Final Reflections on Teaching and Learning with Web 2.0 Tools

I have had the opportunity to explore a variety of Web 2.0 tools throughout the course of this class. From blogging to YouTube and beyond, I have come to discover that there are numerous technologies that can be great tools to implement within an educational setting. Perhaps the biggest advantage to using these tools in learning environments is that they afford the teacher and students the opportunity to change the way in which learning takes place.I would say that, in my opinion, these tools offer educators the opportunity to change/enhance their students' learning/classroom experience. Teachers can make the learning process more engaging using Web 2.0 tools and students are able to essentially take more ownership in their learning through the use of these resources. Web 2.0 tools can present information that may have once previously been unavailable to students and teachers in new and exciting ways. Many of these tools also allow students to collaborate in the learning process with either their teacher, classmates, or in some cases, students or experts from other parts of the world. Being able to access information and share resources outside of traditional class time is also another advantage of using certain Web 2.0 tools. 

While there are many great things about implementing Web 2.0 tools in a learning environment, there are also things that educators have to consider carefully before using these technologies. One of the most important things that I feel needs to be considered before implementing Web 2.0 tools within the classroom is the issue of safety and privacy. I feel that it is imperative that teachers take the time to properly evaluate tools and determine if they offer the security and privacy measures necessary to protect the students that will be using them. I also think that it is important that teachers monitor student use of any Web 2.0 tools to ensure that they are accessing appropriate content while using these resources. As someone pointed out in a class discussion post, part of our job as educators, is to help prepare and teach our students how to properly use new technologies and I think that teaching them how to safely use these tools is imperative. 

As part of our group project for this class, we developed a fairly extensive evaluation rubric for Web 2.0 tools that I feel addresses many of both the advantages and disadvantages of these technologies. This will be a great resource for evaluating future Web 2.0 tools that I might like to implement in my classroom. In the future, I would love to be able to find tools that are user friendly, have been previously evaluated by other educators for appropriate content, and work with any internet connection, regardless of the device. It would be nice to find tools that can still be effectively used when available resources may be scarce. In addition, I hope that future Web 2.0 tools contain less outside advertisements and are appropriate for all ages.