Reflecting on Web 2.0 Tools

There are a lot of Web 2.0 tools out there that we teachers can use and embrace within our classroom.  For example, I have never really navigated through and used Wikipedia a whole lot, until recently.  It is a user friendly, free on-line encyclopedia.  I like that the information is current, unlike when people would purchase  a set of encyclopedias and within a relatively short amount of time, they would be outdated, due to information evolving and changing.  I also like that the website offers a dictionary, library, quotations, textbook, images, media, and even news sources!  This is an impressive site with a lot to offer anyone doing some research.  I also reviewed Go2Web20, which has several tools, applications, and tags.  I really like that you can go to Offisync and work together with someone in real time on a document, or go to Beacon and create real time web applications.  It can also connect you with world events, through Bantora.  There are also apps available to check out flight times, book event tickets, sell tickets, work on photos, and there are even business apps.  Thirdly, I looked at Schooldiscoveryeducation.com, which is a website for educators.  It has many similar web apps available through the site, and in addition is offers games and lesson plans.  While this was a good site, I was not as impressed with it as I was with Go2Web20.  The same can be said for Webreferene.com, which hosts popular Web 2.0 apps also, including Wordpress, MySpace, Twitter, and Flickr to name a few.  I also liked the site, but was still more drawn to Wikipedia and Go2Web20, I guess that it just depends on personal preference.  Overall, these sites offer a lot of great connections to Web 2.0 applications, connecting people and encouraging collaboration through the internet.  They are great resources for teachers and is just another way to connect and engage students in their own learning.