Web 2.0 Info

This has been an interesting week, as I was looking high and low for a new Web 2.0 application for my paper. I did my paper and found another interesting link I think all should know about. It's Webspiration!. This is a version of Inspiration that was just released for the web, and does allow for collaboration among various groups of people. I did subscribe, which was free, and it was interesting all the information that was asked. I know they won't share it, but nevertheless, they asked for it. You can assign your own user name and password. The only drawback I could see was for elementary students wanting to use it. Unless you have an email address, you can't use it. It was meant for anyone, as students was a targeted group.

I like the fact that it has various icons used for creating the web, and I also like that you can add your collaborators. You have to have their email addresses to add them, when you create the chart. I can see where students needing to use a graphical user interface for any of their courses would be able to use this one. It's almost exactly like the program Inspiration, which school districts have to purchase. I can see where applications for use in creating an outline for writing, a presentation for PowerPoint, or just wanting to organize ones thoughts. Creating a timeline is another way to use it. It's nice that it can be emailed to professors, so once done, there is no paper involved. It's a great site for students to have access to. I learned about this from the Technology Learning feed I subscribe to. 

I found, searching the GotoWeb2.0.net website, there were a number of good things out there. I joined one called Journeys, which let me choose anywhere in the world to tour. I could set up my own tour, and thought about having this one to do a report on. The tours weren't the best ones to go on for younger students, however. I did join the Seven Wonders of the World and started a profile. I got started, but the journey only happens offline. That meant I could explore around, but wouldn't be able to reach my first destination until later. I can see myself going back to finish the tours, and could see college students use this to find the great brewery sights, or take a winery tour. They could even find the best no tee shirts beaches around the world. Unfortunately, those would limit any teacher from using this site for their students to do some research with. I can see adults using it to take virtual trips and seeing the various sites with some information given about it. I did get to choose my own house, a castle, and a vehicle to move around in - a hover craft. I could start out anywhere in the world I wanted and was able to meet various friends along the way. This website is supposed to let you move around and meet others. Unfortunately, I haven't been on it long enough to meet any buddies yet. I think this is one site hoping to have others around the world gather global cultural information without having to leave their home. 

I was amazed at a lot of the sites that are out there. So many of them would be good for elementary students, yet they all would have to have email addresses to sign up, even the ones for the younger students had to have their parents sign them up. Or else they would have to be over the age of 13 with their own email address. I wonder how many students lie about their age to sign up for some of the sites. I saw a great one about making cartoons, but the content wasn't appropriate for younger students. There was a lot of violence or inappropriate pictures portrayed in their demo for young students. 

Another I found I thought might be good was called Lookybook. It's one that features new picture books with reviews. I can use this one as a place to go to for book reviews about new books that are coming out. It has genre or subject searches, although I found the genre search not separated, and not all genres were listed. Of course, there aren't too many genres for picture books. At present there are only about 300 picture books listed. That means it's a newer website and a lot of the author/illustrators either don't want their new books listed and reviewed, or they haven't been contacted as yet. When I first looked at it, I thought it might be a place for students to write their own reviews, but was wrong. Turns out they can read them, not write them. It's a place for anyone who purchases books to read the entire book first, before deciding whether or not to purchase it. 

On the whole, I found GotoWeb2.0.net a great site for all of us to look at and be aware of all the applications that are out there for us to use. It's one I'll be going back to for my own use, as there are a number of applications I can use.