Reflection on Web 2.0 Technologies

Are you tech-savvy? How many technology platforms are you knowledgeable in? A few I have encountered this summer are Pear Deck, Padlet, Voice Thread, Shadow Puppet Edu, Seesaw, Twitter, YouTube, Diigo, Schoology, Google Classroom, FlipGrid, SlidesMania, and the list may continue and seem endless.

Technology evolves quickly, and it may be overwhelming to try to catch up on all the trends out there. One of the things that I learned from my Web 2.0 course is how important it is to evaluate a tool. Just because it is trending doesn’t mean it will fit your class needs.

Tools will emerge, and some will be good, while others will be better. Evaluating the tool is of utmost importance. As an educator, I want to utilize a tool that is versatile, user-friendly, free, inspires creativity, collaboration, and has embedded supports.

Like in everything, we have some downfalls, and the one that my students face is accessibility towards technology and the internet. Our district serves about 28,000 students, and unfortunately, we do not have a 1:1. As we approach fall, we hope that the district can provide 1:1 devices and hotspots to help alleviate the lack of devices and the internet.

“Quality, not Quantity” is something I firmly believe in. With tools evolving quickly, I need to keep in mind that it is about growing professionally in-depth vs. at a superficial level. Using this mindset will help me incorporate the appropriate tools to my student’s education.