Web 2.0 Tools

Blogger

• Blogger is a free-to-use blog publishing service. By sharing ideas through platforms such as blogging, individuals can connect with others who share the same interests. For a closer look, take a gander at my Teaching Tech blog.
  • Classroom use: Teachers can use blogs as a means for publishing student assignments, resources, completed work, and also as a way to allow parents to view what goes on in the classroom. For students, blogs can be used as a collaborative platform in which students can practice researching, organizing, writing, connecting and presenting ideas online.

Google Docs

• Google Docs is a free web-based application that allows users to create, store, and share documents online. Files can be fully accessed from any computer with Internet connection and users can work on documents collaboratively with others at the same time.
  • Classroom use: Google Docs offer a way for students to create, edit, save, and share documents online that can be accessed through links for viewing by other students or teachers. Students can work simultaneously on a single document whether they are together or working from different locations, serving as a great student resource for individual or collaborative note taking, studying, writing, and storage.

Google Drive

• Google Drive is a free cloud-based file storage and synchronization service that allows users to create, store, and share various files (such as documents, images, audio, and video) online. The Drive can be accessed from any computer with Internet connection.
  • Classroom use: Goolge Drive can serve as a great resource for students to store and share notes, classwork, drafts, projects, and other files in a cloud-based system that can be easily accessed from any mobile or desktop device with Internet connection.

Google Forms

• Google Forms is a free service that allows individuals to create digital forms (such as surveys, quizzes, and polls) that can be used to collect, organize, and analyze information from others.
  • Classroom use: Google Forms can be especially useful for students who must conduct surveys, polls, or gather opinions or information from other individuals for statistical and research purposes.

Google Slides

• Google Slides is a free cloud-based presentation app (much like PowerPoint) that allows users to individually or collaboratively create, edit, and store presentations online.
  • Classroom use: Google Slides is a useful presentation tool that allows students to work collaboratively through Internet access on a single project that can be accessed from any computer.

PBWorks

• PBWorks is a free real-time collaborative editing system that enables users to develop and share knowledge through the use of private or public wikis.
  • Classroom use: Wikis can serve as a fantastic resource for student collaboration, research, and presentation. Whether a wiki is designed to be a collective space for student-to-student support or to focus on a particular area of study, wikis provide a platform for continuous knowledge collection and revision as learners expand and adjust their understandings over time.