Do I Tool-Belt it?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/blue_diamond/ / CC BY-ND 2.0

I have been thinking about this all day, mainly due to a conversation on the way in to work...

Why do I choose to use specific pieces of software and not others? (In my planning, learning,teaching of lessons and 1 to 1 with students)

What are my criteria to decide value?

As teachers we all seem to have favorites; these are almost 'go to' pieces of software/online tools, yet  we also try the new things that we find.

Today I have been trying to discover how I decide if it goes on to my "tool-belt" or it remains bookmarked for that rainy day.

To end up on my "tool-belt" it must meet the following criteria:

1. Be accessible to the students; easy to use, quick to pick up, add value to their lesson and be safe
2. Have a usable interface for me; save time (or use time effectively)
3. Be free to use

Examples of these tools I use daily if not weekly are:

• delicious.com - http://delicious.com/sfcart
• google reader (I really could not do without this. It allows me to learn)
• wallwisher.com
• wordle.net

Even though I have decided upon these criteria I must admit, occasionally for a bit of a sensory WOW  now and then I resort to:

• prezi.com
• glogster.com

what do you think? what do you use on your "tool-belt"?