Blog Post 5

     As web technology continues to develop, I find that YouTube is the best way to integrate Web 2.0 into a classroom environment. Before listening to the podcast, I did not realize that YouTube was categorized as a source of "Web 2.0". According to the podcast, to be classified as Web 2.0, a site must allow for user interaction beyond just giving and receiving information. This creates a network of people commenting on media and sharing their opinions with others. This is an important addition to the classroom. Youtube epitomizes this, as scholastic channels could hold examples of both appropriate and inappropriate comments on information. Social networks such as Twitter and Facebook are other examples of Web 2.0 tools that hold great opportunity for use in the classroom. These networks allow students to connect with their teacher and with each other to make learning outside of the classroom a reality. Some social media, such as Vine and Instagram would have a much harder time being adapted to the classroom. These Web 2.0 networks, in my opinion, would be much harder to use in a scholastic setting because they provide less room for information to be taught, and allow more distracting content to be available to students. Any computer with internet access can make the use of my aforementioned Web 2.0 networks an interesting, simple process. Both wireless and wired networks allow students to access these website, but WiFi is the most common network used, as the network continues to expand and become more secure. WiFi, according to the textbook, can offer schools a cheaper internet access as it becomes more affordable and eliminates the need to change building structures to support wired connections. Though no periphery equipment is absolutely necessary to incorporate these websites and apps into the classroom, external devices such as headphones may make for a better user experience. 

     Tumblr is one of the most popular blogging networks online today. It offers information, generally written by college aged students, that can be shared among millions of people. The expanse of the website ensures that nearly every conceivable topic has been discussed on the website. While the creator of the post writes the original content, comments by other Tumblr users fuel sometimes heated debate that spreads light on different sides to every argument. This type of interaction embodies the meaning of Web 2.0. Tumblr is a platform for all types of media, including gifs, pictures, videos, links, articles, and mp3s. This melting pot of different resources makes Tumblr the perfect blog to host multi-media interactions with students. I would use Tumblr in my classroom by creating a blog for myself and for each of my students. We would then follow each other so we created a network that can comment, post, and learn together. The different platforms available from Tumblr would ensure that every student can at least find one thing interesting on the website. 

     One of Tumblr's greatest strengths doubles as its greatest weakness: the variety of its content. Because Tumblr is a blog open to anyone, inappropriate media floods the website. To be successfully used in my classroom, I would have to critically analyze any blog a student followed, reblogged, or posted. Something as innocent as an AP review for literature could turn into a graphic image accompanied by foul language. Tumblr also has the limitation of not always being the most accurate source for anything. No citations are required to post anything on the website, so users must be cautious as they try to separate fact from fiction on the blogging network. Despite its problems with accuracy and appropriateness, Tumblr remains a helpful tool in the classroom if it is properly monitored. Using Tumblr does not guarantee inappropriate media will show up on a student's computer monitor, but it is an important risk to keep in mind as teachers use Tumblr in an educational setting. 

     With the concept mapping assignment, I not only learned how to create Smart Art, I learned how to format my notes in a more efficient way. I liked that the assignment allowed for my own creative freedom as I made my concept maps. This let me be free to really experiment with the different graphics available with Word, and find ways to use them to my advantage. The only problem I had with the assignment was that the information was still in paragraph form when I had to map it. Though I would have preferred to map a set of bullet points, I understand that information is generally not presented in this format, so it was nice to be able to learn how to break down text into what I needed. Next time, I can improve my concept maps by experimenting more with colors, font, and inserting pictures into my work. In my career as a professor, I can use concept mapping to make notes easier to comprehend for my students.