Web+2.0

__** Web 2.0 **__ I chose to write about the following five Web 2.0 products that I find could be relevant and useful in my classroom. As a science teacher in a high school setting I found these different programs would add to the learning and the overall smooth operation of what I envision my classroom will operate like.

I thought that Engrade (__[]__) would be a great resource if the school or school district does not provide an online grade book system. Engrade allows the teacher to create different classes with different ways of grading and point scales. Most science teachers have one or two types of classes that are not always on the same learning difficulty. Having separate spreadsheets with different values is needed with any grade book. The teacher is able to upload their assignments, practice quizzes/tests and any other pertinent information they deem necessary. Since Engrade is completely online, you can access the grade book from home, school or work. There would be no need to haul a paper grade book back and forth. Although I would always carry a paper copy, the easy access on a server not controlled by the school can have many helpful uses. Engrade also has a built in attendance book. A parent would be able to see if their irresponsible child is late to class or hasn’t been going. Instant progress reports are also available. As long as there is a printer and internet access, the student or parent can print off an instant progress report. Secure messaging is also a built in feature. This would be most helpful if a parent or student is in disagreement with the posted grades. Lastly, Engrade is free and all online. Free is most helpful due to the fact that teachers and schools are hurting for money most of the time. Additionally, online allows for access even when the district computers are down or are on a scheduled maintenance program.

Another great idea I stumbled upon was a flash card creator. This cool Web 2.0 tool can be found at flashcarddb.com. I always found that quizzing myself with flash cards is always helpful. As a teacher I could use these for test and quiz study guides. Key concepts, vocabulary words and important ideas could be placed on the cards. This particular flash card program allows for more than just a definition and a word. You can insert hyperlinks to other helpful resources for students that may need more than just the answer. These hyperlinks could be to a youtube.com video, an educational web site, notes posted on the teachers’ web site or even just a definition. I do not like the idea of making these cards a required assignment, but possibly an extra credit assignment. I do not like the idea of forcing students to study in a way that is not helpful to them or would just be another assignment that they would not do anyway's. I do like the flash card idea as an extra credit study idea though. Students that may not know how to study or need more ideas could always jump onto this site and pick up some good practice before a test or quiz. I also like this web site because it is free and you can print the cards off. There is no need to copy them to your own cards. Just insert some thicker paper and cut it up yourself. A student could do this from home or even use the school resources.

Google Wave is another great program that has so much potential. Google Wave is what I believe will be the new email format in a few years. I personally have used this program for a group project in college. You can only get an invite from someone that is already a member of Google Wave. I had a group member invite me so that we could collaborate on a paper as a group. A quick helpful video can be found here: __[]__. Each member is invited to a wave where they can all edit a document, upload pictures, add slides and collaborate in real time. There is a side chat window as well as the document that everyone is working on. As you type back and forth the words are displayed as you type them. This is helpful because you can read as they type and formulate a response before they are done typing. This cuts down on the time it takes to have an online conversation. Google Wave is also helpful for the fact that you can hit playback. This starts the document from scratch and plays how the document had been edited and by whom over time. You can see which person added or deleted information. This would be helpful for a teacher for a few reasons. The teacher could watch the playback and see how the students learned about their subject they were assigned. It would also be helpful because the teacher could see which students contributed and how much. The teacher could assign grades based on participation and the overall grade of the paper. I would use this program for group projects only. It would be a way to keep students involved with technology and still have a collaborative effort. This also cuts down on the cost of needing supplies or having to meet up as a group outside of class.

I also love Youtube.com. Not only are there countless videos, but you can also find education channels or videos. It’s pretty hard to go one day without watching a Youtube video of some sort. Why not just make a playlist for students to watch? Youtube is full of garbage which can be distracting, but when the right videos are found for the subject that is being taught, you really get through to the students. As a teacher I really plan on using videos. I plan on uploading videos that have the text bubbles in them. These bubbles will have additional information in them, or links to other relevant videos. A student could pause the video and write the additional information down or click the bubble and be directed to another useful site. Most students will already know how to navigate the site and will easily learn from this way of teaching. I also think that being able to play a video over and over again will allow a visual learner to really grasp a concept.

Lastly, I found that Miro would be a helpful application. Miro is found at __[|www.getmiro.com]__ and is a free download. Miro boasts that it can play any video format. This would be a great asset because not everyone uses the same video extension. Having a single player cuts down on a teacher having to plug in another laptop or open another program. You just open the video with the same application and it just works. So many times I have seen where a presentation is interrupted by incompatible formats or a Mac does not work with a PC. This program is not as educational as the other Web 2.0 applications are, but the time saving features would be more than worth it.