Web+2.0

Tirza Heiferling Web 2.0 6/22/10 Upon viewing the videos about the different Web 2.0 tools available to use, I was shocked to find so many that I was not aware of and that I found will be very useful when I am a teacher. The first tool I researched was Prezi. Prezi has similarities to PowerPoint in ways such as viewing pictures, using text and scrolling through slides or topics. But the differences outweigh the similarities. In my opinion, Prezi is like the 21st century version on PowerPoint. It allows you to present in the same manner as PowerPoint but in a more innovative and appealing way. With Prezi, you are able to post pictures, text, and zoom any time you want. The best feature about it is the fact that it is very user friendly and anyone can use it! The biggest difference from PowerPoint is that you can zoom out and see the whole presentation and then you can zoom into specific points that you would like to demonstrate or discuss. I plan to incorporate Prezi in my classroom in a number of ways. I think it is important the first days of class to establish the feel and what kind of classroom you want. I can use Prezi to do this by using pictures and text to establish the kind of classroom I would like. Also, because of the zoom in and out features, I think Prezi will be useful for my students who need to see the whole picture and not just specific points of my presentation. If you would like to see Prezi, here is the website: http://prezi.com/ The next tool I researched was Slide. Slide is a good way to make slide show of pictures the same way you would on an iphoto or a similar photo program. You can also have music of any kind in the background to compliment or help out with your presentation. I plan to use Slide in my classroom because I will be a Spanish major and therefore I want to use a lot of pictures for my students because I think that using pictures while speaking the words is a good way to help it stick with the students. I can incorporate the music feature by putting Spanish music in the background to help support the pictures. . If you would like to see Slide, here is the website: http://www.slide.com/ The next tool I researched was Google docs. This tool varies from the others because it revolves around documents and not music or pictures. Google docs is very simple to use and anyone who can make a Word document can use Google docs. One would type a paper just like they would on Word, but the difference is, is that there is a link that makes it easy to share your document with others, namely other students or teachers. This feature is very useful because it allows others to collaborate and/or edit your document in real-time. So there is no lag time on when your document is edited or reviewed. I plan to use Google docs in the most obvious way: when my students are writing papers. When I was in High School, my English teacher would have use print up 3 hard copies of our rough drafts so he could edit them. I would use Google docs to make the printing of the rough drafts unnecessary in my classroom. I would have my students email me the link to their Google doc and I could collaborate with them no matter where we are. This is a faster, more effective way to view, edit and collaborate papers. If you would like to see Google docs, see here: http://www.google.com/google-d-s/documents/ The following tool is a tool very similar to Wiki. It is called PBworks. Similar to Wiki, one can place pictures, documents and information on their PBworks page. One can embed images, videos and post documents in their PBworks and this can make it easier for the student and teacher. By giving other people the link to your PBworks, you can even share information with faculty and staff, not only your students. So PBworks can benefit the teacher in the classroom and outside between his/her coworkers. It is easy for team assignments because the link can be easily shared and edited. I plan to use PBworks in my classroom in a number of ways. First of all, I like the idea of having students turn in papers, documents, embed videos or images right onto their personal PBworks page for me to view. This virtually eliminates missing papers, messy desks and is more environmental. It will be easy to work from school or home and it is a great way to collaborate and work with other teachers. PBworks also provides access to information sources such as books, links to articles and more. I plan on using PBworks to find and store important resources for the future. If you would like to see PBworks, here is the website: http://pbworks.com/ The last tool I researched was Blogger. I have had a lot of experience with “blogging” and I think it is a wonderful tool. Blogger is known as an electronic journal where people can record their thoughts, hopes, dreams, failures and more. On Blogger, one can change background colors, page format and add pictures to personalize the page. Once one has an account and a page to blog on, other Bloggers can follow them and read on a consistent basis. The followers can then post thoughts and comments on the blog. There are privacy settings so not everyone can read your “electronic journal”. I plan to use Blogger in my classroom by Blogging about my experiences in the classroom, ideas for the future and certain goals I would like to attain in the class. I would give my students the link to my Blog page and encourage them to follow me as well as blog about their experience in the class, ways to improve or ideas about how we can make it a more enjoyable learning time. I would encourage the students to make the background, pictures and colors relate to the taught subject in class. We could then review each other’s blogs about the classroom once a week to get ideas or learn about other’s experiences. Here is the link: []. There are many ways I can use these tools in class and I am excited to try them!