Where do you start with Web 2.0 Tools?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Nancy on July 8, 2009 at 7:40am

That's a good question! I'm in Higher Ed at a community college and am the coordinator of instruction technology. I'm just in the process of getting the WordPress software installed on one of servers so we can begin to create some dynamic pages that can be pushed to student phones. Students are already social networking but we haven't added anything to Facebook yet as a college anyway. I would like to begin using a wiki to track the progress of one of our latest projects but really don't know where to start with that.

Permalink Reply by Sue King on July 8, 2009 at 12:52pm

My first post, too, Cathy! I don't actually know a whole lot about 2.0 tools...I'm trying, but it's going to take time. That's my first piece of advice, too--be prepared to take some time, both learning and figuring out what/how to teach it.

I think I'd start with the Creative Commons videos--I'm not sure if there's one on nings...but I know there are some for many of the other tools. (And it'd be OK to get your kids to help you develop the graphic organizer, too, I imagine! They may know more than you think--and if nothing else, you'll create some interest in them figuring out the answers....)

Where I'm starting with the web 2.0 tools: I'm working on booktalks; finding some created by others, making some myself, then getting the kids to make some. It's a long-range project that I just came up with...but I think it's going to be wonderful.

(I'm a librarian, too!--PK through 5th grade. I've been doing it for years and years, but not using the web much at all for anything in the library except circulation. Not lots of time--but that's a puny excuse, isn't it? I'm working on it, though!)

Permalink Reply by Kari Fitzer on July 13, 2009 at 10:04am

I agree that Creative Commons has great videos and puts everything in simple language.

We have used edublogs.org to set up our blogs and it was an approved site by our district. We just started playing around with blogs in our elementary school and teachers were using them, but I am not sure yet how to have students to it so that there is a purpose, without it just being one more thing for them to play around on.

Permalink Reply by Patsy on July 14, 2009 at 10:54am

Sue,
I don't feel I know much about about 2.0 tools either. I, too, am a librarian for PK-5. I taught first grade for fourteen years and now will start my third year in the library. Your comment on not lots of time was right on target. I have my students for 30 minutes once a week. I have a lesson and they checkout books within that time. I have used powerpoints, clickers, You Tube, interactive mimio strip, and have attempted a few web quests with the older students. I seem to run out of time.
I like your idea of having the students doing their own booktalks. What are your ideas on how they will create them?

Permalink Reply by Florence McGee on July 21, 2009 at 7:10am

Hi all .. -- another LIS K-5 here.. I have used quite a few of the tools .. and I also started with book talks and reviews.. one way that my kids really enjoyed was using voicethreads. I would put a picture up of the book.. and the kids would respond to a weekly question.. Now my kids are doing a 3 slide review vodcasts using PhotoStory3. We share these on our morning show and also have a monthly show that runs for the teachers called "Book-Owl-logy! on the closed circuit.. These came about from a grade level lesson on Fact and Opinion.
Another quick and easy tool introduced that the kids love.. was for a lesson on synthesize / summarize. They write a summary for me that has been approved by their teacher.....and then come back for a visit to the library and create a Wordle, (http://www.wordle.net/ ) We keep a copy on our Book Review Wall... .. This year our whole district is (we are a very large school district) is really urging our teachers to involve the students with our county moodle, so I know a lot more opportunities will come about .. just start small and remember the KISS philosphy...

Permalink Reply by Pam Roadifer on July 10, 2009 at 7:30pm

You are not alone. I viewed the wiki series by Sue Waters. She uses wikispaces. I found the information interesting and useful. I hoped that she was going to build a wiki from the ground up. It did not work out quite that way. You could start there.

Permalink Reply by Tina Hudak on July 20, 2009 at 3:47pm

Hi Cathy! I am thinking what my favorite prof used to ask us, "What do you want the students to walk away with?" I do not know all the differences either, and I can second what someone mentioned earlier - that is let your students discover the similarities and differences. Using Inspiration (there is a compare and contrast template you could adapt), they can work in groups - one/two groups per format and then do presentations. I bet they would love this.

Tina H.

Permalink Reply by Leyton Roberts on July 26, 2009 at 2:52pm

Are you full time and the specialist? That's a lot of work! Our TRT is all over the place putting out fires and starting a few too!

Permalink Reply by Beth O'Connor on July 30, 2009 at 11:53am

Cathy, like you I am getting started. I teach 8th grade language arts and I feel like I have been out of the loop for so long. There are so many things that I don't know, and so many I am learning about as well. I have recently started following the blog free technology for teachers; I also follow him on twitter because he provides such useful information about incorporating tech tools. I am going to ask my students to edit a wiki page after doing a research project. I'm pretty excited about this, I'm hoping it will help them to understand what a wiki is, and make them feel more responsible for learning, I have used digital voice recorders, but having discovered voice thread I really want to use that as a way for students to discuss characters and mood or theme in a story. I’m also planning on having my students blog as a way of responding to literature or to form writing response. I don’t know if this helps you since they are my plans and not a reality yet, but it may give you some ideas.

Permalink Reply by Liana Gooch on April 12, 2010 at 1:20am

Hi cathy
I attended a great technology conference in Melbourne recently and went to a presentation which focused on web 2.0 tools in the classroom. Here is a great link that you might find really useful in your classroom. It provides you with examples of some of the tools and links to the sites. Once on the wikispace, go to the tab called Web 2.0.
http://ozict.wikispaces.com/
I am keen to use some of these tools in my classes. Most of these are pretty simple to use and the students will really enjoy using them.

Permalink Reply by sanjana on April 12, 2010 at 2:21am

Hi I am Technology Facilitator for the Elementary School and a Integrated Tech Teacher for Pre-K to Grade 2. There are lot of ways you can get started with students. For Eg Grade 1 and Grade 2 with simple blogging on any Teachers site. E-pals with other school that could involve Video and Audio and Podcast on your school site. Grade 4 and Grade 4 can go with google sites or Ning.

Try these website for teahers to create their class website and collaborate with students.
http://www.edmodo.com/

http://education.weebly.com/

Let me know if you want me to share any examples.

Permalink Reply by Cory S on January 25, 2011 at 7:54pm

Love reading about the tools people are after and using for their students. I have just started a blob that will be updated with online/Interactive tools to use (and hopefully effective at some point) in a primary classroom.
To view visit:
primaryclassroom.globalteacher.org.au

Note: The blog is only very new (10days old) so over time there will be more resources.
Hope this can be of assistance.
CS