Web 2.0

Web 2.0 Tools for use in High Schools

By: Kirsten Jacobsen

In this e-book I will be exploring the utilization of 3 innovative web 2.0 tools that could be very useful as a high school eduator. Google Docs, Hot Potatoes, and YouTube can be used to create a more engaging and interactive classroom experience at school or on the go for students.

Google Docs

http://www.docs.google.com/‎

Google Docs is an online file sharing and collaboration tool in which users can upload files for communal use. This is an especially beneficial technological advance for education as it makes group work, peer review, and editing much more convenient. Students can share and create files for projects and can use this tool to collaborate as a group or seek help from others. Google Docs also facilitates communication between students and educators. This tool can reduce barriers for students who are less confident socially, makes group work more accessible for students with busy schedules, and those who live in remote areas. Contribution to group projects can now be done anywhere, anytime and increases learning flexibility. It is now possible for peer review processes online and makes getting support from peers much easier in regard to assignments. Anyone can use google docs as long as they have created a google account and it is 100% free!

Hot Potatoes

http://hotpot.uvic.ca/

The Hot Potatoes website best describes this application as a "suite includes six applications, enabling you to create interactive multiple-choice, short-answer, jumbled-sentence, crossword, matching/ordering and gap-fill exercises for the World Wide Web. Hot Potatoes is freeware, and you may use it for any purpose or project you like" (Hot Potatoes 2014).  This could greatly increase the motivation of students to complete their homework and would make studying for a quiz or exam more fun and interactive. By incorporating learning into an exciting game or crossword, many students could benefit by learning without the feeling of it taking extra effort. This could be useful for students with mild to moderate reading difficulties, those who lack motivation, or those who are absent from class as they can still do the activities online. This is a free web tool available to everyone that must be downloaded and installed from the website.

References

Hot Potatoes. Version 6. March 3 2014. Retrived from

http://hotpot.uvic.ca/

YouTube

Http://www.youtube.com

YouTube is a free video broadcasting service in which users upload videos for others to watch. This is an extremely useful tool for the education field as teachers can show video clips, demonstrations, and encourage students to make their own videos for projects. By using YouTube, visual aids increase the success of students and can provide a concrete example of the material being taught. Showing a video or real life footage also makes learning important concepts seem relevant to the real world. This tool could benefit students with reading comprehension problems, reading difficulties, those who have trouble paying attention or taking notes, and can be used to facilitate a class discussion. YouTube users must agree to let others view their videos and adhere to copyright acts.

Conclusion

Although there are many useful web 2.0 tools that can enhance student learning, the three that I have outlined are ones that I would personally use in my classroom most often. They would all contribute to removing barriers and creating an interactive and collaborative learning experience for students.