Last week we started working on our very own webpage which will be our ePortfolio for the end of the semester. I may give my "non-class" friends the link after some touching up...it's still very much in the beginning stages! I'm afraid the template I chose may be more of a pain in my hoo-ha than the help that I thought it would be! :)
This week we had to search the online library databases to find an article on Web 2.0. What IS this "Web 2.0" I speak of? I'm glad you asked!
Web 2.0 is essentially any type of online tools used to teach that can be hands on and interactive for the students. Luckily for me(!) I am in a Literary Research and Methods class this semester that has taught me how to effectively use the databases so finding my peer-reviewed article was no problemo and it directly related to my focus (ENG) because I knew which database to search. What I found was pretty stinkin' awesome!! I'm going to attempt to link the pdf for the article on here...we'll see how it goes (as of post date I can't).
The article covered the importance of using Web 2.0 in the classroom - it's what the kids are using so why not use it to our advantage? There is a social networking site that allows a teacher to set up a group that is completely private to the specific students. Another site allows searching based on bookmarking profiles i.e.: a teacher can bookmark certain pages which link to her "profile" for the site which her students can then follow to know what to search for for a project, assignment, etc. Pretty much everything in this article was relevant to what we discussed this week!...
This week our Web 2.0 covered Wikis, Social Bookmarking and Voice Thread. They're all great ways to teach students using online tools.
Get 'er did!
Until next time!
-lkh
