Web 2.0 Tools in the Classroom

Web 2.0 Resources in the Classroom

Exploring Web 2.0 resources and how they are appropriate for use in the classroom.

The first Web 2.0 tool that I will be exploring is called Glogster, which can be accessed by using the following link (http://www.glogster.com), or by simply typing in "glogster" into the browser of your choice and following the link that the search engine provides for you. 

Glogster uses Glog's (online, interactive posters) to allow students and teachers to create and explore different concepts and ideas, and then share them with whomever they choose. You can share you Glog much like a google doc, in that you can make it completely public, or choose who you wish to share it with specifically. Glogster is a fun and interactive way to express thoughts, ideas and concepts. Users are able to create their own poster, or use one of many pre-determined layouts to develop their poster. The site includes many interactive images and content that makes creating a poster a lot of fun, while maintaining ease and accessibility to all users. 

There are many ways that this tool can be used in education. For instance, a teacher can use a Glog to present information to their class rather than making a handout or writing notes on the whiteboard or SMARTboard. This interactive poster can contain links to other resources for students to explore and is generally more engaging than standard notes. The option to share this poster by giving the link to students allows for easy viewing and sharing among the class as well. 

Students are also able to use this tool to present what they have learned in a specific unit or lesson, which can be assessed by their teacher. Students can develop and deepen their knowledge of a topic by conducting more research in order to create their poster. Because the tool itself is so interactive and fun to use, students may in turn become more engaged with the topic that they are creating their poster for. 

This tool is definitely helpful in removing and reducing barriers for certain learners, most specifically those who are visual learners. This tool provides a way to visually convey the concepts of the topic that the poster focuses on. By allowing the learner to access a poster, instead of a page of notes, the information is more accessible to them and their style of learning. Setting up the poster so that the student has to scroll over it to find linked material, the student is also able to connect better with the content. This tool is also quite easy to use for both student and teacher, which can reduce barriers for many learners.

According to the Glogster website, any student as young as the age of 4 can use this tool. This further demonstrates the easy accessiblity that this Web 2.0 resource possesses.

The tool that I will be exploring next is called TED-Ed. This Web 2.0 resource can be accessed by following this link (http://ed.ted.com). 

TED-Ed provides educational videos, and allows the user to create a lesson around the video of their choice. After selecting the video that you wish to use, you select the button "Flip this Video" to create your lesson that can be shared with your students or with a wider framework of people. You can add almost anything to this lesson, including questions and follow-up suggestions. 

Not only can teachers use this tool as a way to formulate lessons for their students, but students can also use this tool as a way to develop their own understanding of concepts being explored in class. In small groups, students can choose a video and "flip it" to create their own lesson and share it with the group of students that they are working with. 

There are many ways that this tool can be used in education, as it is a Web 2.0 resource that is designed specifically for educational purposes. Firstly, a teacher is able to conduct a search for videos regarding the concept that they are currently covering in class, and utilize this video to create a lesson for their students. This tool provides teachers with the option to select from preconfigured quizzes, open-ended questions, or adding additional resources for students to explore, in order to develop learning and understanding further. This interactive lesson is also quite engaging for students. Secondly, students can also use this resource to create their own lesson around a video that relates to content being studied in class. This could serve as a way to study, or as a form of assessment that the teacher can use to understand the student's thought process. 

There are quite a few ways that this Web 2.0 resource can reduce and remove potential learning barriers for students. Students are given the opportunity to work at home and learn at their own pace through these types of lessons. If they do not understand part of a concept, they are able to stop the video, play it back and work through the concept again. This is useful because teachers are able to allow students to absorb the basics of a lesson before or after class, which opens up time for class discussion and exploration, collaboration with peers and personalized attention. Teachers can employ the method of flexible grouping with this tool, which allows students to work with other students who have the same needs and interests as themselves. This can facilitate their learning further. By opening up time for pesonalized attention, the teacher is better able to assist students who need more support with the concept more handedly, which can increase student understanding and success with the lesson.

This tool is recommended for anyone who is 13 years of age or older, as per the TED-Ed Terms of Use.

The third Web 2.0 resource that I will be examining is called Storybird. This tool can be accessed by following this link (http://storybird.com). 

Storybird is an online, interactive tool with which students can create and find storyboards. These short stories are created using art that can be made by the creator of the story board, or borrowed from the art that the site has curated. It allows the user to create their own story, and can be used for personal enjoyment or in an educational setting. This tool is especially useful for English Language Arts and Social Studies.

This tool is exceptionally useful within an educational setting, but especially within the disciplines of Enlgish Language Arts and Social Studies. A teacher can create a story board of a character from a novel that students are studying in class, or of a character from history that students are learning about in their Social classes. The interactive nature of the story board provides a more engaging means of presenting concepts involving the characters being explored. This creative resource can be used to inspire reluctant writers who have trouble finding motivation or inspiration to write.

There are definitely ways that this tool makes diminishing barriers possible. First, the tool provides visual expressions of the character being examined in the story board. By bringing words to life through images, visual learners are better able to understand the material being presented. This can also be utilized as a form of assessment by the teacher. The student can choose a character to explore, translate their findings into a story board, and present that story board to the class. This can be used as an alternate method to a written report about a character. 

According to the Storybird site, this tool can be used by a person of any age. However, if the child wishing to work with the tool is under the age of 18, it is recommended that they review the Terms of Use with their parent or guardian.