Google recently announced My Maps, a new feature that makes it quick and easy to create your own custom Google Maps just by pointing and clicking. You can add place marks, draw lines and shapes, and embed text, photos and videos, all using a simple drag and drop interface. Your map automatically gets a permanent URL that you can share with your friends and family, or you can publish your map for inclusion in Google Maps search results.

I laughed at the Monster Sightings, but the The Googleplex photo tour is probably a better demo of what can be done.

More info at Google Blogoscoped

Open Academic looks like it will be worth keeping an eye on.

Here’s the blurb

‘OpenAcademic — supporting learners, teachers, and institutions.

Create an intranet. Blog. Podcast. Manage the school website, and all the club websites. Create a private workspace. Manage a class. Share files. Give students the tools to build portfolios that cross academic years and curricular disciplines. Support teacher professional development. Communicate with parents. Build a safe social networking environment within your school community.’

It uses only Open Source software, namely Moodle, Drupal, Elgg, OpenID and MediaWiki. Still in its early stages but I think the vision is excellent.