Web 2.0 Technologies

(1) What is 2.0? (2) Describe your initial thoughts about integrating Web 2.0 technologies into your teaching.

            When I first began working through this class I was not aware of the many facets of the Internet.  I knew how to access it and that everything was available at the drop of a hat.  Just as I have found that I do not fully understand the history of math, I have now realized that I do not understand the history of the World Wide Web.  I have taken for granted many things that I have been given and without that knowledge I feel that I cannot reach my fullest potential. 

            With that being said I really had to do some research to really understand where Web 2.0 technologies came from.  What I found was a plethora of information that I in a way already knew, but did not know the buzzwords that went with it.  Simply I found that Web 1.0 was the start of the World Wide Web that was executively led.  Then came Web 2.0 which allowed users to create their own personalized sites and gave way to networking.  I found this journal article that described Web 2.0 technologies.
            Web 2.0 technologies encompass a variety of different meanings that include an    increased emphasis on user generated content, data and content sharing, collaborative   effort, new ways of interacting with Web-based applications, and the use of the Web as a social platform for generating, repositioning and consuming content. "Web 2.0" refers to a perceived second generation of Web development and design that facilitates communications and secures information sharing, interoperability, and collaboration on the World Wide Web. (Harris & Rea, 2009, p. 137)
            There are several innovations that have come with Web 2.0 technologies such as Facebook, wikis, YouTube, blogs, virtual video games, all things Google, Skype, etc.  I could go on for lines and lines of examples however I think these pertain to major categories such as allow people to become more social over thousands of miles and allow businesses to network through different countries.  Through Web 2.0 the possibilities have become endless as the Web is more effective and efficient for all users.
            I feel that integrating Web 2.0 technologies in teaching is essential to stay current with the 21st century.  I do believe that it would not be as easy as it should have been if it were not for this class.  I thought myself to be computer savvy, but only until now did I realize that there were so many free programs at the touch of a hand.  I still think of these as things that I would need to purchase in order to make it effective to my students.  Now, however, I can take Audacity and Movie Maker to create more tools for my students to be successful.  These resources will also be widely available to parents as high school math takes on a deeper level today than it did 10 to 15 years ago. 

References

Harris, A.L. & Rea, A. (2009). Web 2.0 and virtual world technologies: A growing impact on is education. Journal of Information Systems Education, 20(2), 137-144. Retrieved from http://learningtechworld.com/Documents/Virtual%20World%20Technologies.pdf