I had no clue when I set out to be a teacher that technology was going to become such a huge part of my career. Honestly, I've never been a technology buff and have never cared much for it, either. And while I am still daunted by the task of keeping up with such a technology-infused generation of students, I have to admit that the more I learn about what's out there, the more excited I become.
This week's class session opened my eyes to the numerous Web 2.0 applications that are available - and I must say, there is some pretty neat stuff out there that I can't wait to use in the classroom. Before today, I had no idea what "Web 2.0" meant! I am, of course, familiar with many Web 2.0 programs - Facebook, Twitter, blogs, and so on - but I did not know that the umbrella term for these interactive interfaces was "Web 2.0." And while I've always been old-fashioned in my love for paper-and-pencil, snail mail, and the written word, I can not deny that being able to interact with text from another teacher, student, friend, or whoever, is really neat - not to mention, endlessly useful in the classroom setting. I like the idea of having open forums to share questions, concerns, successes, and whatever else students find important. I feel that students will be much more willing to communicate honestly with classmates and teachers if done through a web-based program. Also, I feel that students will be much more interested and engaged if such technology is incorporated into lessons and projects. Heck, maybe I can even introduce students to a Web 2.0 application they've never heard of! Then wouldn't I just be the coolest teacher ever? I fully plan to utilize these capabilities in my future classroom!
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