Blog Post 5

      Of all the different Web 2.0 Tools available, I think that the community tools such as Google Docs and Edmodo, would be the most useful. I have already used these tools in previous classes, and have found them to be very useful. Google Docs and other similar collaboration tools make it easy for students to do group projects and work together to learn; these tools have been especially helpful in the ever-growing field of online courses and distance learning. I don't know how useful many of the presentation tools available through Web 2.0 would be, because even when presented with these new options for presentations, I have found that students still tend to gravitate to the familiarity of PowerPoint. I have only ever used Web 2.0 presentation tools when I was required to by my teacher, and I was never very excited about having to learn how to use these new programs instead of just using PowerPoint as usual.
       When I am a teacher, Web 2.0 tools such as PollEverywhere would be fun, easy to use, and very helpful. Mobile polling programs seem to be extremely helpful in allowing teachers to receive quick feedback on how much students are understanding about a particular lesson or concept, while eliminating the possibility of a student being embarrassed by answering a question incorrectly in front of all of his or her peers.
       In the future, the implementation of Virtual Reality programs into more classrooms would be a very interesting new use of the technology. Through VR applications, students are able to be virtually transported to different eras in history, can view various parts of the Earth up close, and can see new things that students would otherwise not have access to. This allows students to have a better understanding of different concepts and facts presented to them in the classroom; instead of just reading out of a textbook, students can be a part of whatever they are learning about, making learning a much more personalized, engaging experience.