Advanced Web 2.0 Tools (all)

Overview

By definition, “Web 2.0” refers to the second generation of web development and web design that facilitates information sharing and collaboration on the World Wide Web. This course will focus on different categories of web 2.0 tools such as visualization, creativity, research, communication and presentation. In addition, digital citizenship will be explored.

Teachers will create an ePortfolio in Google Sites, a free collaborative online tool that allows for collaboration with others as viewers, collaborators or owners. Each session will provide participants with information about different categories of web 2.0 tools and how the level of student understanding can be elevated through the integration of web 2.0 tools. After review of the session readings, participants will evaluate a minimum of two web 2.0 tools for usability in their classrooms. One tool will be selected and integrated into an existing lesson. Tool evaluations and summaries of lesson plans will be posted in participant ePortfolios for peer review and feedback.

The final session on digital citizenship introduces participants to an overview, highlights sample AUPs that include guidelines for educational use of web 2.0 tools, and then asks participants to either create a CUP (Classroom Use Policy) with web 2.0 guidelines in the their classrooms or to revise their district’s existing AUP to include web 2.0 guidelines.

Goals and Products

This course will enable participants to

- Explore web 2.0 tools
- Evaluate and identify tools that best enhance your curriculum
- Incorporate web tools into instruction while demonstrating and modeling fluency of the tools
- Promote and model digital citizenship

Format and Requirements

TThis workshop is divided into six one-week sessions that include readings, an activity, and an online discussion among workshop participants. Each session is designed to take approximately two to four hours to complete. The outline for the workshop is as follows:

Session One	Presentation Tools
Session Two	Visualization Tools
Session Three	Communication Tools
Session Four	Research Tools
Session Five	Creativity Tools
Session Six	Digital Citizenship

As a final product, participants will create an e-portfolio demonstrating how they can integrate and embed Web 2.0 tools into a lesson or unit they currently teach. Participants will be expected to view the ePortfolios of their fellow participants periodically and leave comments throughout the course. Course facilitators will also monitor and comment on participant interactions throughout the course. Tutorials will guide teachers through the creation of a template which will house lesson plan summaries embedded with web 2.0 tools. These summaries will be reviewed by other teachers in the course and then revisions can be made to improve the lessons.

Prerequisites

This workshop is for teachers, technology specialists, curriculum specialists, professional development specialists, or other school personnel. Participants are expected to have regular access to computers. In addition, participants should be proficient with using email, browsing the Internet, and navigating to computer files.

Content and Technology Standards

This workshop, Learning and Teaching with the Read/Write Web, will help participants meet the ISTE Educational Technology Standards and Performance Indicators for All Teachers (http://cnets.iste.org/teachers/t_stands.html), especially Standards I and II. In addition, this workshop will help teachers to enable their students to meet the following Information Literacy Standards (http://cnets.iste.org/currstands/cstands-il.html), especially Standards I, II, and III.