The beginning of my technological discoveries! Will I forget all I learned? Not if I use what I've learned! There are various Web 2.0 tools that serve to organize the internet world that can otherwise be overwhelming.
Blogs are useful for creating on-line narratives, studies, forums, and other groups to communicate on-line. They are also useful for keeping friends and family updated with photos, newletters, and other information about you. Caring Bridge is a site that my cousin used when her husband was in the hospital after a car accident. The site keeps friends and family posted on the progress of the patient, and it is a place for writing updates, prayer requests, needs (basically like a journal).
wikis can be like a central meeting place on line...like your favorite coffee shop with the dim lights, big windows, and the massive fire place that always has a plush chair waiting for you. You meet with others at wiki to coordinate events, add to, edit, and save as the process is underway. It is more organized than e-mail because it is a central location for one purpose. Another plus for social networking!
RSS- or Real Simple Syndication allows you to filter what websites you want in your already full life. When you subscribe, new posts are sent to you so that you can spend more time utilizing the information you need, rather than surfing all day to no avail.
Now, about Social Bookmarking...it's like sharing secrets, really. You are able to bookmark your "5-star" sites, condensing down into your personal portfolio of information. What's more, is that others can benefit from your bookmarks as they view your tags, and you can benefit from theirs. It is a good filter, and a great way to share new ideas.
Photo and video sharing....helps friends and family watch their loved ones grow around the world! Not only can it link friends and family, sharing pictures and videos can also be useful in education when there is careful screening of information and content. Oh what fun!
I will be teaching early elementary, I found that there are more resources than I could ever use, and the tools mentioned above help in organizing the information so it is useful and not overwhelming. I will of course, be teaching all content areas, but my focus areas are health and music.
