Web+2.0

Web 2.0

Having Web 2.0 available to everyone who has access to the Internet has changed our world. It has changed cultures across the globe and continues to change on a daily basis. In the past twenty-five years there has been more technological advances than ever before. Everyday there seems to be another tool or program that enhances or experience online. The cultures are changing with the technology which is crucial in staying informed with all the advances. These technological advances can enhance everyday life experiences especially education. There are always new and innovative ways of teaching the same curriculum but in different ways. Technology enables us to use these tools on a readily accessible network. Web 2.0 specifically has changed the way information is presented worldwide. The tools that were developed for classroom enhancement are going to change the way children learn and think. There is an infinite amount of information on the web which a teacher readily has access to. There are now tools and applications which teachers are using in the classroom to enhance the curriculum. These tools enable the teacher to relate to the students on a new technological level. The students have grown up with technology and are familiar with the potential that is available. Education has been struggling to integrate technology into the classrooms which has teachers trying to catch up with the new technology. The first tool in which I was researching was located in the teacher resource area. I firmly believe that a teacher should continually implement new things into their lesson plans to keep it fresh as well as relevant. “Teaching Ideas” was a great resource to use to progress a teacher. They have new and effective ways to implement curriculum which is already put together. I could take ideas from each of these lessons and come up with a lesson of my own. There are numerous resources which are ideal for revamping a classroom and implementation of the curriculum. I specifically looked into the science lesson plans. There are several experiments which I believe the students would be very interested in. The lesson plans come with video links, so as a teacher I would know how to prepare for the lessons. This gives myself what to expect from the experiment visually before it happens. The second tool which I chose to look at was in the “video tools” section. There are always different type of learners within each classroom, and video is a great way to cater to the visual learners. The specific tool which I wanted to research was Tube Chop. This tool lets you upload video and pictures so you can edit your own content which you want to use. This is a great tool to find material that is useful for the lesson plan and put it together in one video. Rather than showing three different videos on different DVDS, you can now put it together the way you find relevant. There are many useful videos that could be used in the classroom but not all the content is applicable to the lesson. I plan on using material that is relevant to the lesson and make a short video edit to show the students. Videos seems to keep the interest of the children much more than a powerpoint of teacher speaking in front. The third tool which I researched was located in the presentation tools. I chose to look at “Zoho Show” which is a way to share presentations with your friends/colleagues and the shared presentations can be viewed/edited with just a browser. I have friends that are teachers and this can be a great way to share lesson plans and ideas virtually. This could also be used as a form of having a guest speaker in class. Rather than listening to the same teacher for the whole school year, there can be a guest virtual teach once a month. Every teacher has a different teaching style and the children might relate to a specific guest teacher and I could take aspects of that teacher and make them my own. When I know I will be out of the classroom I can make a lesson plan for the children by videotaping myself and having the substitute teacher focus on classroom management rather than implementing the lesson. The forth tools which I chose to research was located in the creativity tools. Rather than picking one tool I chose to use this link as a resource for the students during computer time. They would be able to pick from any of the educational games when they are finished with their classwork. Each link has an educational purpose for the students. Whether its math, science or geography the students can play fun interactive games which encourages learning. The students of this day and age are focused on interactive media and this is a great way to let them experience technology that they are used to but also learn at the same time. This tool will also let children experience media which they might not experience at home. The last tool which I chose to research was located in the mapping tools. “Quikmaps” is a tool which lets you add landmarks to Google maps with animations. This a great way to show specific areas on a map like territory or route traveled. This tool lets students explore land virtually that they might never see in a lifetime. They are able to zoom in and zoom out and a simple globe does not let them experience. This tool lets myself as a teacher come up with a geography lesson which lets the students experience the path which people traveled before use. Such as the underground railroad, Oregon Trail, and Louise and Clark’s journeys. Another lesson plan could be having the students make their own landmarks and having other students travel to specific locations.