Here's where our class will be viewing linked material and discussing some emerging technologies we might use in our classrooms, now and in the future.
Let's start by reading "What Is Web 2.0 Anyway?" at http://www.techsoup.org/learningcenter/webbuilding/page4758.cfm How would you use some of these tools in the classroom? Do you think any of these tools would be easy to integrate into any of the subjects you teach? Why or why not?
237 comments:
1 – 200 of 237 Newer› Newest»I enjoyed reading this article. I would use some of these tools in the classroom. I feel the main purpose of this tool is to make research faster and easier to attain, allow "blogging" with other people, and get the most up to date information that you can. If a research activity was given, I would have the students use some or all of these tools to gather their information. This is a great tool in getting the knowledge of "how to research" as well as getting the information you need in a timely fashion. I would love to learn more about Web 2.0 and try to integrate it in some lessons.
-Keri-
I found this article to be very interesting and informative. From what I understand, the Web 2.0 will only be helpful to us as teachers since it focuses on the idea that people should be active contributors to the technological world. I never really read a "blog" before or understood what it was. Previously I had thought it was just an online journal for people to use. However, I think this took could be a very useful tool for teachers. In the same way that our 521 class can interact with one another, our students could be asked to do the same thing. I would hope that some students that are not as comfortable in speaking in the classroom may feel more at ease when participating in a blog. This seems like a very interesting new subject.
-Lynne
I think Keri has a great idea in giving students more tools in order to obtain information while doing a research paper. :)
techsoup.org pretty extensive stuff.I am just at a novice level with this internet world so this is a whole 'nother level.HSIK However tagging URLs,Bookmarkings and RSS use are tools that I can use in my classroom presentations immediately. I do agree with the active participation philosophy completely.As far as anxiiety that someone in our on line communities might say somthing they really shouldn't-so- we'll deal with it when and if it happens.
keri I really like reading your blogs they are always right on the money!
I felt the information from this article was very interesting and helpful. I can't even count the amount of times I would find something on line, research related, or teacher related, where I would love the website and go back to find it again and not be able too! With Web 2.0 I feel that these little fustrations will be illiminated if the tools were used correctly. I feel that Tags would benefit me the most.
I agree with Keri on using the Web 2.0 in the classroom. As a science teacher I have the students complete a lot of webquests and having a tags on the websites they could use would minimize confusion on how to research information and maximize their knowledge on the topic.
Lynne - I never thought of opening a blog for students. This would be a different step in observing and assessing students based on conversation alone. However, there would probably have to be set guidelines for the class to follow and a lot of discussion for appropriate blog language. But good idea!
I agree with Lynne in that it would be very beneficial for teachers. Blog's are a great way to get information across the web. However like we learned in class you have to make sure the website you are using or working with is legit.
I agree with Michelle as well. This would be a great tool to introduce in the classroom to both students and other teachers. It can benefit us all.
Great point Michele, I would love if some of my internet frustrations were eliminated. It is so frustrating to not be able to find a website you already visited. It happens to me more often than I would like to admit.
I can't honestly say that I enjoyed the article but it was very informative and it presents ideas that are full of educational value. From what I understand, blogging can offer an exchange of ideas between students, teachers and professionals. The way that the bloggers feed off each other and react to others ideas can be invaluable for educational purposes because we all know how some students may be reluctant to participate in class. Blogging also gives students a chance to share their ideas with others as equals, that is without the constraints that some students may feel socially. I think that as long as the conventions of modern english are used, than blogging is an invaluable tool. If students fall into the style of writing that is presented in many of their instant messages, the blog will lose a degree of educational value.
Michelle that has happened to me recently, I found a site that gave me primary photographs for a history unit on WWII that I loved and I have no idea where I found it. Ive been looking for two weeks and the unit is just about over!
The main purpose of technology is to make the lessons better and to enhance instruction. Powerpoint is good when it is working, sometimes it does not always work if the system or network is down. Blogging is a new thing to me. I never had any posts online before, but alot of my friends like to blog. something new to try i guess!
I enjoyed the article and learned alot from it. I was familiar with blogging and with AJAX before reading the text however tagging, bookmarking and RSS were all new to me. I will definately use these tools for my own personal use and I will attempt to incorporate them in my classroom. I believe that Web 2.0 provides tools that can be very benefitial to my students. I have an unlimited number of ideas in which i can incorporate Web 2.0 into my ESL or Spanish classroom and can not wait to be able to use them.
This was a great article, which served as a refresher on the technology available on the web. As teachers when we plan lessons, it is inevitable that technology will be an integral part of the content we teach and the way in which students will learn. Since the web and technological tools are consistently changing, I think it is so important to keep ourselves not only aware of what is out there, but able to utilize such resources in the classroom. As I enter the TESOL field, I have seen various productive blogs that teachers have posted as yet another venue for ESL students to learn and refine their language skills. Whether including links, pictures, etc., blogs can be such an engaging teaching tool that can be easily integrated into everyday routines.
This article extensively discussed some of the components of Web 2.0. While I have been exposed to RSS, tags, and AJAX, I never knew their “technical” name. I have used blogs in the past, but I have never considered integrating it into the classroom. It would be a great learning tool to use for discussion boards. Using programs such as Moodle, students can be exposed to the virtual classroom. I also feel that social bookmarks are really helpful when researching a topic. Instead of selecting websites based upon the most hits (like Google and Yahoo), these websites are recommended for their content. While this article was informative, I have a feeling that the Web has come a long way since this article’s publication in 2005.
I agree with Luci. Technology is really an integral part of teaching. As "lifelong learners" teachers continually look for new ways to improve the way they teach. These are some innovative ways to encorporate it into the classroom. I would like to try to use blogging within my classroom.
This article was extremely informative and I now have a greater understanding of terms that were somewhat foreign to me. I would definitely use some of these tools in the classroom. I would incorporate a class blog where students were permitted to contribute comments and ideas to further their understandings of concepts and answer any questions they may have. This allows for social literacy among students in the classroom which is extremely important. I also believe that people need to contribute to Web 2.0 to make it as successful as possible, instead of just utilizing it and absorbing the information. The tools mentioned in the article may be very useful in the classroom, and outside of the classroom, but students must be monitored at all times so that they are not subjected to inappropriate websites or information.
“What is Web 2.0 Anyway” presents many Internet-based tools that would significantly enhance many lessons and units across the curriculum. I agree with Luci and Jessica that technology is certainly an integral part of the classroom experience; however teachers can never be replaced. I really liked the philosophy presented in this article…where people absorbing media and use the Web shouldn’t “passively absorb what’s available – rather, they should be active contributors.” This is so true. We educators need to view all of these wonderful Internet-based tools and assess which tool(s) would be best for our learners and classroom enrichment. I think the most important thing for us teachers (who are ourselves learning how to use some of these tools) to do is take one piece and implement it. I am familiar with blogging, but have never utilized it in my classroom. It seems like such a positive form of communication between peers on particular concepts. Blogging could even serve as informal assessments for teachers. I like how the article mentioned that “emerging voices are not only being heard but amplified.” Blogging allows students to imitate real conversation and receive immediate feedback on certain topics, instead of handing in a written reflection to the teacher. I think the use of blogging should be balanced, because students are not practicing their oral communication that they need in everyday life. I still struggle with that, even though we are living in an Internet-driven world, where most of our students race home to video games. Can their communication and social skills still be properly developed? Just a thought…
I am not that familiar with RSS, but I am really interested in learning how to use it. I thought the social bookmarking was interesting and useful for the research process. I could see my fourth graders use this when doing research online. It is a tedious process teaching nine and ten year olds to effectively research a topic or person. Social bookmarking would help sort and classify information. Although many educators may be hesitant about implementing some of the Web 2.0 tools, I strongly believe that the good will outweigh the “scary.”
I thought that this was a really insightful article. What I found most interesting was that a majority of these technologies, such as blogging and tagging, are geared toward linking people with common interests, or bringing them together for a common purpose/goal. Although teachers are always weary of the child that may post something negative on the blog site, I think that it is really important to trust your students to take an interest in utilizing these new technologies and to be optimistic that they will use it wisely. Of course, setting guidelines is always a must! It seems as though because there is this fear, that educators tend to back away from using blogs, etc. but I really do think that students could benefit so much from this type of interaction. Especially for ESL students that might not want to communicate in front of the whole class, this gives them a voice. This article gave me a really positive impression of technologies that I was both unfamiliar with and interested in using at some point.
I also like the quote that megan mentioned which said, "emerging voices are not only being heard but amplified." Blogging seems to be a really great way for students to communicate, and can provide a more open forum than the face-to-face communication in the classroom. Students can really voice their opinions in a less threatening way. Although human interaction is extremely important, for some students this is a way that allows them to feel less anxiety.
Luci, I have to agree with you that technology is changing so fast and that as teachers we must stay on top of it and teach it to our students. I also agree that blogging is a great tool to use with ESL students, it is a good way for students to write and express their own thoughts and beliefs as well as an informal assessment that could be used by teachers.
That's a great point Danielle about the emerging voices who can post a blog in a non-threatening manner. I never considered the benefits for the extremely shy student in this situation. Posting a response on the discussion board and seeing responses from peers will prepare them for a discussion in class the next day. This could actually boost their confidence.
Joanne V
I have heard about blogging before, but never actually knew what it was. This is a great tool for teachers. They can use it in the classroom not only for their students, but for themselves as well. It would also give a teacher another way to assess her/his students.
I found the article "What Is Web 2.0 Anyway? to be informative in a concise and "to the point" structure. The sub-section "Blogging" further clarified what blogging is and how it is and should be used. I believe blogging poses both positive and negative attributes.
I am also not familiar with "RSS" as Megan discussed in her post. The RSS system seems time efficient and easy to navigate.
Tagging also allows for a quick, effective way to locate needed information. As the sub-section "What Does This Mean for Me?" pointed out, technology is a useful tool, but it is merely a "tool". When appropriately and constructively implemented it can open new doors to our students. On the oppositive end of the spectrum, technology can damage our students when utilized inappropriately and ineffectively.
I am glad Luci mentioned the need to incorporate various technological tools when working with ESL students. I have witnessed firsthand the positive impact of technology and students who speak limited English. Our students with limited English proficiency are largely visual and auditory learners, the internet has a wide array of resources available for such learners.
Web 2.0 is a brand new concept to me. Although I consider myself to be technology savvy I had no idea what blogging entailed. Blogging is a revolutionary new medium which was born from the internet. It gives a voice to millions of people, children and adults alike, who may express any feelings, opinions or views they desire. Web 2.0 makes it easy for non-savvy computer users to upload volumes of material that will be read by possible millions of viewers. This user friendly technology even gives way for children to express their thoughts. Nowadays, anyone can publish their ideas, a power formerly enjoyed exclusively by the mass media.
I love Katie M.’s idea about incorporating a blog into the classroom. This would be a great way to further students’ understanding of materials that they did not quite grasp. Furthermore, it would take the anxiety off of the students that might be too embarrassed to ask questions in class.
“What is Web 2.0 Anyway” is a very informative article that describes how various Internet-based tools (in this case called Web 2.0) can be integrated into the classroom for the purpose of learning. I am familiar with blogging, bookmarking, tagging, and RSS but never considered using these tools within the classroom. Not only can these tools teach students how to properly use the internet and its search capabilities, but it exposes students to ideas and concepts that might be foreign to them. This generally helps to enhance learning since the exposure to new and different ideas promotes higher thinking and encourages one to become more educated and aware of their own biases and assumptions.
In terms of learning and education, I feel it is important to discuss and share ideas with other’s in order to develop a “fuller understanding” of the topics at hand. By simply ascribing to one perspective, way of thinking, or way of teaching, students and teachers alike will be limited in their ability to grasp the true concept of many topics. To me, the use of blogs is important since it allows for the viewing of different opinions across a wide spectrum of knowledge. As stated previously, it is important to understand various view points on a topic in order to develop an educated opinion on that topic. The problem with blogging, however, is that it is basically someone’s opinion. When reading blogs, it is important to decipher what is relevant, useful, and factual. One must use caution when reading blogs since the person creating the blog might not have his or her facts straight. In addition, the blogger might provide a distorted view of the topic which causes problems in itself.
Overall, I felt this article was extremely useful since it highlights just some of the tools that educators and students might use when it comes to internet based learning. Not only does the article provide links that allow the reader to understand what each section is about, but the article simply describes how each tool is used. Through simple explanation and the use of helpful links, this website provides a guide on how to use various internet tools within the classroom in a beneficial and successful fashion.
I agree with what Erica B. said in response to Katie M.’s post. As she said, using blogs (especially blogs where student’s can post anonymously) is a great way to relieve the anxiety of asking questions during class. Students, if allowed to post anonymously, will feel an enhanced freedom to ask questions that they might consider “stupid.” By removing the fear of being ridiculed or ostracized for asking questions perceived as unintelligent, students will feel less nervous when it comes to participating within the classroom discussion. Blogging, as seen in this case, can easily be used as a tool to facilitate classroom rapport by removing the fear of ridicule.
Web 2.0 can be an effective tool to incorporate into the classroom because blogs, tags, and other interactive exercises can provide exciting new ways for students to learn while communicating ideas with each other. Another important aspect of Web 2.0, is that this is an up and coming age of student learners who are mostly internet saavy and require technology as a vehicle for effective learning. In the area of foreign languages, like Spanish, I would encourage students to engage in blogging through homework assignments that relate to the class lesson. Blogging could be the most beneficial in any content area because it provides a way for students to communicate and respond to a question around one topic in a non-intimidating way. Blogging can be an essential tool for learning because it can reinforce learning and comprehension through interactive communication among learners.
I agree with most of the ideas about incorporating blogs into the classroom and addressing other technology to relate the course material to students. However, I think there is a requirement to moderate all material that is posted. Students must use professional language, be respectful and be positive. Teachers must keep the blogs from becoming message boards where people simply attack one another.
Podcasts, tags, widgets and RSS are all wonderful inventions that can also be utilized. RSS could be used in either an English or history classroom when having students choose current events topics for discussion and writing assignments.
Also, having students becoming digital pen pals with students from around the world is a simple and incredibly effective manner of encouraging students to be more globally aware and accepting of other cultures.
I like Andrea's idea about using the blogging for homework assignments to reinforce what students are learning in the classroom. And just to add on, it can also be a tool for the students to post questions regarding the homework. The blog then serves as a vitual tutoring or extra-help resource.
I am fairly new to the concept of Web 2.0. However I did find the article to be extremely informative and interesting. I found that the tools mentioned in the article could very useful in certain classroom settings, but not particluarly my own. There has been numerous occasions where I would find something that either interested me or helped me in some way and I was unable to retrace my steps back to where I orginally found it and Web 2.0 helps resolve some of these certain issues!
I agree with Jessica K's comment. I feel the same exact way about social bookmarking instead of just using Yahoo or Google to research certain topics. Instead of just typing in keywords in order to get quick information, this allows you to get a hold of "good information" that is available for you with the credibility of accuracy you can trust.
As a high school math teacher, research projects are a foreign concept to me. I am on unfamiliar ground assigning internet based projects mainly because there is no room in my curriculum for them. When thinking of the best way to incorporate Web 2.0 into my instruction, I decided blogs were the way to go. I could set up a homework blog where students could share questions and help each other out. This allows students to vocalize their problems or showcase their skills for different topics. In addition to homework blogs, I could post extension questions for extra credit. When it comes to incorporating other aspects of a Web 2.0, I am at a loss. I am open to any suggestions on how I could incorporate RSS or tags into my math classroom. Thanks!
B. Ritchie
I was surprise that the high-tech article titled “What is Web 2.0 Anyway” visually looked low tech. It lacked graphics and photographs. However, the article presented readers with valuable information in a clear and concise manner, which was easy to understand. And this was important, for I have never used or heard of these Internet tools.
After reading the article, I visualized the value of utilizing these tools in the classroom. Teachers can use a blog to exchange ideas about lessons, classroom management techniques, and great websites. Therefore, I agree with Megan; when she said, “ We educators need to view all of these wonderful Internet-based tools and assess which tool(s) would be best for our learners and classroom enrichment.” But unfortunately, I have come across many educators who are afraid to try out new technology. They are missing out on an opportunity to use a new form of authentic assessment, which enables students to become risk takers. I also strongly agree with Kevin; a classroom blog can be a useful tool for students to discuss a topic in-depth, gain greater knowledge, share their thoughts, and ask questions without being embarrassed. Also, students can take the time to think through or research their answers before responding to a question. Plus, a blog provides students with the opportunity to reread the information that was posted for a better understanding of information exchanged.
Now that I am better informed about Web 2.0 tools, I can wait to learn how to use them.
Valerie F.
Richie I really like your idea of using a blog for students’ homework assignments. What a wonderful way for students to help each other learn and tutor classmates who are struggling in math.
Valerie F.
Lisa M.
I think Web 2.0 would be a great tool to use in the classroom. It is a great way for students to interact and discuss diffferent issues or ideas on any given topic. Allowing students from all over the world to converse will broaden students minds and maybe even enlighten students to view things from another perspective. I think Web 2.0 would be a fun and interesting way to bring technology into the classroom. I'm all for it!
Lisa M.
After posting my blog and reading Valerie's comments, I didn't even think that using such a tool would have such a immediate response. I agree with Valerie, in that, using new technological tools can help students understand concepts better by sharing their thoughts and questions on internet blogs. I really do enjoy this concept and I am looking forward to learning how to implement technology in the classroom.
Blogging is a useful tool to encourage communication among students. It provides an open forum for students to actively participate and engage themselves within lessons. As a future math teacher, I would use blogs as an alternative way for students with math difficulties to successfully contribute ideas about the mathematics topic being discussed. Additionally, I would use it as a way for students to interact between themselves. For instance, I would encourage my class to use a class blog particularly before a test to ask questions and peer tutor each other. This will allow students to ask questions and have them answered outside of school through the use of technology. In addition, Web 2.0 is important for teachers to be aware of also. Because accuracy is important during research projects, teachers need to insure students know about valid sites to use as references.
While the other topics mentioned within the article are important and relevant (to every day life), I do not think they have as much of place within a classroom as blogging. In the future, I think all the technologies mentioned will find their place within classrooms, whether directly or indirectly, but right now, I believe blogging is most relevant and useful.
~Andrea A.
Hi B. Ritchie,
You have a very interesting point about using the blogging for additional questions. I had thought about it as a tool for studying and peer tutoring, but asking additional questions for enrichment purposes would be a great addition to the concept. Specifically in math, I think that could be an invaluable tool. I think it will help bridge the gap between different types of learners, since the newest generation of students are quite technologically savvy. Great idea! When I am a teacher, I'll have to use it! Thanks!!
~Andrea A.
My first reaction to this article came when I was reading the section on Blogs, the part where the company was worried about somebody posting something that would be embarassing to the project. Maybe it's the nonconformist in me, but isn't that the point? The greatest thing about the different aspects of Web 2.0 is that there isn't as much censorship; we're not being fed our news and information by publicists who are paid to make sure no one says anything controversial. Web 2.0 allows for honest and real discourse (as is evident in this forum). That discourse, even if there is the danger of someone saying something that is not quite what the bosses want to hear, is the new frontier of free speech, which is not just exciting, but needed as well. America tends to be dry and sterile. Perhaps Web 2.0 will allow some verility to come back into the national conversation. In terms of education, there are a number of useful applications that Web 2.0 offers for the classroom. I am a Social Studies teacher. One of the biggest goals in being a Social Studies teacher is to urge our students to become social activists. A large obstacle to obtaining this goal has always been the lack of organization that is possible among students. With Web 2.0, students can do it all: research, plan, and network. These tools will allow our students to get fired up about an issue, inform themselves on that issue, and take action with the purpose of changing the world around them. What could be better?
B. Richie and Andrea A.-
Interesting conversation regarding the use of blogs in the classroom. I am currently trying to increase the use of Socratic Circles in my Social Studies classroom, and after reading your entries, I realized that I could use blogs to help attain that goal. One of my biggest problems is feeling like I don't have enough time. The problem is not getting the students to discuss text and dig for deeper meaning, the problem is that the bell always rings before I, or they, feel like they're done. Through the use of blogs, though, I feel that time for discussion can be unlimited. If the students touch upon an issue in class that peaks their interest, the bell ringing doesn't matter, because they can continue the discussion through the blog. Another issue in the class that could be solved with blogs is the way the students write. My students have horrible writing skills, which translates to horrible typing skills. They seem to think that Microsoft Word is just decorating their paper when they see the little red and green squiggly lines. By assigning work that must be done on blogs and monitoring the students' writing, the teacher can help the students improve writing and thinking skills.
Ida Elizabeth
Reading this article made me realize how far technology has advanced since I attended elementary school. It is constantly changing and providing us with more ways to utilize information. Integrating technology into the classroom will be a priority for me as I begin my teaching career. I feel that it is my responsibility as a teacher to expose my students to these types of tools that will ultimately help them in the future. Blogging, tagging, and social bookmarking are tools I would utilize frequently in the classroom. Blogging is a great way for open discussion and assessment of writing skills. Tagging and social bookmarking are great for researching a topic.
B. Ritchie,
I agree that incorporating web 2.0 into your math curriculum may be difficult because its focus is geared more towards research. However, I love your idea of setting up homework blogs and extension questions for extra credit. It’s a great way to get your students motivated to excel as well as having your students help each other out with any difficulties they may be having. Great idea!
~Ida Elizabeth
The article "What is Web 2.0 Anyway?" was both informative and interesting. I believe that some of the tools mentioned could be used in the classroom in a positive way but they need to be combined with traditional methods of instruction.
I am familiar with blogging as my family maintains a blog that incorporates news, photos, birthday reminders, etc. to allow us to remain in contact across the miles. I think blogging can be utilized as a means of incorporating technology in the classroom through the implementation of a "Book Club" discussion group. Students who are not comfortable voicing their opinions in the classroom might find this as a viable means to have their opinion heard. But, on the contrary, I have not seen any posts that view blogging as a negative tool for the classroom. Whereas some children might be more comfortable voicing their opinions online, other children will not. This could be due to their lack of proper grammar or spelling skills, and they will be hesitant for others to view it online. As Rickey mentioned in class, "Post a positive remark to your classmates response" does not always happen in the real world. Nonetheless, I will incorporate blogging as a tool for discussions about literacy within my classroom, but it will be combined with the traditional method of an oral group discussion.
Christine O'B
Megan
I agree with your thoughts that blogging should be balanced within the classroom to allow for the children's social skills and conversational skills to develop. All too often, as you mentioned, our children are distancing themselves from human contact by racing home to play video games, text their friends, enter online chat rooms, etc. rather than have actual interaction with another human being!! Just as with all functions of life, the use of blogging in moderation can be another useful tool to incorporate in the modern classroom.
Christine O'B
while this article was very interesting i must say i have not heard of many of these terms before. i think that using web 2.0 would be very useful and make research much easier and interesting for students. however, students have already become so dependent on technology and computers that blogging has the potential to take the place of conversation. while it is important to be able to use a computer it is imperative that students be able to hold a conversation and use a book for research. the key is finding the most effective balance between the two to set students up to be successful in using their technological resources, but also in the everyday world of books and human interaction.
jenna-lyn
it is not that i am against all of this new technology, i think it is great, but we as teachers need to keep up with it and time sometimes becomes our worst enemy. several people have made really great points, ones that i never thought of. i think that using blogging as a way of extra help and having students reach out to each other to help one another is a really great thing. it is also a really great point that too often the bell rings as we wrap up the class. a blog would be a really great thing where the teacher can touch base with the students to assure their understanding and address the concepts learned in class.
This article is an excellent example of the "need it now", "need it fast", generation, a generation we have all become familiar with. The internet is an excellent medium for researching information. It puts billions and billions of facts and data, literally, at our fingertips, and this article attempts to explain how to better utilize and quantify these facts. Although not specifically defined within this article, the internet was
initially a stagnant forum, that is, it returned information to you based on your searching criteria. It (the internet), did not qualify, quantify, or explicitly explain the information it returned to you, it simple put it
forth. With the evolution of blogging, RSS, and interactive web design applications using JavaScript, XML, HTML, and CSS, the live opinions and interactions are readily available. People, real live people, can share ideas and concepts,and the gathering of opinions can be calculated for the purpose of consensus taking. This article explains the evolving features and functions of the
internet, and helps define how a once static book turned into a congregation of conversations and opinions.
J.DiBrita
This article is an excellent example of the "need it now", "need it fast", generation, a generation we have all become familiar with. The internet is an excellent medium for researching information. It puts billions and billions of facts and data, literally, at our fingertips, and this article attempts to explain how to better utilize and quantify these facts. Although not specifically defined within this article, the internet was
initially a stagnant forum, that is, it returned information to you based on your searching criteria. It (the internet), did not qualify, quantify, or explicitly explain the information it returned to you, it simple put it
forth. With the evolution of blogging, RSS, and interactive web design applications using JavaScript, XML, HTML, and CSS, the live opinions and interactions are readily available. People, real live people, can share ideas and concepts,and the gathering of opinions can be calculated for the purpose of consensus taking. This article explains the evolving features and functions of the
internet, and helps define how a once static book turned into a congregation of conversations and opinions.
J.DiBrita
The tools of web 2.0, particularly blogging, seem they would be very useful in the classroom. I think blogging is a good way to motivate students to communicate with one another. Some students are nervous or shy about sharing their opinions and blogging offers these students a different approach to communicating with classmates. It would also be great to integrate subjects using RSS feed. If there are computers with internet in the classroom, the students could subscribe to receive information on various news updates to report to the class daily.
- J. Granato
I agree with Jessica K. on the idea that social bookmarking could be really helpful when researching a topic. I find that often search results include unrelated material. It can be really frustrating to look through so many results to find helpful information.
-J. Granato
Stephanie Kreutzberger
I enjoyed reading this article and found it to be a quick read on emerging Web 2.0 tools. I like the idea of having a class blog (I have a family blog and it's a great way to send pics and updates to my extended family living all over the country). Maintaining a blog isn't very time consuming and it's a fun ad effective way to get students more involved in technology. A class blog would also help to keep parents abreast of everyday class activities.
Stephanie Kreutzberger
I like Luci and Andrea's idea in using a class blog for homework assignments. It's an effective method to share ideas, give instructions, and post questions and answers (from both teachers and students).
I really have never heard of web 2.0 before reading this article. I was familiar with the term blog but never used one before. This new technology can be used as our professor has indicated: to get a discussion started. These are new and innovative ways to engage students with their learning and provides them with a way to share their ideas and what they have learned. All this is done while interacting with other students. I need to learn more about web 2.0.
-Anne M.
Up until I read this article I didn't even know what the work "blog" meant or stood for. I had always thought blogs would be for kids who wanted to discuss topics such as music and give updates on their social lives. I think that having a class blog would be a good tool (although difficult at times to monitor). Students who feel shy about voices their opinions and concerns in class may feel more comfortable posting it on a blog. It is also useful when researching topics. A student could go to a blog and read up on people's personal experiences.
-Jamie
I agree with Michelle. I had no idea what tags were, not to mention a blog. I think these tools are helpful in and outside of the classroom. Web 2.0 seems like such a useful tool and I agree with Keri that it would be useful to intergrate into lessons.
-Jamie-
I definitely enjoyed reading this article. I had absolutely no idea of some of the internet tools that are available, such as RSS. I think the most beneficial tool would be the blogging. I personally do not blog but I have always wanted to do it. I think this allows for students to be creative and expressive themselves about a particular topic without having to be judged by a classmate or even their own teacher. I like the idea of students being able to communicate their feelings/thoughts/ideas about a particular topic with not just their teacher and classmates but to anyone else across the country and around the world who may have read their "blog." Blogging is open ended and students and teachers would benefit from using this internet tool. I am very open to this blogging.
I totally agree with B. Ritchie. I am also a math teacher, and the most effective tool that would benefit my students is a blog. If the bell were to ring and students might have missed the wrap up, the teacher can post that information as well as home work assignments as well as class notes. This would also benefit those that could not be in class, they would be able to access at their own leisure. I also am open to suggestions on how to use RSS for any math related research assignments.
Kristen H.
This was a great article. Web 2.0 seems to be a real interactive tool, and is definitely something that I would love to use in my classroom. Blogging is a great way for student interaction and can cover a range of topics. Also, tagging and social bookmarking is very useful when researching and helps to sort useful information. Researching topics on the internet can be overwhelming at times, so tagging and social bookmarking can definitely come in handy. I would like to use Web 2.0 in some of my lessons.
Kristen H.
I think Sabrina S. made a good point when she mentioned setting up a classroom blog to post notes and assignments. I think a blog is a great way to keep the students connected. Of course, students would need to be reminded about the blog's purpose and blog "etiquette."
I enjoyed reading this article. Although I have heard about web blogs, I never knew about why or how they were used. Also, I like the idea of tagging a websites while searching for information, as it will save time and lead to better search results. The RSS feeds is a really helpful tools as well, as you can send updates from your website to people around the world without ever sending an e-mail. I would definitely consider using Web 2.0 with my classes.
-Justin M.-
I agree with Sabrina S. with regard to using blogs in a mathematics classroom. As a fellow math teacher, I can see the benefits of using blogs to post notes, upcoming assignments and exams, or any information that can help the students succeed. I also think that if a teacher was assigning a research paper, encouraging the students to tag information to help find useful websites would be a great idea.
-Justin M.-
James O.
Before class last night ad then reading this article, I had never even heard of Web 2.0 and the tools associated with it. Now I think there are many useful ideas that could be incorporated into the classroom. Blogging seems to be very useful for students who may not be eager on raising their hand in class. It allows them to express their thoughts on a certain topic without having to be the center of attention in the classroom. It also allows other students to build on the thoughts of each other so that a deeper conversation with more opinions and more facts begins. I would like to learn more about Web 2.0 tools so I could incorporate them into my classroom.
James O.
I agree with Justin about the importance of being able to tag websites for our students to research. There are an abundance of resources on the Internet, and being able to tag sources helps the teacher know where the students are getting the information from and the student because they are not overwhelmed by the huge amount of info the Internet contains. There are a lot of options with Web 2.0 tolls and I look forward to learning more about what they offer.
I thought this article was interesting. I thought I knew a decent amount about computers, but after reading this I can see that there is a lot more out there to learn about. When reading the part about blogging, I immediately thought of the different ways I could use this in my classroom (I teach math). I think the blogging would be useful for posting assignments, upcoming events and also for students to communicate about topics or specific math problems from class. This would be great particularly if they are reaching out for help from their classmates, teacher or anyone for that matter. I think having this addition to a math class would intrigue and excite the kids, which in math can be very difficult.
Kristen P.
I agree with James O's comment about how blogging can give all students an opportunity to express themselves, especially those shy students we all have. I also agree with Kristen H's point about research. The internet has so many resources that students are easily overwhelmed. Being able to bookmark and tag pages would make the process much easier for students.
Kristen P.
I found the article on Web 2.0 very interesting. I had never heard of Web 2.0 and was very surprised to find out what it actually is. I really liked the statement, “this is the human side of the technological transformation.” I think it’s important to remember that it is in fact humans who are supplying the information we receive from the internet. Using Web 2.0 tools would be extremely beneficial in the classroom. Blogging would be an excellent way to have a class correspond with another class from a different part of the country or world and learn about each others cultures. Blogging would also be a great way to have students with similar academic interests communicate with each other, or help each other with questions. I am still not completely sure if I understand what RSS is, but it seems like it would be a very helpful resource for students to research about specific topics in any content area. As I am studying to be a TESOL teacher, I believe that there would be many benefits to having an English Language Learner use Web 2.0 because it would help them further understand the English language as well as help them with any work in specific content areas.
I agree with James that blogging would be useful for students who may be more shy and reserved in class. It is easier to think about what you want to say, write it and review it than to feel the pressure of raising your hand and coming up with an answer on the spot, like in the classroom. Although for many subjects it’s important to raise your hand and participate in classroom discussion, it can be beneficial in other subjects to be able to share your thoughts by writing them on a blog. An example of this would be having students respond to a poem. It definitely would be easier for some students to share there thoughts on a blog. It would also benefit the whole class because students learn from each other and they would be able to hear what the quieter students had to say.
Karine M.
Considering I was not aware of what web 1.0 was, I found it very interesting to read up on web 2.0. I would never consider myself technologically savvy; sure, I can e-mail, browse the web, scan, use powerpoint, use edline and gradequick, and I even have a thumb drive, but I only skim the surface of how I can use technology today for myself and in the classroom. One of the most important parts of the reading that I feel my science classes could benefit from would be science related blogs about health, ecology, pollution, pharmaceuticals, disease, etc … Hopefully with the introduction of smartboards into all of our classrooms next year I will be able to introduce this to my class to make topics “real” to them, as well as to keep them interested and interactive in class.
Karine M.
In response to Miss Graham, I am glad that I am not the only one who is unfamiliar with web 2.0 (and 1.0), and feel on the same page regarding the benefits of using blogs in the classroom to interact more with students on pertinent content topics. Although I read the article twice, I too was confused about widgets and RSS, and hope to get some clarification as this class continues.
I found this article to be very interesting. I had never heard of web 2.0 (or web 1.0). Blogging can be an effective homework assignment for students to continue to discuss and reflect on the day's lesson. The comments posted can also allow the teacher to assess the efficacy of the lesson. Besides blogging, the use of tools such as RSS, Tagging,and Social Bookmarking will streamline the process of gathering information.
I agree with James O and Kristen P. in that blogging can give shy students a chance to express themselves. I also agree with an older blog by mills that students, as well as the rest of society, need an outlet for free speech. Our news outlets too often disseminate information that is driven by a desire for sensationalism and is slanted by hidden agendas and bias. Providing a forum for people to discuss issues together is a necessary tool in the modern world to preserve liberty and encourage personal expression. I hate to be negative, but we must also be cognizant of the pitfalls of web 2.0. Blogging must be balanced with classroom expression as 80 - 90% of communication is non-verbal and we need our citizens to be able to socialize effectively. In addition, the use of RSS,Tagging, and Social Bookmarking can save time, but students must also be able to search and find appropriate information. Also, web 2.0 will draw like-minded students together which may result in individuals communicating within a narrow scope of ideas. The bottom line is that we as educators and citizens must embrace advances in technology with caution and respect for more traditional methods of communication.
I was familiar with blogging and AJAX applications but some of the other tools were new to me. Web 2.0 is about users and content instead of just surfing on the Internet. It's more about being a creator, a collaborator, an active participant, rather than a passive viewer of what is out there on the web. It seems to me that these tools open up many new doors to teachers’ daily activities: finding people with similar interests, collaborating with them, sharing resources, and conversing and reflecting on the use of information. Being a Spanish teacher, the use of blogs, podcasts, teleconferencing, wikis, etc. opens up new communication and collaboration opportunities for my students unthinkable without these tools.
Francisco (a.k.a. Paco) K.
In response to Miss Graham, I am glad to know there are other Second Language teachers among us. I do agree with you that these tools are extremely useful for any student of other languages. I think that they are an opportunity for the student to work with real and culturally appropriate information rather than teacher-tailored materials. For me, though, the most important aspect of these tools for a second language learner is their interactional component.
Francisco (a.k.a. Paco) K.
I thought that I knew a lot about using computers in the classroom, but apparently I have a lot to learn! I like the whole idea about blogging and letting the students use technology because after all this is what their future will be made up of. I look forward to this class and learning about different ways to include technology into the classroom. The only problem that arises is some schools do not have access to what they need to incorporate technology into the classroom. For me, I know that this issue seems to be why I can�t incorporate technology into my lessons as much as I would like to.
Tara L.
Like Karine, I had never heard of web 1.0 and I was very interested when learning about web 2.0. I found this article very helpful. I had no idea what RSS was. Although the topic is still a little vague to me, I like the fact that the article had links to sites to help you learn more about each new technology. I can see the many benefits of using web 2.0 in the classroom. It is very interesting to know that I could create a class web page that would automatically send emails to students and parents every time the page is updated. I also like the idea of a classroom blog. As a math teacher I know how hard it can be to get in touch with parents. I like knowing that there is a place that parents can go to learn about what is going on in the class without having to play phone tag.
I agree with many of the comments that have been made about the use of web 2.0 in the classroom. I think Miss Graham brought up an excellent point when she recognized the potential to use this technology to interact with other classrooms around the world. I think it would be good for students to see what other classes are learning and exchange ideas and information. I also agree with James O’s comment about the benefits of blogs for shy students. Sometimes a student does not contribute to the class because they are afraid of the attention or the reaction of others. The blogs allow them to be a part of the class discussion without anxiety.
I found the article very interesting. I myself am not very computer literate and if I can organize and receive informaiton automaticlly on different topics, that would be great. This type of technology would be very useful in founding out new information on different special education issues, new ways to integrate technology into different types of classroom formats, and even finding information on the different content areas. I would love to learn more on how to set up RSS, social bookmarks and tagging. Understanding Web 2.0 would be a tremendous help in the classroom.
Marianne C
Kelly Lech
I found this article to be really interesting. I like to think of myself as computer literate but in reality i'm lucky that my iTunes works properly!
I teach at an elementary level and there are students that come into the classroom that are so computer literate that it blows my mind. I think tools like these help students find information quickly and easily. I think it also allows students to express views and opionions about the world in which they live. I would love to integrate some of these tools into my lessons and i think doing that is becoming more and more relevant.
Research is very important and to often not till college do students learn research. I know at Stony Brook University research was very important. At the junior and and high school level thier seems to be a gap how to research and this article does explain the tools that can be used. I agree with kerri these tools metion in the article make research faster and easier to attain.
Robert D
I found this article to be very interesting and informative. I have used blogs in previous college classes and they proved to be useful. They are useful in that they provide an alternative way to communicate through the use of technology and not being in the classroom. I currenly teach second grade so I am unsure whether I would use blogs there. It is possible because these children have been surrounded by technology throughout their life. However I would definetly use it in the upper grades for homework assignments and articles that I may want them to read and discuss. Blogs are a great tool to use in the world of education because it opens up so many doors for students. They can have conversations without being in class, without ims and without cell phones. These would be educational conversations as well which make it even better.
I agree with Kelly Lech in that waht these children know is incredible. I consider myself pretty computer literate but what some of these children can do is unbelievable. That is why I did state it could be possible to use blogs in second grade because they are so computer literate.
I thought the article was very interesting and I learned a lot about technology that I did not know even existed. Also, even though I knew of blogging, the article helped me understand its purpose better. I was especially fascinated with the RSS because I think that it is great that you can get up-to date information from your favorite websites without even going to them. It was also interesting to learn about websites that contains coding technologies, such as AJAX. Although as of right now I am not very technologically savvy, I would like to eventually try to set up a blog. I would like to implement blogging someday because it will create a way for students to communicate with each other about lessons and topics and possibly help each other if they are having difficulties in any topic.
Angella S.
I agree with Kelly Lech about children knowing so much about technology, that implementing these technological tools in the classroom would be an asset to them. I agree that it would help them acquire helpful information about the world they live in and communicate with others.
Angella S.
katie
Having read the article and trying to become more familiar with web 2.0 each day it answered a lot of my questions. As we know the technology today is overwhelming and to become an expert of where to find valuable information is extremely important. Agreeing with Keri, one important aspect of using the web is to find info timely. As we all have spent many hours on the web trying to gather accuate information can be tiring. I am looking forward to learning much more in 521 to utilize in the classroom.
I thought this was a very interesting article. It sounds like web 2.0 can be useful for teachers to help students learn how to interact and contribute to what they are learning about. AJAX eliminates the wait time which is often very frustrating and RSS delivers the latest information to you. I think web 2.0 can be useful when incorporated into lesson plans.
I thought this was a very interesting article. It sounds like web 2.0 can be useful for teachers to help students learn how to interact and contribute to what they are learning about. AJAX eliminates the wait time which is often very frustrating and RSS delivers the latest information to you. I think web 2.0 can be useful when incorporated into lesson plans.
Erin C.
I found this article to be extremely interesting and informative. We live in an age where up to date news and information is important to have. Without it some people may not know what atrocities may be happening halfway around the world. I agree with Kelly Lech that kids are so up to date on what is going on with computers and the internet. If we, as educators, incorporated RSS and blogging into our teaching, I feel more students would actually be able to grasp the ideas taught in class rather than just sit there and pretend.
The internet is growing and developing everyday. The "Web 2.0" is very helpful for people because now we can all participate and share our thoughts and experiences using this new web technology. This kind of technology is beneficial for teachers who want all of their students to have a voice, even the one who normally don't speak in class. Using these new forms of media in the classroom will motivate students to enjoy learning.
At what age are students ready to post on a blog? I found the information in this article very captivating, and yet I ask myself, are 7th and 8th grade students still too young to be exposed to public critiques of their work/journaling/innermost thoughts? I was considering an online, classwide poetry journal (as opposed to the paper variety we've been doing from year-to-year), however I'm concerned about the emotional reaction of parents as well as the psychological (perhaps I'm getting a bit overdramatic) damage that could be caused by malicious blog-rodents (that is, people who troll through the pages of blogs just to make nasty comments). However, benefits of said project would be the use of technology in the curriculum (which students LOVE) and "publication" of the students' work. I'm currently divided, however this article certainly got me thinking!
Malcolm T
Not bad...I see how this can be useful in a classroom setting. I could definitely see posting a simple blog whether it be for homework or having an open blog where the students can ask questions. Prior to reading this, if I heard the word AJAX I would think of a cleaning product, I learned something new. Interesting. Has anyone used blogging in their class before?
While I think the various technologies presented as part of Web 2.0 would be invaluable to a teacher, to suggest that these same tecnologies could be implemented in a classroom erroneously assumes that either a classroom is equipped with computers or that students have access to computers outside of school.
I was particularly interested in the RSS technology. As a science teacher, it would be simply fabulous to have my favorite science websites alert me to the newest science news without my having to visit a variety of sites, even if they are bookmarked.
I think Dave have a good point of view. These technology will be helpful for students, who are not participating in classroom, have an opportunity to show their thinking on the webs. These technology will be disadvantage for students who are not english speaker or who are using english as a second language. However, in the same time a teachers can also use these opportunities to show and teach the students how to make a comment on the internet. Students can research for the information or share their opinion with their own language. In addition, students who choose to use english when researching or writing comments, don't have to write long paragraph. They can start writing with just one sentence. After they have experiences I believe that the students will have more comfortable and will be able to develop their reading and writing skill.
A very informative article especially for someone like myself that is not computer savy. As a future educator of foreign language I want to learn more about tagging and social bookmarking.I would definitely use blogging as a research tool in the classrooms. Teachers and students can share their thoughts and opinion about a topic. This tool gives teachers another method of gathering information. This gets students to write about a specific topic at there own leisure without being ridiculed. I can see myself using blogging in a Spanish classroom as long as students and teachers don't make unappropriate comments.
I have to agree with Shannon. Although the new age of technology opens up a whole new world for teachers and their students,not every school district have the resources to supply each classroom with even two or three computers so that these technologies could be implemented in within the classroom.
With that being said, tagging is a very useful tool that makes doing a search more effecient and less time consuming when the proper key words are used in the tag. When I learned about tagging, I was able to add every major key word that someone searching for the information on my sight might type in, and the hits on my page doubled.
~Shikema B.
I think Kristen (M.) made a great point about the dual-edged sword of blogging. While it does give students who are typically non-verbal in class an opportunity to express their thoughts, it can also open the door to potentially inappropriate comments and even cruel appraisals of one another's work, somthing which is made easier by the ability to post on a blog anonomously.
I, like several others who have posted, am not as technologically savvy as I would like to be, and feel that I would need to master these various web-enhanced options before I implement them in my classroom.
I think that blogging is suitable for students in high school and beyond. The main advantage for academic blogs is that it gives every student a chance a voice their opinion. What I really like about Web 2.0 is that it allows the user to share information and opinions in creative ways. (Eg. pictures, video clip) This makes the blogs more interesting and more attention grabbing to the readers.
I think Web 2.0 is a great tool to engage the students in academic discussions and it also encourages them to become a better writer. The only problem is the availability of technology at home may vary among individual students.
-Jenny Chen
Earlier, in a post from Shannon, it was mentioned that students may not have access to the technology that the article mentioned. While I absolutely agree, another monetary issue is training teachers in these various programs. While school districts may receive grants for computers and internet access, there are educators out there who still have difficulty with simple applications (like word processing!) let alone some of the other technological products that are out there!
Web 2.0 could also benefit ELLs once they learned the operation of the blog. Many ESL students concerns about making grammatical errors and hesitates to speak English in public. An ESL blog could provide a comfortable place for the ELLs to practice and learn English.
-Jenny Chen
This article was very interesting. I think it is great what the internet is now providing for students and teachers. Blogs are a great way for students to express their opinions and also read about what other students think. The teacher can also include input to the students responses.
There were also new things in the article that I never knew about. I might have heard about it but now I have a better understanding of what is included in Web 2.0!
I agree with what Jenny said about blogs and ELLs. English Language Learners may be hesitant to speak in front of their classmates. By using a blog, ELLs will be able to express their thoughts and opinions through written English. The teacher should encourage the students to do their best with spelling and also proper written English.
I found this article very interesting, as I see many of you did. I admit, as computer savy as I am, I was a little unfamiliar with what exactly a blog was, and who you have to be to write one.
After reading this article, I learned that anyone can write a blog. I think having a class blog is a fantastic idea. Students can post comments about what they agree or dissagree on. I agree with Jenny Chen who wrote how she feels this technology allows students to voice their oppinion. The idea that they can make suggestions, converse with others about their own input and ideas, and most importantly have a voice on the internet is great. This is a great tool for the classroom because it's like having a class discussion without actually being there. This ongoing discussion lets students see many different sides of the spectrum where they become more open minded and diverse. I particularly like the added visuals.
The idea of having an online educational chatroom is great. It allows shy students to shine and gives students a chance to browse the internet for relative information to prove a point or agree with a classmate.
After saying that, I have to agree with Shannon who brought up the point that some students don't have frequent internet accessability. This may become a problem because those students who are unable to get to a computer won't be able to participate in the class blogs as often as other students who can. Other than in class computer time and the possible library access, students who don't own computers are less likely to participate and won't be included as often.
But all in all, the idea is awesome.
- alexandria
I agree with Jenny Chen when she said that blogs would benefit ELL learners. They could learn English through the blog and web 2.0 would be an excellent tool to implement this.
I feel that technology has become an integral part of people's lives in today’s day. This article was very informative, especially as a teacher. In education, we are trying more often to incorporate technology in the classroom. Web 2.0 seems like a helpful tool to ensure that we also contribute. I thought the information regarding tagging was very interesting. If I'm researching information on units of study for teaching or for a paper and I need to refer back to it, it is at times frustrating trying to find the exact location where I got it from. Therefore, tagging seems like something that would be beneficial to me. These tools seem very helpful; it’s surprising that I have never really heard of them prior to reading this article. I definitely have a better understanding of things like AJAX and tagging because of the Web 2.0 article.
-Jessica M
I agree that todays children are very computer literate and that perhaps posting homework and project assignments would be beneficial to most students. However, we must be aware of those students who do not have access to a computer on a daily basis. I agree with Jenny and Colleen in that ELL's may benefit from blogging. In addition, students with special needs like autism may lack communication skills and blogging could be an alternative at times for them to express their ideas and thoughts.
Joe Botka
The new interactions over the web is certainly an eye opener. While I agree with Kristen M. on the fact that certain mediums such as blogs may not be appropriate for certain age groups or assignments, these tools can instill knowledge about life outside of the classroom that might not be available any other way for students. For those of you that may have skipped over the American Cancer Society's http://www.fispace.org/ it has video blogs of people talking about living with cancer. The site provides comfort to those that are going through the same ordeal either with themselves or close person in their lives. If a student of yours has been affected by cancer, it could be a way to help them cope and focus better in class.
This was a very interesting article, it broke down the important and most useful ways in which web 2.0 could be used. I love how this article gave details about blogging and the many uses. I am new to this function and it was nice to know how others would use it for their specific needs. The skill of finding "useful" information on the internet is one that some find difficult because there is just too muhh information offered and it is hard to scan through some of the material. I like how this article gave tools to use for this specific purpose. I would have my students use these materials to aide them in their search for information for class reserach projects. Web 2.0 is a great and very useful tool, I hope to work using it with my students this year.
I liked reading the article. It was very interesting to know that things that I access everyday including blogs, podcasts and social networking sites, are a part of a new for of the internet. I had no idea that so many new technologies were available and being used. The RSS feed was interesting. It's much easier to read the paper on your computer when a newspaper isn't always available. As a teacher, it brought up many ways I can share my information as well as getting information from other teachers.
-Kathryn B
I enjoyed reading this article. I found it very informative and interesting. I think that using blog is very helpful. I think that "blogs" allow people to express what they are thinking and what new and creative ideas they have in mind. As a future teacher using 2.0 will make it easier for me. For example I think that blogs might allow students to express something they would not feel comftable expressing in a classroom. I think that tags would make it easier to find some thing that was useful.
Marina A.
I think the Web 2.0 is a very smart program to use as a teacher tool. There are lots web applications that teacher's can use in a classroom. There are lots of fun and educated applications and I would be honored to use Web 2.0 when I become a teacher!
Jenna M.
I feel that this would be a great tool to use within the classroom. It would make research much easier to find as well as return to with tools such as bookmarking and tagging. It narrows down research when you are able to create a RSS feed and have the things that you are interested in sent to your computer. I enjoyed reading this and think that it would be fun for children and teachers alike to use!
Tracey M.
This article was definately interesting. It really broke down what web 2.0 is and how it's used. It seems fairly simple to use, I know because since I'm not really computer friendly I still feel as though it could be easy for me. Also, having all that the information your most interested in knowing in just one page, saves time, something that now adays is so crucial in our day to day.
-Jenny V.
I found this article to be very informative. I really had no idea what Web 2.0 was and how it would benefit me. Going into the education field is going to be very time consuming and stressful at times; but if we can keep up with bookmarks and updated blogs, teachers within the same field can enhance their knowledge and organizational skills in the future.
Jenea D.
I think these tools would be a great asset to a classroom. Interactive maps that use AJAX applications are great and can be used in a geography lesson and give the children a hands on AND visual approach. Blogging is another good way to get students involved while at the same time they can see other students opinions and ideas.By posting infromation pertinent to a subject bloggers can stengthen their position on the issue and the facts or it can help to make them see another side of an issue. Although, with younger children blogs should be monitored by the teacher to make sure that the facts are correct and that nothing inapporpriate is going on. Overall Web 2.0 tools are great for incorporating into the classroom.
I found this article to be very informative. I enjoyed reading about all the options Web 2.0 has to offer. I believe both students and teachers will benefit from using Web 2.0
This article is interesting because it shows how the new age of technology is being used. The news isn't just handled by big companies, but by anyone who has access to a computer. By having this kind of access you are able to see a wide varity of opinions that many people wouldn't think about otherwise. This article helped me to realize this and become more aware of this for the future.
The article was very interesting. It's absolutely amazing what new technological advances are being made during every second of everyday. After reading through the article I would most definitely consider using blogging in my elementary classroom, not only for my students to express themselves, but as a tool for promoting parent involvement. RSS would be most useful to integrate into a classroom in regards to current events in social studies. It’s important that today’s youth understand the current events taking place in the world around them and with RSS an educator can make that possible for his/her students. While I do appreciate what Web 2.0 has to offer I think it may be difficult to integrate most of these internet-based tools into a classroom especially at an elementary level. Using Web 2.0 is an issue because there is no mention of censoring web contents. Students can bookmark their favorite page or post a comment but who's to say it’s appropriate? As an educator I wouldn’t be comfortable with content that I can’t monitor and I don’t believe the school district would be either.
-CHRISTINA TRESCA
It is amazing how far we have come in technology and how new inventions are assisting teachers and students in and out of the classroom everyday. This article was informative in outlining all the useful tools that are available at our finger tips. Through different blogs, teachers can expand their network of resources and work together to make their lessons more effective. In addition, they can invite and validate voices of their students more creatively and obtain more helpful feedback from their students. Both RSS and tagging will enable students to "scrap" useful and or favorite websites without wasting too much time or creating stress. Bookmarking will help students to organize and simplify information which will help them in their future studies. Lastly, a group of webpage coding technologies such as Widget and AJAX, will help teachers to update new information and resources, and thus make learning more fun to better serve their students. The subject that I will be teaching, science, changes everyday and this Web 2.0 tool will be very useful in teaching my contents.
I have always considered myself to be “computer literate.” However, after reading this article, it has become clear to me that there is a whole other world out there that I didn’t really know that much about. The article was quite clear and very much a “how to,” which is great for me. My interest is peaked and I would definitely like to learn more. These modern advances in technology have really opened the door to finding out anything you could ever dream of on any given topic. It’s pretty cool that we can now have a voice in the news rather than just taking in what we are fed by the media. I would definitely use some of these tools in the classroom, as they would provide students with quick and easy ways to obtain information. Bookmarking seems to be a great way to make researching less time consuming and probably less stressful on students. I also think blogging is a great way to have students share their opinions and ideas on various issues, much like we are doing in this class.
--Colleen Corrigan
I liked Christina’s idea about having parent involvement through blogging. That thought had not occurred to me. I also thought the issue of censoring was an interesting one. I would be interested in learning about safe ways to use these internet tools in the classroom because I do see how that could become a problem. I also agree with Jenn, in that teachers can use various blogs to better their lesson plans and possibly communicate more effectively with their students. –Colleen Corrigan
As most of my fellow classmates have stated, I too had never heard of Web 2.0. However, after reading this very interesting and informative article, I am truly inspired to use Web 2.0 and its resources in my classroom. For example, blogging can be a tool where students are able to communicate freely with each other without any inhibitions. Another very useful feature of Web 2.0 is social bookmarking and RSS. This will allow students to access resources and information that are authentic, relevant, and recent. This, I believe, will support meaningful learning through technologies. As a teacher, I have heard many times, the tones of uncertainty in many of my contemporaries’ voices when it comes to implementing technologies into the classroom. I believe, as educators, we should look as technology as a plus and use it to our advantage.
KISHANA B.
Martha D.
Web 2.0 is a set of specific technologies and techniques like RSS, AJAX, blogging, etc. They can easily be used in the classroom or professional development. Academic blogging adds value to instruction by enabling teachers to incorporate interactive writing across the curriculum and to show students that writing can be fun. These applications can also provide students with opportunities to explore the use of freely available interactive web tools in language lessons
I find technology very frustraiting! I am trying to keep an open mind and hope to learn a ton in this class. The ideas presented in the Web 2.0 article were very new to me. I have heard of blogging, but have never heard of AJAX, Tagging or RSS. Technology is supposed to help you save time and be convenient but the things discussed in the article just confuse me. I don't know how frequently I plan to use this technology in the classroom :(.
Nicole Rhodes
I found this article very informative because I was not aware of how to participate in a blog, or why it could be potentially useful within my classroom. After reading this article, I do believe that blogging can be an effective tool within the classroom, however, I do think that the blogs should be monitored frequently and that they should be submitted to a page advisor prior to the actual blog being viewed by others. This could prevent the risk of reading inappropriate or offensive material within a particular blog. If managing a blog is possible, then I would be more likely to use them in my classroom.
Kim C.
The internet used to be search and click: you had yahoo.com, and you searched for what you were looking for, and hoped you came upon the right information. Now the internet has evolved. Web 2.0 tools like RSS feeds can keep you up on the latest information from your favorite sites so there's always something new to add to a lesson. As Kishana said, you can use blogs to bring about class discussion behind the safe wall a computer provides. You also gain responses from students who might otherwise not respond during class time. However, like Kim said, there is always a danger especially with a blogger that allows anonymous posts. I guess with more internet tools come more problems, but the vast amount of information on the internet and its new organization via social networking might be worth it. - Katherine Dalton
Web 2.0 is a great idea and I would really like to learn a lot more about it. It is so interesting to me how now we can do research and obtain information while 'speaking'/ blogging with other people from our living rooms. This would be great for students to be able to help each other while completing an assignment. I would definitely use these tools in my classroom.
- Caitlin F.
The information from this article was very interesting and helpful. I agree with Keri on using this web 2.0 in the classroom. As a matter of fact I did made a blog for my Biology students. Blogging gives student a chance to share their ideas with others as well as improve their writing skills.
Iffat
I found this article to be very informative and I do think that blogging could be very useful in the middle and upper grades for sharing information and opinions. I have participated in a WEB CT course at Molloy where most of the class was conducted online with one 4 hour class monthly.
The class blogged weekly and it was a great way to share ideas and improve my own writing skills by reading others’ writing samples and it saved valuable commuting time. I definitely felt I participated more than I would have in a regular class because blogging does give one more time to formulate clearer thoughts and ideas. I feel a blog site has to be be monitored by a teacher for security reasons, by letting parents read blogs they can be included in what’s going on in the classes and lives of their children.
Blogging and bookmarking are also great ways for educators to share teaching ideas and innovations. I have used these features as well and found them to be great time savers and teaching aids.Kathleen M.
This article was a good refresher of some technologies available. Many of these tools can be integrated into a classroom. While I believe that Blogs can be a useful tool, I also think they need to be monitered. Some students may have difficulty answering something when others have already submitted their work. At the same time they can be a very useful tool in creating dialog after an assignment.
I am interested in learning more about RSS and thinking of ways to incorporate it into a classroom.
Theresa S.
Donna W.
I found the article to be very interesting. I think they are great tools for all to use in becoming better acclamated with the computer and whe world in which we live. Everything is literally at out fingertips these days.
Before reading this article, I was under the impression that I was very technologically advanced, as far as computers go. However, after learning a great deal about Web 2.0 and all of the components of it, I can admit that I still have much to learn. The article helped me to realize all the various technological tools there are that can help our lessons. Blogging is something that I never thought of implementing, but it can indeed work when done right. This is especially true when dealing with students who have disabilities. Using the computer can be a great tool to help them interact with other students, as well as a tool to help answer questions they may have. Although I was not particularly fond of the article, it was informative and gave suggestions that make life easier for teachers.
Daniel N.
I really have not had much experience with blogs. After reading this article, I am much more familiar with what a blog is and how it can be used. What interested me the most was the social bookmarking tool. I had always wondered how it could be possible to view what others find to be interesting without having to search for hours at a time for the website that they had found. This tool seems like it would be of very good use and a big time saver for most.
I have read another student's response and agree with having much to learn about web 2.0 tools. Students with disabilities would certainly learn a great deeal with all of the new technology that the web 2.0 tools have to offer.
Samantha C
I found this article to be very informative because as computer savvy as I am, I am not completely familiar with what Web 2.0 was nor did I know specific terms were associated with it. It is simply amazing how far we have come with the internet and how useful it will be for our students and our teaching. In a world woith blogging, emailing, immediate correspondance, feedback, etc...students will have no choice than to voice their opinions and communicate with others. Web 2.0 encourages students to be comfortable with the latest technology and how they can apply it to their assignments.
Marie LaPollo
I find it hillarious that RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication. Though I don't expect to use RSS in my profession (yet) the acronym for it amuses me.
I was not interested by this article. Though I'm familiar with Javascript, once the article started discussing AJAX I got lost.
I don't recognize the purpose of the article being written, was it to introduce readers to Blogging, or to the Internet, or to Technology? Because it tried to cover all those points, and I lost track of what I was reading. I did not enjoy this article.
Adam M
This was a very interesting and informative article because it explained inportant aspects and components of Web 2.0. I was not aware of all the different ways to get information across the web. i have never blogged before and was not quite sure what a blog was all about. After reading this article, I would use blogs to communicate to fellow education students about assignments, schedules, and other pertinent information. Bringing these technologies into the classsroom would require extensive training for the classroom teacher but eventually would be extremely resourceful.
Denise c.
How would you use some of these tools in the classroom? Do you think any of these tools would be easy to integrate into any of the subjects you teach? Why or why not?
A blog would be a great idea to use in my English Language Arts classrooms especially to ascertain the students’ views on the subject matter that we are reading about in the course curriculum. As for the ease with setting this up in my classroom that, however, I am not sure of since it would depend on the availability of computer access not only in my classroom, but in the school district as well as for the students that I teach. I know from previous experience in the college realm that it is very easy to set up a blog but for an actual classroom, I am not sure how easy it would be. The concept is a good idea, I feel, to help the students feel as though they have a forum to express their opinion without feeling the pressure of their peers since to keep anonymous from their peers.
I thought this was a pretty good article. I never thought of doing this before with students however. I think blogging would be good for students and for teachers because they would be able to communicate about different ideas, hear from the students what they are learning and t teachers would be able to answer any questions that the student might have. I think I would incorporate doing blogging in my teaching.
-Michele D.
This was a very good article. I haven't realized until now that I am somewhat out of the loop with the Web 2.0. I have heard of many of these terms but never new what they actually meant until reading about them. I think blogging can be an excellent tool for students to communicate and write journal entries. I am curious to learn more about RSS.
-Rick Wolfsdorf
This article was very reassuring for me. I have been slowly trying to integrate technology into my classroom and I was happy to see that much of what I am trying to do is what I should be doing. Web 2.0 is filled with tools that need to be used by every classroom teach in the country. Students are using Web 2.0 on a daily basis and if teachers are able to tap in to this natural arena of learning, I believe students will become much more engaged in their work.
With that said, integrating Web 2.0 into the classroom can be difficult. I, fortunately, work for a school that realizes how important technology is to the next generation and has been supportive in helping me implement it. There are many schools out there, however, who do not realize the importance of these tools, and leave the teachers hanging.
So far, in my classroom, I’ve set up a website where students can see what math problems they are assigned for homework. My school website includes an RSS feed which allows me to send out general announcements to all students. Twitter and AIM allow me to discuss important class issues with my students when I am not in front of the classroom.
In the future, I hope to open up the workspace to my classroom by having a wiki in which students create math problems and post them for others to practice with videos recorded using Jingo which explain how to work out problems step by step – in essence creating an online resource for future students. I may even begin using a blog but with the popularity of nings beginning to take over….I’ll have to wait and see where I invest my time.
Marissa E.
Jen,
I know technology can be somewhat overwhelming to someone who is not used to using it. The learning curve can be sharp but once you're used to it, technology can make your life a whole lot easier. The kids use it...you should use it too.
Marissa
I found the article to be very informative. I also considered myself to be pretty educated when it comes to technology, and I have realized that is not really the case. While I found the wording of the article to be slightly inaccessible to the common reader, through additional research I think I was able to grasp the meaning of various terms such as RSS feeds and widgets. I learn by doing, so I think I would understand all of the concepts discussed in the article better by being shown examples and guided through the process.
I think that bookmarking and wiki spaces are great resources to the classroom. I know a few teachers that work in schools that encourage teachers to communicate with one another and share ideas and lessons through wiki spaces. I also think that bookmarking would be a great way of researching ideas for the classroom. I did a quick search on del.icio.us for social stories for autistic children, and was linked with many useful websites. Another idea would be to have a class blog spot similar to this one where my students can share ideas for various projects. I could even set up a google group for my classroom with links to various pertinent websites for homework and project assistance, or to post pictures and share information with parents and administrators.
-Kelly M.
Blogs are a great way for people, especially students to say in touch with each other. Thoughts and ideas can be shared with ease. In my opinion, Blogs are discussions that never end. In addition RSS and Tagging appear to be a wonderful way to obtain information with out using e-mail or search engines. The information is sent directly to your desktop. Having the information without having to extensively search is a great thing. Widgets and AJAX Applications allow researchers to search the web and not wait for pages to load. Widgets are certainly a time saver. Overall, I think Web 2.0 can be very useful both in and outside of the classroom. I would love to learn more about what Web 2.0 has to offer and how it works. ~Maryann
This article was very informative especially since I have very little knowledge of Web2.0 tools. Of all the tools mentioned, I am familiar with blogs. I believe this is a very useful tool that gives ESl students another avenue to shed their fear of using English. Here they can write a comment without fear of being criticized. Yet they can also learn how English grammar is being used (by the teacher) and so hopefully model it.
I believe the other tools are helpful for students and teachers alike as they navigate the internet looking for research. I definitely would use theses tools in the classroom once I become very familiar with them.
I found this article to be very informative and interesting. However, like someone else said, this article is not for the average reader. I had to reread the article in order to fully understand everything. However, I do feel that once I actually use the RSS and other technologies mentioned in the article, it will be easier for me to understand.
Teachers have many technology-based tools at their fingertips, and I feel that it's important for more teachers to integrate them into their classrooms. In fact, I feel that the "blogging" tool would have been especially helpful when my school was closed for a week due to the Swine Flu outbreak. It would have allowed me to post an assignment as well as answer questions from students on the assignment. It would have been as if I was holding my own online classroom. Hopefully a situation like that won't turn up again, but if it does then I will be prepared with another method of instructing my students!
-Jacqueline A
I have just finished reading most of the class response to the article and I found it striking that most of you considered yourselves 'computer savy' until reading this article. This observation is just proof that in this world of ever changing technology, we (as educators)must be lifetime learners in all aspects of life, including technology.
As most people said, I thought I knew how to maneuver around a computer. That is until I read this article. The article was interesting and full of information. I can’t stand searching something on the internet because I can never get back to a site or find exactly what I am looking for. I can see myself using web 2.0 in my classroom as tool for students to do research with. -Kimberly K.
Marissa, I find it interesting that you use AIM to talk to your students. Do you use your regular screen name? Or one that you specifically setup for students? I don't know if I would feel fully comfortable allowing my students to have access to my personal account.
Josh G says:
In terms of classroom use, Web 2.0 tools offer learning opportunities, if teachers are prepared to employ them in authentic and creative ways.
Some people have commented on the usefulness of blogs to keep in touch with your students, even when school is out (like in the case of swine flu) or for students to communicate openly with one another in yet another format (and a written one at that). Much like we are doing right here, certainly there is pedagogical value in reading/response activities as well as round robin discussion/ respond to classmates' ideas activities.
I think a lot of the web 2.0 technologies are ways to improve one's ease of access to the vast amount of information on the internet. They should not be looked at as the holy grails or magic bullets of technology or internet based education.
Can these tools to be used to benefit students and education? Yes.
Do widgets increase learning inherently? Are RSS feeds free of the need to validate information like the rest of data on the internet?
one thing i don't quite understand is how this AJAX thingie lets you update information on a webpage without further communication to teh server. it doesn't make sense, where is the data stored that is being queried if the server is not being queried? all of the googlemaps data is certainly not temporarily residing on my hard drive, so what gives?
ps. it says you can use some html tags so i am experimenting :D
I also agree with Kimberly K. I thought I knew what I was doing when it came to technology, computers, and navigating the Internet....that was until I read the article. I will admit, some of it was confusing, however I would love to learn about the Web 2.0 Tools. We live in a world that thrives on technology, therefore, it is imperative as educators we familiarize ourselves with technology to better expose and educate our students.
~Maryann R.
I have always thought of myself as computer savvy, until reading this article. I have never heard of RSS or Wed 2.0. I found this article to be informative and well explained to someone who did not have any knowledge about these topics. It’s amazing how fast the internet is advancing. Although, I am a little weary of blogging due to the way that students write when they are talking to someone via internet. I hope it doesn’t affect what we as teachers try to teach our students about proper grammar and the English language.
Erin M.
This article was informative because I have never heard of Web 2.0 or really anything other than blogging before. I have never blogged before but have read other individuals blogs. I'm not sure that Web 2.0 is useful as a teacher. It seems that it would be more useful for individuals who are in a different career than teaching. I'm not sure any of it would be useful to know in the classroom but interesting to read and become informed about
I agree with Maryann, this article was a bit confusing but informative becuase until now I thought that i knew a great deal about technology before reading this article
As a student, I recall using technology in the classroom but not even close to the extent that it is used today. Although some believe in the traditional ways of teaching from textbooks, it would be a waste of incredible resources not to include technology into the classroom. One must remember that most of these students are technology savvy and teachers should not ignore this.
Blogging allows students to write freely and express ideas. It also enables shy students to share information without feeling the pressure of an audience.
I know that on various occasions, I have found information on the internet and had difficulties locating the same information on a different occasion. Tagging solves this problem and enables internet users to hold onto valuable information.
Even though I considerate myself technologically literate, I learned some important tools from reading this article that I know I will use as I embark on my career as a teacher.
-Melanie W.
I thought that this article was very informative. I never knew that there were many options to communicate with others aside from e-mail. I think that Web 2.0 would be beneficial to everyone using a computer. RSS was something I had never heard of and I would like to learn more about it. Social bookmarking and the way people can communicate and tag things that only pertain to what they are interested in, I think is a great idea. That would make researching 100 times easier when searching for a specific topic. Students would find researching easier, allowing them to get the correct information. I never thought about using blogging before and after reading this article I think that it is a great way for people to talk to eachother. Students can communicate through the computer making it easier to voice their opinions and ideas. I look forward to the future and what happens with Web 2.0 because if it makes researching and web pages faster I would use it not only in my home, but in the classroom as well.
-Kristina T
I'll admit it, I didn't consider myself up to date on all of the constantly changing tools for computers and the article reinforced that. The article was a good introduction to some of the Web 2.0 tools that are available, but further research would be required before I would consider myself well-versed on the topics. I would be very interested in learning more, particularly about RSS and Tags as they would be useful for teachers and students to obtain information quickly. Blogs can be used to share ideas and information in a timely manner but content should be monitored to assure proper use.
I read a number of entries and I agree with Josh that there should be verification of information for accuracy and correctness. Marissa's use of technology in the classroom is innovative and demonstrated areas where it can be used to communicate with students.
Patricia G.
I enjoyed this article very much.
I always find myself wanting to be in touch with all new technologies available because of how much I know the students will benefit.
I teach Social Studies (one of many students least favorite subjects,) and I have found that the more I show film clips, or use powerpoint presentations, the more I spark a students interest and make the subject more fun and easy for them to understand.
I would love to use Web 2.0 with students eventually. Since students love to now "Twitter" or use Facebook, they might enjoy using Web 2.0 as part of their learning.
-Dominique M
As Melanie discussed, it is important that teachers incorporate the various technological resources into instruction. Students today learn in a different styles than students did ten years ago. They are used of using the Internet and other sorts of media to obtain information and communicate. Blogging is an excellent way to encourage students to develop writing and communication skills as it allows for the incorporation of technology, with which they are familiar, into the education setting.
Erin G.
I think tagging would be a great tool for me personally, as it would allow me to keep track of an important website. Also, blogging can provide useful information for new teachers such as myself. As far as other blogs, some of the information may be hard to trust depending on where it is coming from. For example, when researching certain diseases or illnesses, you may have to search deeper for a more reliable source. -Kristen F.
I enjoyed this article. I am always interested in learning up to date ways to include technology into my lessons. The students I work with range from gifted to special needs and everything in between. The special needs students need the most help when it comes to keeping their attention in class. I feel that Web 2.0 would aid in this. My students talk about facebook and twitter constantly so I feel that this would be a great opportunity for them to enhance their learning.
Annemarie E
I agree with Annemarie that I am always willing to learn new techniques to intergrate technology into my classroom. Although, I believe that technology is a positive asset to a classroom, I am alittle nevrous about the advance skill my 6 years old in my class. They talk about facebook, myspace and youtube. I do my best to regulate what the students can use durring school hour but unfortunatally I have no control over what websites they visit at home. I want students, especially as young as my students, to understand that they web needs to be used with caution and that there are rules that must be followed while using the web.
Erin M.
I spent some time working for an internet company that was dealing with the idea of web 2.0 every day. How to deal with user-created content (can you make changes? should you?) and things like that. They raised lots of interesting questions. I always felt like any personalization that you can bring to the web experience is a good thing. It helps to create a feeling of ownership and the chance for expression. It's just important to remember that so much of the stuff posted in based on opinions and feelings. It's not fact. So you have to be aware that not everything is true, and that it also can open up a possible route to bullying.
I guess like everything else, it's gots lots of good potential, but you have to watch for abuse.
This article about "Web 2.0" was my first introduction into the growing world of technology today. While I have heard some of these terms before, I really did not know exactly what they meant. I am not a techno-savvy person - yet!
I can definitely see the effectiveness of using these internet based tools in the classroom. Students and teachers alike can be active contributors in how they want to obtain and use technology. Blogging can "keep the conversations going" even when the bell rings!(posted by Mills). While it can help improve thinking, writing and research skils, blogging should not take the place of traditional learning methods completely. With technology overtaking many aspects in our everyday lives (texting, IM's, etc.), I believe students still need to possess the ability to speak up and out, write a hand-written letter and find information using printed materials. In the classroom, blogging can help bridge gaps and make connections through the sharing of information, ideas and opinions as long as it is expressed in an appropriate manner (Posted by Shannon). Jessica M. said blogging can have great potential in the world of Special Education for those students who have difficulty verbally communicating. I would have to agree. Blogging could open a whole new world for these students...as long as it was closely controlled and monitored. I would also find tagging, social bookmarking and RSS quite uesful in helping me create connections, organize information and keep current and updated in a timely manner. I look forward to learning more about what the world of technology has to offer and implementing it in my "future" classroom. Kathy C.
WEB 2.0 is showing it effects in both the business world and in all aspects of social life. I enjoyed how the article stressed the fact that people are becoming active contributers and not merely absorbing information. I am interested in how this will effect education. Breaking it down to the basic level, students now can not only access information (WEB 1.0) they can now input their own feelings and opinions (WEB 2.0). This allows for a further sharing of information and ideas. I feel that WEB 2.0 will prove to be a turning point in education, with new educational theory hinging on this ever evolving transfer of knowledge.
-Matt Fuentes
I do consider myself to be somewhat tech-savvy, but I also realize that today's students are even more so. As a result, if these Web 2.0 tools were to be utilized in their classes, they may be able to adapt pretty quickly. I skimmed through earlier posts and found many ideas that I agreed with--blogging can keep the lines of communication open between students and teachers even when they are not together in the classroom (posted by Lynne, megan, Danielle, and others). Social bookmarking can help when doing research assignments so that the students are made aware of helpful resources (posted by megan). I also think that the RSS feeds could be incorporated with this, so that the information could be disseminated to the students very quickly.
Jeanne S.
Responding to Kathy C.--
I used to teach in a Catholic school. When I first started working there, I set up a Yahoo! e-mail account so that the parents had another means of contacting me besides phone calls. It was much more convenient, obviously, since I could check the e-mail from home at night and on weekends, so they could get responses to their questions more quickly. Over time, the students started sending e-mails if they had questions about their assignments. As a result, I had fewer problems with students not turning in their homework because they "didn't understand." Setting up a blog would improve on that idea since both the student's question and my response would be visible to anyone who visited, so if another student had the same problem, the answer is right there! The only thing I might be concerned with is if students start to rely too much on the blog to get their questions answered. They do need to learn to work independently and to utilize other resources if they don't understand a concept.
Jeanne S.
I found this article informative. However, it has served me as only an introduction to the many topics discussed, as I consider myself a Web 1.0 type at this time. Words like, tagging, social bookmarking, and AJAX are new to me. I now face the challeneg of learning a new language, as I most certainly want to at least keep up with the tech pulse of my future students. Blogging can be a usefule learning tool, especially when used to connect with students here with students abroad, perhaps during a scoial studies unit that examines student life in other countries.
Sue D.
In addition, the topics covered in the article have value for non-profit organizations, among them schools and other learning institutions.
Sue D.
I am very interested in technology, and I believe that technology really motivates students in a classroom setting. I have used various forms of techonology in my classroom, but Web 2.0 is definitly new to me. I agree with Sue when she said that a lot of these words are all new to her. Besides reading this article, I feel I would have to do a lot of research on Web 2.0 to understand how to use it fully and completely before I use if with my students. When I do use this program with my students, I would probably use it to tag useful websites that are great resources with extra lessons and practice problems for students to do on their own. I can also set up a class blog, such as this one, where my students can help each other out, or even leave comments based on questions. I teach mathematics, so a goal of mine this year is to incoorperate more literacy components into my lessons. A class blog can be used for students to write their thoughts. I would love to learn more about Web 2.0 and learn other ways to incorporate it into my lessons.
Jen D'Albenzio
I enjoyed this article immensely. I also found it very interesting. I have always considered myself a technologically savvy person. However, this is my first introduction to Web 2.0. This is one aspect of technology that has unlimited potential for use in the classroom. One difficulty that might arise is the fact that many students are already familiar with Web 2.0. Many teachers are working to keep up with their students. This may be an issue when using blogs, RSS's, and tags. However, if it could be closely monitored then these technologies will eventually be as common in classrooms as textbooks.
In addition, I loved Sue D's idea of using blogs as away of modern day pen pals with students in other nations to learn about foreign cultures!
Megan R
I think the article on Web 2.0 was interesting, however I felt like it had a lot of technical terms that I did not understand. However, many of the components of Web 2.0, such as social networking, tagging, and blogging are pretty essential parts of many people's internet experience. In a classroom situation, I think a blog is a phenomonal tool. This is a great way to get students to write everyday, as well as build their writing skills. It knocks down some of the barriers between student and teacher, and makes the teacher far more accessible to the students. In terms of something such as tagging, this is a tool that makes finding quality and relevant information quick and easy. If students know exactly what they are looking for, and the information is properly tagged, it makes internet research much easier. As I am not currently teaching, this website definitely provided me with great ideas of ways to integrate Web 2.0 into my future classroom.
-Nicole B
I found this article to be interesting and informative. I think bringing technology into the classroom is vital in this day and age. But in some cases (as Megan R. pointed out) it may be the students teaching the educators a thing or two.
At this point in time, I'm not familiar enough with AJAX and RRS's to use them in the class, but I do think blogging is a good way to do current events with the class and have everyone comment on the same article. I also agree with Jeanne S. about keeping the lines of communication open which resulted in having fewer problems with kids not understanding what is expected for a particular assignment.
Christine G.
I enjoyed the article and I found it to be informative and interesting. I'm not familiar with AJAX and RRS's but I am willing to learn. In my opinion, blogging would be a great way to for the students to write about current events in my social studies class.
Kimberla P.
I found the article interesting and I would use the tools in my classroom. Currently, I am not familiar with using these type of technological tools, so I would like to learn how to use them before I use them while I'm teaching.
Lauren D
I found this article very informative and interesting. It was very enjoyable to read. I would like to use this tool in my classroom and share it with my students. The "tag tool" would be a very helpful tool for my English students while they were doing a research report. This way, they would not lose any information they found over the course of their research! I would like to learn more about Web 2.0 so that I can use in in my classroom and in my graduate classes.
-Christine Sommer
I think it is very important for teachers to involve up to date and advanced technology in the classroom. With technology becoming increasingly important in everyday life, accessing these skills while working in their content area will help them become overall better students. Specifically in a secondary math classroom, I would use Web 2.0 to create blogs and online discussion groups that allow for student interaction and dialogue. Speaking and communicating math is just as important as being able to write it. One problem I could forsee is students being hesistant to express their ideas in writing on a blog that is accessible to many.
-Patrick W.
This article was very informative and interesting. I have used blogs before for online courses. It was a good way of providing the students with an opportunity to have discussions about specific subjects. It was also the professors way of grading our participation in the course.
I agree with Patrick that some students may not want to write their ideas for others to comment on, but blogs could provide those students who are not comfortable in speaking in the classroom the opportunity to express themselves in a blog.
-Saira U.
I found this article to be extremely interesting. The details and background info on some familiar terms and acronyms really helped to tie things together for me.
I understand Patrick’s point of view, however, I feel that if we build a friendly and safe environment for student at a young age around a ‘class blog’, they will really embrace it. Having students blog their insights to an article posted or about a chapter read in their text book, or even starting a blog entry about a topic they find interesting is a very mature and ‘cool’ way of submitting their homework. It will also allow children to see the educational and social benefits of the internet instead of just for gaming.
-Colleen F.
This article was very informative and interesting. It brought together some acronyms and new Web 2.0 tools in an easy to understand format. The new Web 2.0 technologies are definitely applicable and necessary in elementary education. I had never though of using blogging in the classroom, but it certainly makes sense. I think blogging could be used not only by students but by teachers as well to update parents, administrators, other teachers and those interested in what is going on in your classroom. I also feel that RSS Feeds and Tags would certainly be useful for current events projects, social studies lessons, science and other various research projects. I would love to learn more about how Web 2.0 tools are currently being used in the classroom and what was successful or not.
-Jessica W-
In response to Jessica- I agree that blogs are a great way for students, teachers, parents, administrators, etc. to communicate with each other. The Web 2.0 seems like a user friendly software.
I found this article interesting. One aspect of it I think can be really helpful in a classroom is the social bookmarking and tagging. In a classroom I can have my students all tag sites they think are good pertaining to a subject we are learning about. Then as a class we can look at the pooled sites and decide which ones to use based on their reliability, etc. This gets the students involved in the research while also teaching them the critical thinking skills they will need to decide what websites to use in research when they are on their own.
In response to Colleen-I think you have a really good way of looking at the blogging! I do see where Patrick is coming from because I am one of the shyer students who would be hesitant about blogging. However, the blogs are all related to something about school so it's not as intimidating because everyone's discussing the same thing. I think students would love getting to post homework on through blogs.
I think that using some of these tools in my classroom would definately help build a feeling of community...not only with my students, but also with parents. It is an excellent way to keep everyone on the same page and informed about what is happening in the classroom and allows everyone to contribute in a meaningful way. Some of the other Web 2.0 tools can also help make the class more interactive and give students better access to current and relavent information.
-Jeff K-
This article is great. I am most interested in the ability to tag information and being able to access it when necessary. It happens so often that we find something but can not find it later on when needed, this would definitely be something I would use. I also agree with Daves’ entry, this is the first time I have NEVER blogged and I really like it. It gives us the opportunity to exchange ideas and expand our thinking on important information.
Danyi T.
Jeff-I love your idea about including the parents in the blog too!
This article shed some light on all the fancy acronyms they use out there these days. I always find myself wondering what some of these things meant. I think using these technologies in the classroom would be very beneficial and expose students to new and interesting forms of communication. Having a class blog or a blog with another class about a specific topic can help students communicate their ideas as well as formulate their own opinions about things. I think these new technologies are great, but I do feel that these days we may know too much about things and demand so much information all at once at our fingertips. We used to have to really search for things to get some information before "Web 2.0".
-Jeanine Tufano
I found a lot of the information in this article to be very informative. As a teacher I can see how many of these tools would be useful to the students in my class. Students today learn in a completely different way than many of us did. Children today are so advanced in technology it is usually effortless to them. In order to keep them challenged and interested in what they are learning, we as teachers need to make sure we present information in a way that is relevant to them. I try to incorporate technology as much as I can, and now I have discovered more ways to do so! I can definitely use the tagging tool in my classroom during research projects. This is a way for students to be able to use the internet for research and be able to find sites that are resourceful. Another tool I would consider is blogging. Blogging is a great way for students to exchange ideas with one another, as well as create a place for open discussion outside the classroom. Blogging could also be useful when students are working together on a project. It will easily allow them to communicate with the other members in their group.
In response to Christine - I agree with the tag tool when your students are researching. I like how you suggested everyone pooling their tags together and then as a class assess which websites are the best to use.. great idea!
In response to Colleen F - I also agree about your view on blogging. If we use blogging consistently in our classrooms I think students will be more comfortable with the idea of it. Once that friendly blog environment is created, it will be much easier for students to share their thoughts and ideas.
- Kathy M. -
I enjoyed reading the article and found it had a lot of interesting information. I would use these tools in my classroom to create a community where students can share their work and feel free to make comments and be involved.It allows the student who has difficulty participating in the classroom to participate with others. So long as there are rules to help create a safe and friendly environment As a math teacher I think that social bookmarking would help the students. Math problems could be done and posted to help those who are having difficulty understanding. It is similar to talking out loud which helps many retain and understand.
-Mike S-
I agree with Colleen F. It is a great way to submit work so long as it stays friendly and safe
-Mike S-
Jeff K's idea of parents participating is great. It allows the parents to know what is happening and be involved with their children's education.
Mike S
I found this article to be very interesting and would want to incorporate blogging into my classroom. I agree with you Saira, in that blogging is a great way for students to get their ideas across who feel intimidated in class to voice their opinion.
I also agree that involving parents in blogging is a great idea. It allows them to communicate with each other and discuss what is going on in the classroom.
*Jenny
After reading this article, I found myself very interested and excited to one day incorporate these various technological tools in a classroom. The tools discussed in this article serve to spread information, opinions, or ideas in a real time, efficient, and organized manner. Instead of waiting for the large corporations to edit the information available to the public, information now seems to spread instantaneously. On the smaller scale, in the classroom, these technologies seem invaluable to the learning experience. The first, and most important to me is the new found ability to respond publicly, yet privately. As a person who was often too shy to participate in class, I usually kept my comments to myself. Having the opportunity to "blog" would have provided me a vehicle to voice my feelings to the entire class, and hopefully added to my self confidence. I absolutely plan to utilize blogging for this reason, as well many others. It is very important for me that information is dispersed quickly, but it is more important that all of the students have the ability to express themselves in a way in which they are comfortable.
I thought the article was very informative and like Jessica said it explained many of the technology acronyms we currently use. Overall I feel I would do my best to incorporate most of the tools featured in the article into my classroom and lesson plans. The RSS seems as though it could be very helpful with keeping up with current events and possibly sending out homework assignments. I like the idea of blogging in the classroom. It could be a great way of having students answer and share their responses to key lesson questions. It could also serve as a way for the teacher to monitor lesson comprehension.
I think Jeff K's idea about using technology to keep students, parents and teachers on the same academic page could be very turn key. However I would hesitate to establish an open blogging relationship with parents. I would be concerned that responding to parent blogs could become a full time job.
-Bridget S.-
P.S. Is there a way to sort the postings so they are newest to oldest?
After being introduced to Web 2.0 via this article I am intrigued and eager to learn more. This article introduced me to several new terms and tools used throughout the technological world.
As several others mentioned, I believe blogging would be a benefical tool to incorporate into the classroom. It allows for an exchange of ideas to occur through another means of communciation. As Jeff K. mentioned I think having parents participate in blogging would be a postitive experience, since I believe as teachers it is our job to encourage parent participation in a child's education. I also believe arranging a blog specifically for parents would be worthwhile. It would allow for the teacher communicate with the parent nightly or weekly assignments and keep them updated on important information. In addition it would provide parents with a way to communicate with each other as well. Kristina B.
This article was very informative because it explained the definition of terms that I have heard or seen before but had no prior knowledge about. I think blogging could be major tool used in the classroom with all subjects. Students could post articles or pictures they found on a particular topic being discussed in class or they could simply just share their own feelings. Rss, tagging and bookmarking can be a great tool to teachers helping them to receive a vast amount of information pertaining to the material taught i the curriculum. I am a huge supporter of using technology in the classroom because it allows our teaching methods to develop along with the new generation of students that enter the classroom.
Melissa
This article was very interesting to read. I also think it is so important to keep up to date technology available in the classroom. It is important to keep this generation of children informed about the technological advances. In response to Patrick I think that a blog is a really good way for students who do not like to participate in class to share their feelings. It will be fun to incoporporate these kinds of ideas into my classroom one day. Teachers need to be updated on these technological advances also in order to keep their students up to date with the technology.
Deanna Careccia
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