Web 2.0 Tools

   

   In today's world, the use of technology allows people from different countries interact through the use of  different web sites. According to Wikipedia, Web 2.0 tools describe World Wide Web sites that allow users to interact to each other in a social media dialogue as creators of user-generated content in a virtual community. There are too many  Web 2.0 tools that can be use in the education field, for example, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Google docs, Prezi, Diigo, Voice thread, Gloster, Storybird, Popplet, among others.

      It is true that integrate Web 2.0 tools in classroom is not something easy or fast to learn because it requires practice from teachers and students to become familiar and make better use of those. In addition, any web tool used in the education field needs to have the objective to expand the knowledge and skills of  educators and students (users). As a student, I have had the opportunity to use some Web 2.0 tools in my classes at NLU, for example, Google Docs, Google Earth, Blogger, Twitter, Goodreads, Diigo and Survey Monkey. The integration of these digital learning tools has helped me to be more updated and acquire new skills for my next classes and for my workplace.
     In the Children's Literature and The Literacy Learning Environment class I had to use the web tool  Goodreads. Goodreads is a social website where "booklovers" post, rate, comment, recommend and review any book. Also, users can select their own shelves and discuss with other users about the different books' genres.  Some of the advantages of using this Goodreads include that user can keep track of the books read, users can share their reviews, opinions, summarizes, thoughts of any book with others in order to expand their critical thinking. In addition, this tool can help users to make the reading a habit in their lives.
        I consider that a constraint when using this tool may be that users can feel influenced when selecting new books by the positive or negative comments of other users,  instead of they have their own initiative.
    My personal experience using this tool has helped me to know different genres of books, and have a deeper understanding about the meaning of the stories I read before rate and  review them in this social network. I consider that Web 2.0 tools are important in classrooms because all users can interact, collaborate, share opinions and create new information.