Using Diigo was quite a unique experience, and I definitely noticed some perks to it, but also some issues. I think that Diigo is a great resource to learn about, especially because I aspire to be an elementary teacher. This program truly is an amazing way to connect with like-minded people, share resources, and comment on them. There were a few things that I did not like about using Diigo. The first thing that was a bit of an issue for me was the installation process. I had a hard time finding the page that had the link to download the program. Then, when I had downloaded it, I had a hard time to get the program to work because it was not clear to me that I had to close out all tabs and reopen the program. Therefore, the installation process was a bit inconvenient, time consuming, and confusing. Another thing I disliked was the learning curve that it took to actually understand how to use the program. We had to watch a video because it was a bit confusing. Something I liked about Diigo was the fact that it utilizes technology in order to connect people so they can share insights about websites they have found. I liked that it was a collaborative website, and not just an independent assignment. Another thing I found that I liked about this program was that it actually allowed for me to comment directly on a website page by highlighting and adding notes. Overall, although Diigo has some problems, it also can be a very helpful program for teachers.
My experience with blogging has been quite dynamic so far. I have enjoyed learning the blogger.com platform to write my posts, and I enjoy reflecting on what I am learning in class through these posts. Something I do not like about blogging is how time consuming it is for me to write my responses. Each entry takes me a while to write because I truly care about how my thoughts are portrayed. Another thing that I have a hard time with is the actual layout process of this program. It is kind of confusing and hard to understand the idea of adding widgets and extra things to my blog. Something I like about blogging is that the actual process of writing a post is completely simple. It is really easy just to open up a new blog post, write on it, and publish it. I also like that I have a space where people can read my thoughts and that we are utilizing technology to benefit others with our posts, rather than just writing papers that only our teacher will see. During the blogging process, I have learned how to work programs, such as blogger.com, and I have also learned how to write engaging content so that readers would enjoy learning about technology in the classroom.
An interesting Web 2.0 tool that could have a potential for use in the classroom is podcasts. Podcasts are recordings of people who discuss and banter on several topics. There are multiple different types of podcasts. They range from religious sermons to movie reviews. A podcast is recorded and then put onto the web in order for others to listen and learn from the thoughts of others. I personally enjoy listening to podcasts. I find them to be very informative and relaxing. I think that podcasts could be used in a teaching setting, especially to help kids learn by hearing voices other than their teacher's. This technique changes up the learning process so that kids don't get bored with just one thing over and over again. I could see myself as a teacher playing a podcast for students after a rowdy time at recess. Therefore, students can relax and calm down while also learning something worthwhile. A link to use podcasts as a tool in teaching is https://www.podcasts.com/. I encourage everyone to look into using new Web 2.0 tools so that we can advance education for the future.
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