Web+2.0

Web 2.0h Wow! Today technology is at our fingertips. Web 2.0 brings all people that have internet access closer to technology that can revolutionalize the world. The creative possibilities are endless. People that remain unaware and do not know how to use web 2.0 are at a disadvantage. There is absolutely no excuse for not implementing the use of web 2.0 in the classroom! Not only to use as a teaching tool, but also to teach our students the most up to date technology in order to prepare them for the technological world they will enter after graduating. The five web 2.0 tools that I believe have the most potential for my own classroom are Google docs, Prezi, PB Works, Slide.com, and Classroom Tools. Although, looking through the wiki space, Web 2.0: Cool Tools for Schools, I found multiple sites that I would love to explore further. [|Google Docs], is a wonderful tool. It allows the general public to use word processing sites, spreadsheet sites, and presentation sites that are necessary tools for today’s world. Not only can they use these documents to write original drafts, but they can also use them to change their own documents/spreadsheets/presentations into different forms of files which will make it easier for all to view. (I am constantly not able to open documents, or have people sending me back e-mails informing me they can not read my attachments.) This site eliminates that from happening. One can simply change the format of the paper to a PDF, which everyone can download. It also makes spreadsheets available to everyone, which are extremely useful for everything mathematical, money, class rosters, graphs. Lastly, it has a presentation tool that is very similar to power point which allows for clear, well presented material. Not only will this be useful for teachers, but it will also be useful for students when presenting their own work to the class/ teacher. It really will make poster board presentations obsolete and primitive. After learning of this site, I immediately started using it and typed up my podcast on Georgetown using this site. I was a half a paragraph away from being finished and the power went out. I knew it was autosaving for me, but I was sure I would need to go back and retype at least a small section. After the power came back on, I went back to work. The presentation was saved, all of it! For any of us whom have struggled with slow computers, computers that crash, or simply are so busy writing we forget to save and have lost our work, this is amazing!!! There really is no excuse for not getting work done. I will encourage my students to write all their documents on this site to save them from the frustration of losing their work. I also will stress the use of using this presentation tool or the following. [|Prezi]is the next tool that I would love to use in my classroom. This presentation tool presents items in a very fun way. It can be shown, like a power point, frame by frame, or it can be shown as a whole. Not only giving the big picture, but also making it easier for the presenter to go back to items that were previously viewed. I also love how creative this tool is. It really gives the creator lots of artistic freedom. The final result is a visual picture that will also help enable learning. I know I will definitely use Prezi as a instructional tool, but I also will encourage my students to use it as well. [|PB Works]looks like another amazing tool that I will definitely use in my classroom. I have not had time to fully look into this site, but I assume it is very similar to MSCD’s blackboard. The classroom has it’s own web site, where homework, notes, presentations, and recommended materials can be stored and viewed. From there each student and teacher has their own web site. The teacher and students are all able to view each others work. This site will allow better communication throughout the classroom. Students can monitor their own progress and help other students who are having difficulties. Basically, this web site is a facilitator for classroom communication. Homework will be submitted online, cutting the cost of paper and materials. It also allows for few excuses. If the child has access to a computer and the internet, they are able to do the work. Parents and administrators can see exactly what is being taught in the classroom as well as the progress each student is making. This site can also be a tool for communication between parent and teacher, which we all know is key for student success! Not only does it allow for such a wonderful classroom experience via the web, but it also is a way to connect with other students, in other schools, worldwide. The thing that I loved most about this tool is that it is not public, unless you are invited. This makes a very protected environment for the children. I plan on having a website similar to this for my classroom use. This way, if they get home their homework will be posted for themselves and their parents to see. There should be no more excused of leaving their homework behind at school, or the confusion of being sent home with the wrong students homework. Trust me, it happens more often than not. Focusing on ESL(English as a Second Language), I believe that [|Slide.com] will come in very handy. I have been in a classroom before where they were very excited that I spoke Spanish and asked me to help an ESL student with the course content. Since I am not a native Spanish speaker, my Spanish is limited to what I have learned in my high school/college courses. I have never once talked about pyramids, mummies, sarcophagus, or hieroglyphics. All I could say was, “do you understand?” With slide.com we can make a slideshow of the key words that are important. Example, have a picture of an Egyptian pyramid with the English word underneath. We could also include the native word for pyramid beside the English. For the Spanish speaking student that I was teaching I could have had a photo of a pyramid, with the words pirámide/pyramid Slide.com would not only be useful with NEP students, or Non English Proficient students, but also with LEP students, (Limited English Proficient), just to make sure they do fully understand the content of what is being discussed. Lastly, I loved the [|Class tools] web 2.0 tool. This site allows teachers to build games that can be used by their students. The teacher use the content that is being studied to make the games, then they can post the games to their classroom websites, (wiki space, or PB Works). The reason why I love this is that all children love to play games. As a mother I am always looking for games online to help my children learn their spelling words or math problems. Although it might take a little bit of time to make the games, it will create endless learning for the children. If you are learning and having fun doing it, you are more likely to retain the information. I will love to make games about the current educational content for my classroom, and have incentives for playing the games. For example, you play the game for ten minutes you get candy or extra credit. It is easy to get in a funk when you are teaching. The amount of work that goes into teaching a class full of students is monumental. We need to realize, however, that our goal is to educate our students so that they can grow into successful adults. Technology is no longer an option. It is a necessity! Children need to be aware of what is out there. Not every student has access to a computer, and some may not have access to the internet. For this reason we need to make sure that these resources are available to them at their school, both inside and outside or the classroom, (after school/before school). We also need to make sure that they know of other areas where they can access this technology for free, such as at their public libraries. Although we can not provide the tools necessary to connect every child online to web 2.0 at home, it is our responsibility to show those students about what exists, for free, and how to use it. My goal as a teacher is to make my students feel confident about themselves in the ever changing world around them. Web 2.0 is a wonderful resource to help me with this goal.