The value of Twitter for helping you and your colleagues stay informed of the latest trends, ideas, resources, and Web 2.0 integration tools has increased tremendously in the past year.
A Web 2.0 tool is available for exploiting the every growing information on Twitter to remove barriers and allow you to collaborate with other science and math teachers. This new online tool is paper.li - a source of daily Twitter newsletters in education.
Web 2.0" lends itself to totally new types of applications, and its immediacy
and openness can be a powerful differentiator in existing business interactions.
The trick is to get involved right now, armed with an application architecture
that will carry you forward safely and profitably, wherever the "Web 2.0"
whirlwind may take you.
What is Wallwisher and why use it? Its a Web 2.0 application which allows students to express their thoughts or share information on a science concept.
Why use Web 2.0 tools in science and math classes? The primary reason is they facilitate access to input and interaction with content through reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
These tools offer enormous advantages for science and math teachers, in terms of helping their students learn using Web 2.0 tools. For example:
* Most of these tools can be edited from any computer connected to the Internet. Teachers can add, edit and delete information even during class time.
* Students learn how to use these tools for academic purposes and, at the same time, can transfer their use to their personal lives and future professional careers.
* RSS feeds allow students to access all the desired research information on one page.
* Students learn to be autonomous in their learning process.
The following is a common question heard around teacher workrooms, teacher lunchrooms, faculty meetings, and science or math conferences.
"Why use web 2.0 tools when teaching science or math?"
The answer is both simple and complex at the same time.
Like everything else on the Internet, trying to find images is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Without the right tools for finding science and math images on the web it is often an impossible, or at least mind-numbing, task. What is needed are search engines which make the job easier.
This is where the tips and tricks provided below help this seemingly impossible task by using the top search Web 2.0 search engines and tools available today. These are valuable resources for both you and your students when trying to find just the right image for lesson or project involving digital media.
Are you searching for a way to share documents, presentations, slideshows, or a series of photos or images with your students?
Then Voice Thread is the free Web 2.0 tool for you and your students (teachers can register for a free education account).
LiveBinders is a web 2.0 tool which provides the ability to save and organize materials for your science or math class. The great thing about this free tool is that you can update the resources instantly to ensure your lessons include the latest ideas, tips, and resources in science and math.
Wikis are the most popular Web 2.0 tool being used in science and math classrooms. Based on a survey of readers - 43 percent use them to support their teaching and student learning.
A Wiki is appealing, encourages participation, supports collaboration, and promotes interaction by students who love to use technology.
By the way - this includes most students today!
The six top free online tools were selected from available web 2.0 tools for teaching and learning using presentations, blogging, and bookmarking online resources. There are many excellent online tools available in these three categories, making the selection difficult at best. However, the selection was made based on reviewing available online resources along with other contributions and feedback from teachers.