Web 2.0 Tools for Creativity and Innovation
Word Sift - is a website that, like Wordle, will allow the user to insert text and play with the results. Whereas Wordle makes word-clouds, Word Sift takes the most used 50 words of the passage the user inserts and brings up Google images that correspond to any word that the user then clicks on.
Invention/Innovation Contests
Music
Engineering/Architecture/Design
- By Kids For Kids –site features variety of student competitions.
- InventAmerica –national contest for young innovators/inventors.
- Intel Science Talent Search –science innovation competition offering hundreds of thousands in scholarships.
- Exploravision –k-12 science competition from Toshiba.
- US First –invention contest sponsored by Lego.
- Edison Innovation Awards –competition honoring inventors from grades k-12.
- Life Jacket Design –annual contests offers $500 for innovative life jacket designs
- ArtPad –easy-to-use tool for creating art online.
- Scribbler –turns simple online sketches into cool works of sketch art.
- Pixlr –great online photo editing tool, similar to Photoshop.
- Citrify –another Pixlr-like photo editor.
- BuildaMosaic –create photo mosaics using images from your computer or Facebook account.
- Photoshop –online, scaled-down version of Adobe’s powerful image editing tool.
- Queeky –create online paintings, then play back as video.
- Picassohead –create Picasso-style portraits online.
- Mugtug –really nice, easy-to-use online drawing/painting tool.
- GoAnimate4Schools –education version of a wonderful animation creation tool.
- Aviary Phoenix –photo editing site with some really nice, innovative tools.
- Splashup –another good, free Photoshop-style photo editor.
- Fashionplaytes –site lets students design and even order their own clothing.
- Garmz –users can contribute their own fashion designs, which, if liked by viewers, will be produced, sold, and profits shared with the creators.
- YourStudio –nice online drawing/painting tool with a variety of brushes, textures, etc.
- Pixenate –easy to use web-based photo editor; images can be saved or uploaded directly to Flickr.
- Myoats –Unique online drawing tool with a variety of features, including a mirroring effect that produces wonderful geometric designs.
Odosketch --nice-looking free drawing tool; registered users can save/embed drawings.- http://flockdraw.com/
- www.slimber.com
Music
- Soundation –create and share music with a click-and-drag interface.
- Noteflight –write music, hear it played, and share it online.
- JamStudio –create and share music online using a variety of instruments.
- Kisstunes –online piano keyboard lets users create/share music; site is undergoing re-design, but worth keeping an eye on.
- Buttonbeats –online keyboard plus quite a few other music creation tools.
- Aviary Music Creator –create, share, and download music using click-and-drag interface.
- LoopLabs –online tool lets users mix music using a variety of tracks/effects.
- MusicFont –interesting site turns text into music.
- Ujam–social music creation and sharing site; includes song templates that can be modified
into new compositions.
Engineering/Architecture/Design
- Floorplanner –create 2D and 3D floor plans online. Free version gives 1 design per account.
- Classroom Architect –design the ultimate classroom with a click-and-drag interface.
- Golem Game –lets users create animated physics simulations and designs.
- Google Sketchup –Google’s free 3D design tool (download)
- Architect Studio 3D –site lets users design a house online; great twist is that it requires them to take into account the needs/preferences of the future resident.
- Homestyler –really easy tool for designing floor plans using a click-and-drag interface with lots of options.