Web+2.0

Its amazing how often I find out that something I’m so used to is so new. When I first heard of web 2.0, I wasn’t even aware anything had even changed. I’m used to websites where I can change anything and everything I want on demand. But now that I know it wasn’t always around, I’m even more grateful. Things like facebook (which I have NO intention of using as a teacher) wouldn’t even exist. But viewing it from a teaching perspective excites me. I know from experience how hard it can be to do group projects when your going to school and holding a job. Web 2.0 tools make such things way easier to do in our fast paced world. While looking at the websites in our lesson, I couldn’t help but pick out websites that would fit the psychology portfolio project I did in high school and want to repeat for my students. With that being said, I choose to dissect Fluid Surveys, Google Docs, Yacapaca, Google Sites, and amCharts. The first site I would definitely use is fluid surveys. One of the things I always loved about psychology is how it allows you into people’s heads. But in a high school setting it is hard to do much individual testing due to limited social range (let alone un-biased range). By using a website like fluid surveys students would be allowed to explore the concepts learned in class and write out their own findings and responses. This excites me because as a student I remember finding this frustrating. Not only could it be used by students, but it would be a great tool for the class as a whole. We could test theories right in the classroom and discuss the results. Google docs would also be incredibly helpful. Eventually in any classroom, the dreaded group project is likely to rear its ugly head (I do have to teach history as well after all). Google docs will help this immensely. Most high school students live very busy lives juggling family, work, sports, and everything else that interests a teen. It becomes harder and harder to get a group of active students to sit down together and work outside of class. Google docs would allow them to share their work on their own terms and time wouldn’t be the major issue that it once was. Papers could be viewed and revised by all group members so no one will be surprised by its content and power points can be guided by all the students instead of the one kid who focused on it. The other site that got me excited is Yacapaca. This site would allow me to put tests and quizzes online for students. Now, I don’t like the idea of putting all my tests and quizzes online at a high school level, but I do like using it as a study tool. The classes I did the best in are the classes in which I was given practice tests. I could use yacapaca for giving students a taste for how I test and a great way for them to try their own knowledge before a test. Also, I think this is a great way to offer extra credit to students who are willing to take the time to practice and fight for their grades. I can see myself sliding this into my classes very smoothly. Another Google site that presents great options for a classroom is Google sites. As I said at the top of this paper, I would like to continue a portfolio project that I did in high school, which is a culmination of all the thoughts and responses a student gives throughout the class. Google sites would allow students to take the portfolio format onto the Internet for a more accessible way to work on it. Also this would help keep the project neat and organized (hopefully). Another up side is that I could follow along with the students as they slowly create their portfolio. I could offer my suggestions as they are creating so that they don’t receive project-altering criticisms halfway through to completion. I don’t think I would make this mandatory to do the project over the internet, but I do believe it would greatly help those who chose it. And last but not least is amChart. In a psychology portfolio, their would be lots of room for graphs and charts to show data. (right brain vs left brain, nature vs nurture, behavior bell curves, etc.) When I did my old portfolio, it was hard to make things such as pie charts look respectable. This would greatly improve the level of quality and validity that data would carry. I would easily fit in with online projects and portfolios while being available to hard copy projects as well. Of all the technology I will have available to me as a teacher, I know that web 2.0 will be one of most used tools at my disposal. It helps bridge the gap between students and teachers outside of class and it makes projects more streamlined. I hate paperwork now, I know its not going to get any better once I’m working in a high school. With these tools, that will be less of a problem and I can spend more time doing what I love, teaching!