Mentimeter: a web-based presentation platform with live polling features and audience interaction. Presenters can survey the audience with the aid of cellphones (without any additional software) and display results simultaneously. Survey question formats include quizzes, multiple-choice, image-choice, scales, 2×2 matrix, word cloud, open-ended, and others. Option to add instant reaction buttons to increase audience interaction (e.g., thumbs up/down). Mentimeter offers integration with spreadsheet softwares for organizing results, and a plugin for Microsoft PowerPoint. FREE/Paid.
All Tools
Google’s Data Gif Maker
Google’s Data Gif Maker: a simple visualization tool that helps you illustrate a two-term data comparison in the form of a GIF. Simply add your terms and comma-separated values to the form in order to generate your downloadable GIF file. FREE.
Google Trends
Google Trends: visualize search topics trending on Google and YouTube. The platform generates line graphs and maps to illustrate the frequency of searches for your selected term(s); you can limit the scope of your research by time, location, category and type of search. FREE.
ARIS
ARIS: an open-source platform for developing (and playing) mobile games, tours, data collection activities, and interactive stories by way of GPS and QR Codes. Using a mobile device, players are able to “experience a hybrid world of virtual interactive characters, items, and media placed in physical space,” as well as engage in social interaction around individual collections. Instruction manuals available here. FREE.
Google Apps for Education
NYU has licensed a set of Google products to handle communication, calendars, file storage, and other teaching and learning apps, according to these Terms of Use. The full suite of Google Apps for Education include:
- Calendar
- Drive (file storage and sharing)
- Classroom (course sites; NYU LMS (Brightspace) is the university’s official LMS)
- Docs (word processor)
- Sheets (spreadsheet)
- Groups (group email)
- Meet (video conferencing)
- Chat (chat within NYU Gmail)
- Sites (website platform)
- Slides (presentation platform)
- Drawings
- Forms (surveys, quizzes, etc.)
Learn More:
- NYU ServiceLink Overview
- Tutorials at LinkedIn Learning
- Group Workshops available through Digital Services at Bobst (see the NYU IT Calendar)
- Group demos at Gallatin available (contact us to request a demo)
Optical Character Recognition (OCR)
Optical Character Recognition (OCR) softwares and platforms enable the decoding of images of typed, written, or handwritten text into electronically recognizable text. OCR enables readers who use assistive technology to access the content in documents such as scanned PDFs. *Note: If you use another scanner that generates image files, you can use OCR software to convert it to machine-readable text. See below for OCR-enabled scanners at NYU.
Adobe Acrobat DC: Adobe’s OCR feature requires only one click and generates a custom font that matches your document. Check out the how-to guide. Paid (subscription model).
FreeOCR: Windows-only OCR software that outputs files in TXT format. FREE.
VueScan: Mac-only lightweight scanning software that works with virtually any scanning hardware, and features optimal OCR. (Note: VueScan’s mobile app does not include native OCR technology). Paid.
ABBYY FineReader: OCR software that can also optimize the quality of PDF files as well as output them in a format that automatically adjusts to the size of your reading screen. Paid.
NewOCR: upload your document (PDF, JPEG, PNG, GIF, BMP, TIFF, orDjVu) to this browser-based platform to convert it to a text file. Supports multiple languages, and offers output on PDF, DOC and TXT formats. FREE.
Scanner Pro: this mobile app (iOS only) is a great on-the-go solution with reliable character recognition. Also available in desktop software format for Macs. Paid.
CamScanner: mobile app for scanning on the go with subscription-based cloud services (optional). FREE.
QuickTime
QuickTime: built in Mac Operating Systems, QuickTime offers a simple and fast solution for screen recording, with the option of recording your built-in microphone simultaneously. Files are saved in H.264 format QuickTime movie with an AAC audio track (if audio was selected). FREE.
ScreenFlow
ScreenFlow: a robust screen-recording application that offers high-res capture while keeping file sizes low. ScreenFlow gives you the option to record your mobile device’s screen remotely as well as replicate finger gestures (add-on), and offers great editing capabilities and optimized exporting for different streaming platforms. Mac OS app. Paid.
LeafletJS
LeafletJS: An open-source JavaScript library for mobile-friendly interactive maps. Leaflet does not provide data for you, but you can convert your data to GeoJSON and then make a Leaflet map. Though Leaflet is not a GIS, it can be combined with tools like CartoDB. Check out this tutorial to get started. FREE.
ArcGIS
ArcGIS: A system for working with maps and geographic information. Frequently used for making maps, analyzing mapped information and managing geographic information in a database. Add your maps to powerpoint, or create a StoryMap around spatial data (tutorial here). ArcGIS is accessible on the Data Services workstations (located within the Research Commons on the 5th floor of Bobst Library).