Web 2.0 technologies that I think are useful in the classroom include video websites, like YouTube, and social media sites, like Twitter. YouTube is very helpful in showing students how to do something or giving them more information on a topic, like for a science project or history paper. Twitter, on the other hand, is an easy-to-use, easy-to-access social media site that allows you to connect with your students and their parents on a professional platform.
A Web 2.0 tool that I will definitely use in my classroom will be RefWorks. RefWorks allows for students to find credible websites and articles for a research project and save them into one place without the hassle of keeping track of which sites they've used. Not only that, RefWorks has the really cool function of searching websites you've saved and creating them into a bibliography. RefWorks is a great site that I wish I had known about in school. Website: https://refworks-proquest-com.proxy.lib.fsu.edu/
I really like the way smart boards and tablets are heading. One big argument for the whole paper vs. technology education was that students weren't properly learning to write. However, with the creation of smart boards and the advances of the hand-held tablet, students can write using a stylus. I truly believe that we will soon not require paper thanks to these advances.
I never even thought of RefWorks, but that is a great example! I have utilized RefWorks in numerous classes and it has been really helpful when writing papers. When you get to the point where you need all of the citations, it can be really annoying and tedious, so RefWorks does really come in handy. I agree about smart boards and tablets; I think they are only going to continue to improve as technology progresses.
ReplyDeleteHey Brittany! I totally agree that Smart Boards are headed in a good direction, I think students learn better and are more engaged than when they just use a paper and pencil. I also think that doing more activities using technology will save paper and create less waste.
ReplyDeleteI also think youtube and social media websites are important in terms of class usage. I always find the hands-on and visual aspects of the classroom to be the most useful when it comes to helping students learn, myself included. I love smart boards and I am happy they are continuing to be used in the classroom. I think they are so important and also help students visualize better. Also, RefWorks is such a great resource!
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