visual effects to photographs. This site is great for editing photographs and it has a huge range of effects that can be used.