Blog Post#6

We’ve been using Diigo a lot for this class, particularly for completing our portfolio. I think it's a very intuitive software since you can contribute to it while also being able to read over interesting and relevant information in return. It’s also great that it allows for groups to interact, but the only thing that I dislike about Diigo is its design. There’s labels for everything so it's easy to navigate, but overall it looks very crowded with all of its posts in the groups and it’s sometimes hard to tell even who posted because the usernames are in small font. Not only the usernames, but even descriptions and tags are very small and the overall aesthetic and color is plain.

So far, my blogging experience has been alright. I’m enjoying writing these reflections to get a better grasp on the class itself, and it’s nice to go back and read over the posts to see my own development in using/interacting with different technologies. I don’t see myself as an avid blogger in the future, though, because it is not something I feel I would be able to keep up with. Instead, I would most likely read over other people’s blogs and have collaborations in-person rather than online with others I’m not familiar with. However, through this blogging process I have learned that it is important to be able to reflect back on your progress in order to better your understanding and techniques. It is a good way to determine what changes can be made to improve upon teaching or other types of work.

A Web 2.0 tool that I will definitely use in the future when teaching is Youtube. It has a huge platform of videos that range from different genres, such as tutorials and news clips, and can even go more in depth in its topics. This tool is easily accessible and free-to-use as well, making it a very useful accommodation for class. I’ve used it many times in high school to review over subjects I have taken, and usually watch specific channels that focus on academics (ex. Crash Course). Lots of my previous classes have also shown videos and/or documentaries through Youtube, so I think it is a great tool to enhance learning.