#5: Web 2.0 and Concept Map!!

Based on what was mentioned in the podcast, I think most Web 2.0 tools can be useful in the classroom and to students and teachers in some way or another. I think blogging can be beneficial for the students and teachers because its an easy way for the entire class to be on the same page, literally. Teachers can post reminders about upcoming important dates, they can upload class presentations or podcasts for their students, they could remind them about upcoming due assignments, and much more. If safety is the major concern, there are special websites, like 21 Classrooms, that are made specially for classrooms and protect students' privacy. I think Twitter.com can also be beneficial for the students and for teachers' professionalism. It allows students and teachers to connect with each other, and collaborate and connect with other people outside of their community who may have valuable information to share with the class. Students can also learn proper online etiquette if they use Twitter, which they will most likely take with them throughout their lives and in the workforce. I think Wikis are cool too because students can share valuable information and have resources open to them for projects and other stuff. They can also contribute their own information to the page which will prepare them for knowing how to properly convey information. Diigo is another awesome Web 2.0 tool for students to use. It can help them with research, collecting and organizing data and information, and with properly citing resources. This I feel would be especially beneficial to students in high school who complete research papers for their classes. In order for students to properly use Web 2.0 tools in the classroom, there needs to be proper computer, network, and periphery equipment in (and possibly out of) the classroom. First you would need computers with internet access. Students could only use these tools with properly working computers and moderate to high speed internet access. The internet access would also need to be wireless so the whole school could have access to it off of one school wide modem. You would also need a network system that "stores and automatically backs up data, especially student information and teacher files" (Teaching and Learning with Technology pg. 107). This could be accomplished by storing data on a network server's hard drive (Teaching and Learning with Technology). There are challenges that go along with implementing computers, wifi, and proper networking technology however. The two main big ones are money and teacher training. If the school has the resources and proper teacher training, I think almost all schools should implement Web 2.0.

Diigo is a really cool Web 2.0 tool I might want to use with my students one day. Here's the link so you can check it out too:https://www.diigo.com/ According to the Diigo.com website: "Diigo is a multi tool for personal knowledge management, dramatically improve your workflow and productivity, easy and intuitive, yet versatile and powerful." Diigo means "Digest of Internet Information Groups and Other stuff". With Diigo you can use annotation tools, such as digital highlighters and sticky notes, as you browse the web, you can build a personal library in the cloud with links, pages, notes, and pictures that can be accessed anywhere, provide feedback with annotation, organize information more efficiently, share information in the cloud either by making it public or privately sending it to another member, enable better collaboration for any large or small group where each member can add or subcribe to it and interact with you with "on the page annotations" where the class can read the same article and comment right on the page!

From what I read about Diigo, I know its a tool I want to use in my classroom with my students if they have to do any type of research project! I would want them to collaborate with their peers and me. I would also like them to be able to have the annotating tool because annotating is such an important skill they will use later in their educational and personal careers and I think if they learn how to do it online, it will benefit them even greater in modern society. Annotating the information they read allows them to fully digest and comprehend what they are reading. That may even improve their reading levels and their scores on standardized tests! 

I really liked the concept map activity! I think concept maps are a great tool to use for active learning, especially for visual learners like me. I really liked that on Webspiration you could incorporate a multitude of pictures with (and that are relevant to) the information! In took me a little while to look through all of them and choose the pictures I wanted and I wish there were a faster way to do that, but other than that I really liked the tools provided. I learned how to quickly add bubbles of information and connect them with arrows as well as making the bubbles different shapes! I learned how to fill the information bubbles with color and how to add color to the rim of the information bubble. I liked that you could change the font but I wish there had been more options to choose from. I think next time I use Webspiration I want to try making a scientific or mathematical concept map because I would like to incorporate some of the pictures and bubble shapes from the Science and Math categories.