David+Kubisch

__**Activity One: Article Review**__ //Things I take away as an educator:// 1. A connection/relationship with people, my students. 2. A sense of purpose. 3. A sense of gratitude for the opportunity and ability to teach. 4. Teaching brings me joy.

//Thoughts regarding Web 2.0.// As is true with the advent of all technologies, it must be remembered that Web 2.0 is simply a tool. It's a means to an end. It shouldn't be used just because everyone else is. If it doesn't make sense to use a tool, then don't use it. That being said, Web 2.0 offers a lot of tools. The problem is finding the time to research the ones that may be applicable or simply researching to discover new ways to teach. But, again, one shouldn't implement a tool just because it's there.

The following article presents an interesting take on why Web 2.0 is important to education. Bottom line is that Web 2.0 is a vehicle that creates a two-way communication between teacher and student using electronic media. Web 2.0 Article

Here is the article I spoke of last night: [|Given Tablets But No Teachers, Ethiopian Kids Teach Themselves]:for [|MIT Technology Review]. David Talbot. October 29, 2012 My problem is how to discover new tools that I need. Sometimes I just want to peruse the various tools and see what they have to offer. Other times I have a purpose in mind and want to quickly research a tool, but it's difficult to find a site that has them categorized.

__**Activity Two: Researching Web Tools**__

Data Science Toolkit
The above website contains tools that will perform the following conversions:
 * 1) Street Address to Coordinates
 * 2) File to Text
 * 3) Coordinates to Political Areas
 * 4) IP address to Coordinates
 * 5) Text to Sentences
 * 6) HTML to Text
 * 7) HTML to Story
 * 8) Text to People
 * 9) Text to Times

The one that I found to be the most useful is the File-to-Text tool that will convert a PDF, Word, Excel document into text. This is especially helpful when I find a PDF file online that I want to incorporate into a lesson plan. As is often the case, I don't want to use all the information in the PDF or I want to edit or dovetail the information into a Word document. Problem is I don't own the software that converts PDF to Word. With this program I can convert the PDF to text and then paste it into a Word document where I can make my own edits.

Projeqt
This website is similar to PowerPoint but it has the added benefit of creating layers. The layers create a flexibility of non-linear presentation, a way to optionally present tangents to a displayed slide

Todaysmeet
This handy tool allows teachers and students to interact electronically and anonymously, but all invitees can see every conversation. So, for example, a teacher can create a chat room, so to speak, inviting all the students in. While the teacher presents the lesson, students can ask questions, make comments, even answer other student's questions in real time.

Molecular Model Simulator
It is difficult to explain or diagram on a whiteboard processes that are dynamic, particularly when discussing the motion of atoms and molecules. This site requires downloading, but has many simulations of molecular or atomic motion that students can observe followed with a multiple choice question to aid in understanding.

EditGrid
Finally an (almost) Excel equivalent spreadsheet program that is stored in the cloud. This has many of the features of Excel and, certainly, more features than offered by Google Spreadsheets.


 * __Activity Three: Evaluation of a Web Tool__**

The Projeqt program seemed intriguing to me because it was an interesting alternative to using PowerPoint. As is the case with most Web 2.0 applications, this program has the added advantage of being stored in the cloud. Until recently (last few years), Microsoft's files had to be transported or transferred via an e-mail attachment or using a flash drive. Now, however, one can store Microsoft files in the cloud using a Google account, Dropbox, or some other program. An advantage of using Projeqt is the ease of which one can stack levels of slides allowing a presentation to deviate from being completely linear. The primary drawback, however, is that there is no way to save the file in a different format into one's hard drive. For example, one can import a PowerPoint presentation into Projeqt, but not the other way around. If, someday, Projeqt ceases to exist, all of one's files will go with it. This program is free with no upgrades.

__**Activity Four: Create a Lesson Plan**__

After reviewing so many of the Web 2.0 tools available, I thought it be best to enhance my use of wikispaces. Currently I use wikispaces as a means of communicating due dates for assignments, posting a syllabus, classroom expectations, etc. In other words I've been using wikispaces for one way communication. My goal for next term will be to create two way communication between students and me. The site will contain the usual material but now will have added pages that students can edit. My thought is to create a 'Questions' page where students can ask questions that come up outside of class. Either I or other students could then respond to the questions. Another page will be the 'Daily Log'. A student will be selected to scan and post their notes from the day onto the page. Other students, of course, will have the permission to add information and make changes. This will allow students to compare notes and have a resource should they miss class.

Here is the link to my Advanced Chemistry Wikispace (under construction).

__**Activity Five: Insights regarding Web 2.0**__

The teaching field is rapidly changing and evolving with technology. Keeping up with these changes is challenging and sometimes overwhelming, but it doesn't need to be. This class showed me the importance of keeping it simple. Just focus in on a few tools at a time and use the ones that make sense. Don't force their use just because it's technology. Secondly, and this is critical, by communicating verbally with other teachers any web tools that may be useful. Lastly, the links Emmy put on her wikispace were very helpful and I plan on continue using them in the future.