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The following web2.0 sites would be useful for science educators at the high school and middle school level. Some would also be appropriate for higher elementary grade levels. There are many new 'tools' or websites that take advantage of the higher speed and bandwidth of today's Internet. Web 1.0 tools/websites were text based and web2.0 tools/websites are designed for full-motion video, 3D animations and are generally interactive in some manner.

This document summarizes for the novice about twenty Web 2.0 tools. It describes what each tool is, shares how to use it, and provides educational ideas for its use. From Blogs, Diigo, and Flickr to Ning, Wallwisher, and voice thread. The document is a guide and is easily searchable.

This is a continuing series on Web2.0 and other web-based tools for educators. This information is specific to math educators, but there is some crossover into ccience. Math educators will find a large number of useable interactive companion web sites for the teaching of math concepts and skills.

Sophia is a free social teaching and learning platform that offers academic content to anyone, anywhere free of charge. The website, which has been described as a mashup of Facebook, Wikipedia, and YouTube focused solely on education, also lets educators supplement their teaching methods with tools to create a customized learning environment in a private or public setting. Sophia uses Web 2.0 tools and methods to create a credible, crowd-sourced platform where information is organized in "learning packets"-bite-sized tutorials tagged to specific academic subjects or topics, including standards-aligned objectives.

Quick self-guided tutorials on some basic tools of connected learning and Web 2.0

"While Twitter is beginning to catch on with many educators, schools are lagging in their adoption of the platform. But let's think about it. Twitter is a quick and easy tool to let the entire school community know whats going on with you and your students. Updates can come from anywhere and users don't have to have a Twitter account to follow along."

Cacoo is a user friendly online drawing tool that allows you to create a variety of diagrams such as site maps, wire frames, UML and network charts. Cacoo can be used free of charge. Collaborating is as easy as sharing a link with others.

Jason Bedell is an instructional technology consultant and a library media specialist at Belmar Elementary School in New Jersey. In his columns, Jason explores how effectively integrating technology can deepen student learning and make the school environment more student-centered.