Web+2.0

This assignment has really opened my eyes to all of the useful and efficient Web 2.0 tools that are available to me. As a teacher, I believe that these tools will be helpful in conducting lessons as well as provide a well-rounded education for my students. I was able to look over many of the tools provided on the web page and look forward to using them in my classroom. The first of the Web 2.0 tools that I looked at were the Research Tools. One of the websites that were provided was Infoplease.com. I thought this site was extremely interesting; either you can type in a year and receive stats, events and information about that year or you can search its’ encyclopedia. Infoplease also had specific tools to use for homework and research help. For example, there was a calculator, spellchecker, and place finder, periodic table and conversion tool. I would incorporate this research tool into my lessons, more specifically socials studies, science and math, by having my students collect information about a certain time period or influential person in a certain time period. I would start by putting the students into groups, and then assign the groups each a specific decade. Then they will use this website to research about their assigned decade, and present it all in front of the class with a slideshow or poster. I would also have them use this site for a math lesson; the students can use the calculator, or conversion tool to help them complete math problems. Similar to the decade project, students can use Infoplease to research scientists or mathematicians. This website contained a lot of helpful information and will be extremely beneficial in lesson plans. The next Web 2.0 tool that I looked at was Tuxpaint.org; this was listed in the Drawing Tools section. This website is targeted for children in Kindergarten through 6th grade classrooms. It is also appropriate for children outside the classroom. It is extremely easy to use and has a lot of fun painting tools, as well as includes an encouraging cartoon guide to help children as they paint or draw. This painting program includes the basic tools, like a paintbrush and stamp as well as “magic tools” like confetti, Picasso and noise tool. This website will be very fun to incorporate into lessons; for example using pictures and drawings for identification worksheets. These worksheets can be used in several areas of the curriculum, like math and social studies. Students can use this program to create pictures to tell a story, and then write captions for the pictures after they are printed. Teachers can create pictures for the students and have them put them in order to tell story and then write about them. I think this tool would encourage the students to use their imagination, as well as allow them to be creative in writing. Another tool that I looked at was in the Graphing Tools section; it was the Create-A-Graph website. I wish this site were available when I was working with graphs because it doesn’t only help you create a graph, but it also shows you what graph is appropriate. There were other great additions at this website, for example there was a section where a student can go to get information about their school, libraries, as well as a place where they can research Colleges and Universities. Create-A-Graph also included a section for teachers, where they can compare students nationally by having their classroom fill out questionnaires. There are games and quizzes available for students as well. I would like to incorporate this website into my math lessons by letting them play the games and quizzes. This could be helpful in assessing the students, so I am able to check on their progress. I would also have the students conduct surveys about certain topics and have them create graphs to present their information. As a continuation of this lesson, I would have the students write an essay on the information they are presenting and discuss the outcomes with their readers. Not only is this graph tool extremely helpful with understanding graphs more, but also it is helpful with creating a professional and clean graph. The other Web 2.0 tool that I looked at was in the Presentation Tools section. I found the Museum Box website very interesting and fun. I think it would make research projects, as well as presentations more fun for students. Once you get to the website there are six cubbies that you click on to begin your own Museum Box. There isn’t any wrong way to use this program; you can do presentations on a variety of areas. Students can upload files, videos, and pictures to these boxes and then by the end of it, it is a creative way to present information. I would like to incorporate the Museum Box in all areas of my classroom. For example, as a beginning of the year project, I would have my students present their life through these boxes to the class. I think this would be a creative, “get to know you” assignment for the students. Also, I think this would be a great way to assess students on famous scholars, or historical events in our Country at the end of assignments. Similar to the drawing tool, this gives the students a chance to be creative. The last Web 2.0 tool that I looked at was in the Writing Tools section. The website that I really liked was at Penzu.com. This was a personal journal and diary program. These journals could either be private or public. There wasn’t a whole lot of different tools provided in this website, besides it being a blog for users. I really like this website, and want to incorporate this into my classroom as a daily assessment for my students. I think this would be a great way for my students to discuss struggles or challenges in a particular subject that they may have. I also would like to use this for a way to communicate with my students one on one; having this kind of daily communication with my students would help established a great relationship with them and make them feel comfortable in the classroom. Overall I have learned a whole lot through these Web 2.0 tools. I think it is crucial to integrate technology into the classroom because it has become such a major tool in our lives. By using these programs, the students are able to become more comfortable with computers as well as be able to express themselves in different ways. Technology gives students a well-rounded education because it provides them with new and innovative ways to learn. I really enjoyed researching and using the Web 2.0 tools in this assignment and I am extremely excited to incorporate them in my classroom.