Web+2.0+Tools

= Web 2.0 Tools for Information Literacy in the Elementary Classroom =

With the wealth of information available to students today, it is critical they have methods and tools to manage the diversity and quantity of information they are exposed to. The internet provides ways to easily find information, however, the quality of that information is not always unbiased or factual. There are also vast amounts of information to sift through in order to find the particular thread that answers the proposed problem. Without explicit training in how to manage all of this information, students can easily become lost in the how instead of the why of research.

Information in today's world is expanding exponentially and digital literacy is a critical life skill for the current generation. It is no longer a choice to teach technology. It is a necessity. It is the new literacy and along with reading and writing and arithmetic is an integral part of being a successful adult.

The Partnership for 21st Century Skills []. has created a framework in which information literacy, media literacy, communications literacy, and technology literacy play an integral role in preparing our students to live in a global society that we cannot even begin to conceive of. Content changes constantly based upon need and location. However, the ability to read, evaluate, and synthesize are the keys to coping with this ever changing content.

Web 2.0 skills are essential in addressing how students deal with this ever changing world. Information accessibility needs to be immediate, fluid, and current. Students need to be able to evaluate, organize, and synthesize. The following resources support the process of teaching 21st Century Skills in the elementary classroom.

Excerpt from __THE Journal__, "Return to Sender" by Dan Gordon
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"Employers are finding that for all of their texting, IM-ing, and downloading, and their fluency with each new gadget, young entrants to the labor force are woefully devoid of the skills that companies need as technology continues to transform the workplace. Work readiness is no longer just about the three R's; now it's also about turning information into knowledge through Web searching and vetting. It's about developing effective multimedia presentations. It's about seamlessly using digital tools to collaborate and problem-solve."

=Web 2.0 Tools= [|Prezi] - Presentation Tool

Edmodo - Social Learning Network

Wikispaces - Online Collaboration

Dropbox - File Synchronization

ThinkQuest - Online Learning Projects

Yugma - Desktop Sharing - Web Conferencing

Creative Commons - Share, Remix, Reuse - Legally - digital sharing

Wordle - Word Clouds

Glogster Poster Yourself!

Class Blogmeister - Class Blogging

Dabbleboard - Online Whiteboard