Web 2.0 Technology in Action

By viewing all these PowerPoint presentations based Web 2.0 tools, I realized there are so many technological resources teachers can use in their classrooms. There multiple ways teachers can create interactive and engaging lessons using these effective tools.  Additionally, through the use of these technological tools, classroom can extend beyond the classroom.  All of the tools I learned about in the PowerPoint presentations can be used online and therefore at home by my students.  This can help make homework more fun and interactive, rather than simply boring paperwork. 

As I viewed these tools, I thought of my own future Spanish classroom, and I asked myself, “How I would apply these tools into my own teaching style and how can I be more creative with them?”

Most of the tools I viewed had similar characteristics such as Twitter, Moodle and Voice Thread.  Students can share information through discussion forums, reflective journals or live chat, and then can reflect on each others entries. Prezi and Wordle are more creative tools that allow students to present the information they have learned in a fun creative way.

In my future Spanish Classroom I could use the following tools in the following manner:

Twitter/ Moodle/Voicethread - Students can share information about different Spanish speaking countries and important historical or cultural characters and events.  They could also maintain journals on Moodle or have Spanish language Twitter accounts where they share their thoughts and opinions in Spanish (of course using appropriate content only).

 Prezi - Students can create presentations and share them with the rest of the class.  Prezi allows not only for text information, but pictures and videos.  The pictures and videos can be zoomed into for my detail.  Also, it is in many ways an enhanced PowerPoint type of program.

Wordle – Students can use Wordle to study Spanish vocabulary, compare and contrast different Spanish cultures, and create culturally significant posters.  It is a fun way to introduce and teach these aspects of Spanish.

These are just some ideas I began to ponder while examining these PowerPoints. I decided to practice with one of them! Check out my Wordle using some Spanish Vocabulary based on the family!