Using Web 2.0 Tools to Support World Language Instruction

Jennifer McConnell

Michela Tobin

Today’s Agenda

Overview of Web 2.0 Course Highlight some Web 2.0 Tools Examples of Classroom Application Tips and Discoveries

Overview of Web 2.0 course

Funded by a Massachusetts DoE Title IID Technology Enhancement Competitive Grant

Developed by EDC with input from three partner districts

Main course goal: To enable world language teachers to use Web 2.0 tools to support teaching and learning of the five strands of the ACTFL world language standards: Communication, Cultures, Comparisons, Connections, and Communities

What is Web 2.0?

"Web 2.0” refers to a second generation of web development that facilitates communication, information sharing, and collaboration on the World Wide Web.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_2.0

Web 1.0 vs Web 2.0

Why use these tools?

Generation “C”: students as collaborators, creators, and critical thinkers

Which tools to use?

Must haves: Be free Require low level of tech expertise Be user friendly and easily available Free of copyright issues

It’s about pedagogy, not about technology!

Match the tool to your content Enhance curriculum by addressing the

standards and increasing the rigor Increase student achievement Use Web 2.0 tools to demonstrate student

understanding

Our Favorites :)Sample Projects

Delicious: Social bookmarking

Flickr: Photo Sharing

Voice Thread: Collaborative, multimedia slide show

Wiki: Collaborative Website

Animoto: Videos from user-selected photos

Google Earth/Maps: Create annotated maps

Exploratree: Interactive thinking guides

Podcasts: Series of digital media files

Tips and Discoveries

Flickr Podcasts Voice Thread Blogs Exploratree

Wikimedia Commons: A database of 4,397,663 freely usable media files to which anyone can contribute. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

Q & A