This week’s Web 2.0 Weekly feature isn’t the typical sort of Web 2.0 application, but it is a very helpful and easy classroom tool.  This week we are looking at PocketMod, a free tool to create a pocket-sized organizer from a single piece of paper.

The PocketMod site provides a Flash-based tool to create and print a custom layout for your 8-page PocketMod.  Options for each page include a calendar, three different grids, ruled lines, personal organizers, and more.  Once you’ve chosen your 8 pages, you can print it out, make the required cuts, and fold up your new PocketMod.

PocketMod would be great for making assignment notebooks  or deadline trackers for a classroom.  The best part, of course, is the cost.  For the price of a single sheet of paper and some ink/toner, you have a perfectly usable pocket-sized organizer that you can give to students or use yourself.  Unlike more traditional, full-sized organizers, if it is misplaced, it can be easily and inexpensively replaced.

Strengths

• Free
• Inexpensive and easy to produce in class-sized lots
• Easily replaced if lost/damaged

Weaknesses:

• No simple way to create new pages
• Some reports of incompatibility with Flash 10 (I didn’t notice this)

PocketMod is free to use, with no registration required.  It would be helpful for any teacher wanting to create cheap, disposable recyclable organizers for their students or themselves.  To use PocketMod, you’ll need a computer with Flash and a printer.  If you plan to produce multiple copies of the same PocketMod, a copy machine would be helpful.