Social+Interactions

[|Lino It][[image:linoit.jpg align="right"]]
This is similar to WallWisher (see below), but this site runs so much faster! You can place stickies, images, and documents (or other files). Plus, you can embed videos from Vimeo, YouTube, or UStream. Users can add items without logging in (except for files- that requires a login). The interface is great and simple! There are no capabilities to embed the wall elsewhere, but you'll want the full size anyway!

[|Wall Wisher]
At this handy little site, participants can post sticky-note types of comment with text, images, and links. The wall is shared with anyone who has access to the URL or locked down to you as the wall creator. And another great option- you can set it up so that all posts have to be approved by you first if that's what you wish. Logging in is only necessary to create private/moderated walls, change options, etc.

The site does support linking and embedding, but the site has been tremendously slow in many cases, so be forewarned! For this reason, I use LinoIt exclusively for collaborative walls.

[|Plurk]
Plurk is a "social journal for your life." Share what's going on with your family, friends, and colleagues in a timeline format. The timeline is updated in real-time, keeping you up to date with other people's posts and responses. This is a great way to connect with other educators to start building your personal learning network. If you aren't familiar with PLNs, [|read up on it]!

media type="custom" key="5316943" align="right" To the right you can see the live feed from My Plurk. As you can tell, I rely on my PLN for resources relating to instructional technology. This is a great way to find genuine resources and expert advice from those "in the trenches" rather than using a mere search engine!

[[image:http://image.wetpaint.com/image/2/HVYTqXJFWiiBtLr_6u24KA324475/GW444H296 width="444" height="296" align="right" link="@http://www.shelfari.com/"]]Shelfari
This is a bookworm's dream! This social website allows you to track the books you have read, are reading, and want to read. Other members can make comments about books on your shelf or recommend other books to read based on your selections. This has one of the best graphical interfaces out there!

Take a look at My Bookshelf!

[[image:http://image.wetpaint.com/image/1/zQx7vEaZ4WzlZAxxZSuggA17714/GW400H300 width="400" height="300" align="right" link="@http://www.palbee.com/"]]Pal Bee
Free live videoconferencing. Right now, all videoconferences are public, but the site says privacy controls will be added soon. Keep an eye on this one- nothing to install and easy to use!

==FreeConferenceCall.com== Just what it says- free phone conferencing (long distance charges may apply). It will record your conference and store it on their site for playback using a private access code. The recorded call may also be downloaded.

==Cover It Live== Live blogging! That's right- text streams to your viewers much like a one-way IM but also allows comments and questions on the side. You can also add video, images, polls and audio files live on the fly. And when it's over, users can replay it! You may link to or embed your live session. Viewers need to download nothing!