Web 2.0 Exploration and Investigation

WEB 2.0 EXPLORATION and INVESTIGATION

BY: MILTON WONG

The first web 2.0 tool that I've found to be quite useful is Fit Brains. Fit Brains is a tool that mostly functions as brain training system.  Throughout a serios of games, students are able to train different skills of the brain such as memory, concentration, problem-solving and many more. 

Throughout education, no matter what you learn whether it be science, math, english language arts or any other course material for that matter, the use of your brain is common throughout all of it. These little games can allow the students to focus and train different assets of their brain in order to more efficiently succeed in their subjects. The games begin simple and easy such as matching or common patterns and will later increase in difficulty based on how far you continue to play. Also, after each activity a certain score will be given to you and the experience of a certain skill you're training is recorded. 

The greatest asset of this tool is the fact that it's simple yet efficient. Because your progress is recorded, the more you play the games, the more you own your skills. The pace at which you play the games is of no difference. Whether a slow learner plays or a fast learner plays, the only difference is the amount experience you earn. In the end, you still gradually train your brain which can help your education, 

The terms of service does not specify a certain age.

The second web 2.0 tool that I explored was Songsterr. Because I do hope that I'll be able to teach a little music, I really wanted a tool that would help me in that field and I'm glad I found songsterr. So what is songsterr? Songsterr is an online database filled with sheet music for any learner of guitar, bass and drums. Although it only provides sheet music for those three instruments, the sheet music is filled my chords or notes that can still help any instrument player learn a song. Songsterr provides sheet music for learners who wish to learn with three different versions. Not only does it have sheet music, it also displays strumming patterns, lyrics and sample plays of the music of your choosing. The list of songs is endless and it contains both old and new music. 

Songsterr is a tool used purposely for music class. It's giant database introduces a lot of the basic music skills such as chord reading or reading tabs. In the education of music, being able to read music is very important. Knowing the basics and being able to learn your favourite songs is a very good motivational factor for students who wish to furthur their music career. Even for students who don't wish to learn music, they are able to find a simple song to learn. There is playback and strum patterns to teach students how to properly play the song. 

Songsterr also provides the students with different difficulties of songs which allows the learner to be compatible to the sheet music based on their level of skill. Not all students learn the best with textbooks and quizzes and being able to learn by hands on methods can benefit a student just as much. Songsterr is a web tool for those students.

Again the terms of service does not specify the demographic in which Songsterr is purposed for. 

The final web 2.0 tool that I was able to discover was Zimmer Twins. Zimmer Twin is a very cool tool which allows the students to create a comic book themed assignment. It can be considered a movie maker kit for students to learn. With a simple click of a button, you can start creating your own movie. Zimmer Twins has many choices of templates that are premade for you and when you click a certain clip, it will add it on to your already existing clip. A simple drag and drop and you are able to rewatch your whole clip from the beginning. There are premade boxes from speech, movement clips, emotion clips and setting clips. As well, after the creation of your very own movie, you are able to share what you've made with others on that site. You can access clips from other students in order to compare and progress. 

Zimmer Twins provides the student with a creative and easy method to do all sorts of presentation type assignments while still providing the element for storytelling. For subject matter such as art or language arts, Zimmer Twins is proficient since it taps intro the imaginative and creative side of the students. 

A barrier of learning that can be overcomed with this tool is the aspect of creative mind. A lot of learning today needs to ingrained into the mind of our students other then memorizing and regurgitating. Zimmer Twins uses the aspect of storytelling to help students present information to others all around them. 

The terms of service claim that the age demographic for Zimmer Twins is between ages 8 to 17. Ages below 8 requires parent supervision or parents to read the terms of use before allowing the students to use Zimmer Twins.