Uses of Web 2.0

Several articles in educational technology magazines have been discussing the uses of podcasts and newer technologies in the classroom in their recent issues. New uses of technology in the classroom have always intrigued me and I am always looking for fresh ways to motivate my students along with exposing them to new uses of technology which they might need to use either in college or the workplace. The new Web 2.0 tools appear to offer many new learning and teaching opportunities.

One of the skills that my students with learning difficulties usually struggle with is communicating their ideas either verbally or through written text. Based on what I have read and studied so far, I can envision using blogs in the classroom to encourage students to write about their thoughts and reactions along with sharing their reactions to others’ thoughts. Students with disabilities could also discover blogs and resources that discuss their own disability and help them find answers to questions that they have. It would provide an outlet for them to discuss their frustrations along with providing inspiration to meet their challenges.

As a teacher, I see technologies such as social bookmarking and RSS feeds that could help me organize websites and links so that I can access needed information easily. Web 2.0 technologies will also provide effective ways for me to share information and ideas with other professionals. Blogs would provide an easy way for area special education teachers to share ideas and strategies for the challenges that we all face in our rural area. A teacher created blog would be an efficient way to communicate with parents about what is going on in the classroom and to provide helpful articles on how to help their student with learning difficulties. If I take the time to learn how to use these new tools, I will have many new ways to motivate my students and provide real life experiences for improving their written expression along with added bonuses for myself as a learner. Web 2.0 tools can help us become life-long learners.

Mindy