When Web 2.0 tools such as blogs first began to appear, I honestly didn’t pay too much attention to them. As far as I can remember, sites such as blogs and wikis weren’t referred to as Web 2.0 tools from the start. I didn’t even begin hearing the them referred to as such until early 2007. It wasn’t that I was ignoring them, for me I had the ability to publish whenever I wanted on the web using our school district’s server, so I didn’t have a need to publish using any other means. I did (and still do) participate in other Web 2.0 sites such as Flickr without knowing that I was already involved in using “those” types of tools.

However, when I first realized how many Web 2.0 tools were out there I was awestruck. I distinctly recall signing up for every single one that I found just so I could try it out. I felt like a child opening her presents on her birthday, but they just kept coming and coming. Once some the newness wore off, I was able to go beyond the discovery and play and begin a deeper investigation into how these tools could impact learning. One word? Revolutionary!

For years, I have worked with teachers on specialized projects that culminated in their students publishing a web-page on a given topic. The students were very excited, not to mention incredibly motivated to put their best work together for their website. I wanted all of our students to have a similar experience, but due to the lack of software that we had access to in our district for publishing websites, we were limited in what we could accomplish. However, with Web 2.0 tools, those limits have essentially evaporated.

Our students can not only publish from any computer at any time, they now have the the means and opportunity to collaborate and communicate with other students that we were never able to give them before. This alone can effectively lower the classroom walls and broaden the educational experience for our kids, which is very exciting for me.

Web 2.0 tools have already made a huge difference in my professional practice. From the my first day of teaching high school French until a little over a year ago as an Educational Technologist, I worked basically in isolation. My only opportunities for networking or to learn from others in my field was at conferences and the occasional regional meetings that I might attend. This all changed when I began to utilize a variety of Web 2.0 tools to create my own Professional (Personal) Learning Network or PLN. Without these tools, I would not have a PLN that I could turn to.

What has my PLN done for me? Primarily, it has kept me abreast of emerging technologies and their potential for teaching and learning quicker than anything else. Oftentimes when I receive an issue of one of my educational technology magazines, I have already heard about much of the content from my PLN. They are a constant source of information, conversation, and collaboration that I have found to be invaluable.

On the most simple scale, these tools can be used to foster communication among our “digital learners”. As an example, there is a group of 3rd – 5th graders at one of the schools in my district and they are using their wiki to discuss ways to increase attendance in their school. Could this have been done in the classroom? Absolutely! However, the technology has been such a “hook” for these students that they amassed over 355 posts in a matter of days. It’s not possible for all of these students to come together face-to-face for this discussion, but through their wiki, they were able to not only offer their own ideas, but to comment on those of their classmates.

These tools are also magnificent for showcasing student creativity. Alan Levine’s 50 Web 2.0 Ways to Tell a Story showcases the variety of sites available that can be used for digital storytelling, which is an activity that can be utilized across the curriculum.

Why would we want to use these tools? There are many compelling reasons. Using Web 2.0 tools provides each student with an equal voice that is impossible to achieve in the classroom. For the child who is reluctant to raise their hand in class, they can let their thoughts be heard just as easily as any other child. For students who may not be able to demonstrate their learning in more traditional ways, these tools can foster their creative side, allowing them a different method of self-expression that is equally as, if not more compelling. These tools have the potential to promote higher order thinking skills, but above all they engage students in the curriculum in ways more traditional instruction cannot. That unreachable child in the back of the classroom can become an active participant through the use of these tools.

I already use these tools on a daily basis to support my own learning. I utilize my Google RSS reader to read through the blogs and wikis that I subscribe to. I use my social bookmarking tool, Diigo, to share resources with fellow educators. I use Nings and wikis for collaboration and discussion. I also engage in micro-blogging with Plurk and Twitter, which is where I learn of many of the other resources that I have found so valuable as well as other learning opportunities.

Image Source by Mike Monteiro (Creative Commons License: Attribution, Non-Commercial, Share-Alike)