Lots of end-of-year roundups & lists appearing…
Yahoo Australia Year in Review 2012
Viral videos, most clicked stories, entertainment, sport etc
http://au.news.yahoo.com/year-in-review-2012/
Includes Top Searches of 2012:
1. London Olympics 2. Kim Kardashian 3. Apple 4. Kristen Stewart & Robert Pattinson 5. Earthquakes 6. US presidential election 7. Hurricane Sandy 8. Israel & Palestine 9. Brownlow Medal 10. End of the world.
Most searched M & F celebrities: Kim Kardashian and Brad Pitt.
Most searched countries: Aust, then Iran, China, Thailand…
Most searched movies: Avengers, Hunger Games, Twilight Saga…
Full list: http://au.news.yahoo.com/year-in-review-2012/a/-/15479230/top-searches-of-2012/
The most asked questions in Australia in 2012 according to Google search suggestions
Includes: Why is my internet so slow? and What is Gangnam style?
The top 12 trends in Australia 2012
Book: Umm…50 shades of grey; Ingredient: quinoa; Pop group: One Direction; Technology: from digital to real world; Word/Symbol: # …..
http://blog.mccrindle.com.au/_blog/The_McCrindle_Blog/post/Top_12_trends_of_2012/
Gangnam Style: the most viewed YouTube video ever
900,073,389 + viewers can’t be wrong; now outranks Justin Bieber’s Baby. http://www.youtube.com/user/officialpsy
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/gangnam-style-most-viewed-youtube-video-time-134533498.html
Top 25 YouTube videos ever: Not surprisingly, they are all popular songs – except for Charlie bit my finger : – )http://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2012/10/02/top-25-youtube-videos#top-youtube-videos-of-all-time
Time magazine’s top 10 everything 2012
For the true list-lover…..55 wide-ranging lists – arts & entertainment, pop culture, social media, health, science etc. US focus but hey.
http://www.time.com/time/top-10-lists-of-2012/?iid=tl-article-moreontime
Time magazine’s 50 best websites 2012
Not really mainstream sites; some are interesting, others are rather obscure.
http://techland.time.com/2012/09/18/50-best-websites-2012/
50 best websites includes:
Learnist
Like Pinterest for education. Users collect web resources and share their knowledge by creating Learnist boards — which can include text, videos, essays, games and audio clips that answer questions and expound on topics. A good tool for the flipped classroom. iOS app available.
http://www.educationnews.org/technology/learnist-what-if-wikipedia-and-pinterest-had-a-baby/
Examples of education-focused Learnist boards: http://www.educationdive.com/news/8-ways-to-use-learnist-a-pinterest-like-education-site/36179/
A BBC Learnist board: http://learni.st/users/34/boards/1862-the-bbc-learning-experience
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/learnist-in-the-classroom-hauna-zaich
Persuasive Games
http://www.persuasivegames.com/games/
Founded by game theorist Ian Bogost. “Games communicate differently than other media; they not only deliver messages, but also simulate experiences”. The website has free “advergames” – games specifically built for “persuasion, instruction and activism”. Includes Killer flu (how the flu virus spreads), Fatworld (obesity’s relationship to socioeconomics), Windfall (building wind farms).
Codecademy (Chrome, Firefox)
The interactive, social and easy way to learn how to code.
Vocabulary.com
Learn new words and play games to improve your vocabulary.
Devour
Presents the top 15 trending YouTube clips and lots of other good videos. Comment-free with a focus on HD. Yes, very easy to fill in time here J
Science fiction – supercut of over 100 sci fi films: http://devour.com/video/science-fiction/
Quirky – A history of western music in 16 genres: http://devour.com/video/a-history-of-western-music-in-16-genres/
More than falling dominoes – This too shall pass by OK Go: http://devour.com/video/this-too-shall-pass-by-ok-go/
Further up yonder: a message from the International Space Station: http://devour.com/video/further-up-yonder/