Thing 7: Web 2.0 Communication Tools

Email is the communication tool I use most often. Email can be a time saver, but it can also be a time consumer. It is a time saver because I can send the same email to multiple recipients. I can type one message and press send, which takes between three and five minutes, instead of calling each person with the same message. I often use Edline to send email updates to parents. Email can also be a time consumer. I used to check and respond to emails every time I had a break during the day, but I found that I was wasting valuable time. I now limit myself to checking and responding to emails at certain times during the day. I find I am more productive that way.

I used IM during college, but don't really see the use for it in the classroom. I am not able to sit at my computer to respond to IMs because I am teaching for the majority of the day. I also don't text message very often. It takes me forever to type a message on my phone. I prefer to call someone instead of texting.

I think that web conferencing could be a valuable tool in the classroom. It allows classes to connect with classrooms in other cities, states, or countries. This could help students to see other perspectives on topics and also to learn about what is going on in other parts of the world firsthand.