Week 2: How Does Web 2.0 Make Sense to Me?

As early as last week I did not even know about Web 2.0. Wasn’t the web just the web? Apparently not. This past week I have discovered through readings, searches, and viewing Youtube, that Web 2.0 is bigger and more encompassing that I ever imagined. Many things I simply take for granted; Google, map searches, emails, product manuals, up-to-date news, and my personal favorite-online shopping are all part of Web 2.0. Some I use, some I want to use, and some make my head spin. This is the first blog that I have ever been a part of. At first I did not think I would like this, but after having a friend come over and show me what can be done on a blog I think I’ll like this after all.

*We can publish a piece, whether it is text, audio, video, or all it has the potential to reach a much larger population.
*With the ease of being able to publish, we must be careful to edit our own pieces more carefully.
*Everything can / does connect to everything else.
*Students have the ability to connect to other students globally.

Web 2.0 is changing our classrooms rapidly. This past week I was informally
keeping track of how I used the web. As I met with my struggling readers, many of which are ELL, I was able to pull up NASA’s website to show pictures of space shuttles. We also watched the president’s inauguration live, no longer are we waiting for the day old pictures along with the articles in tomorrows newspapers. I used the web to help me find lesson plans, downloaded resource packs from Promethean Planet, visit a teacher’s website, and download center activities. I have never met this person, but she has helped me more than Scholastic. As I type this I am listening to music on my iPod that I download from iTunes-no cds.