MY EXPERIENCE:
Web 2.0 tools can be fun, effective
and a waste of time. Basically, as with
any other product, there can be a wide range of effectiveness with each
tool. Upon starting this investigation
of different web 2.0 tools, I can remember getting excited about the
possibilities of each tool and with some of them; the results were disappointing
and a waste of time. Also consistent with other products the positive
results often outweigh the negative. I
found it critical to remain focused on several aspects of the inquiry in order
to effectively evaluate each tool. The sub
paragraphs below describe what I believe to be essential elements in evaluating
the ability of each Web 2.0 tool to meet your particular needs.
STAY FOCUSED ON THE
PURPOSE OF YOUR EFFORTS, NOT THE TOOL
Bells and whistles, a.k.a. special
effects, are generally common with Web 2.0 tools. They capture the imagination and create
interest from the users. In order to be
objective and effective in your evaluation, it is critical to stay focused on
what you want the software to perform and not be distracted by the special
effects. The first example that comes
to mind is ResearchGate. This program
has a special effects feature where it will create an index rating of each
person using the program. This rating
index is based upon articles written, reviewed and a few other factors however
what they don’t state is the sources are all contained within the
software. The number of research
articles within the program is minimal; hence the special effect has less
effect if you know the basis for the calculation. Another research program utilizes other known
databases so the effectiveness of the program to enable efficient research is
far greater, yet there is no special effect.
The lesson? You guessed it, stay focused on
what you want to get from using the tool and minimize approval based upon the
WOW factor of the special effects.
WILL THIS TOOL
CREATE EFFICIENCY FOR ALL INVOLVED?
The means of processing information
within a program is critical to creating efficiency. If a process takes several clicks to create
information in lieu of just one click then the program will not have a long
shelf life. In this modern era, where convenience
and instant access are the norm, it is essential to simplify these
functions. The
example which comes to mind is the program bit.ly. While this program will shorten a url, it
takes 3 clicks to perform the function. Where
by simply cutting and pasting a long url address, it only takes a single click
to go to the site. People today are easily
distracted and overloaded with their schedules so taking these additional steps
doesn’t make much sense, efficiency matters!
LESS IS MORE
The key for repeated use is to find a
program that will do more of what you need so that you don’t have to go from
tool to tool. This may be a high expectation but ease of
use is increased when we can find one tool that serves multiple functions. Wiggio is the one tool that comes closes to
fulfilling this mantra. For example,
this collaboration tool includes conference calling, virtual meetings, voice
notes, video notes, discussion board, document management, emails and text
messages. It also has mobile platforms
on iPhone and iPad. Now that is
functionality in one tool!
IS COMMUNICATION
ENHANCED?
One of the repetitive elements from
every Web 2.0 tool is communication; therefore it is critical to evaluate its
effectiveness. Evaluation points include
mobility platforms and the modes of communication; i.e. email text messaging,
video, etc. With the popularity of
smartphones mobility is very important in reaching the greatest number of
users. Quizlet is a program that
has tremendous potential as a learning aid.
Its functionality is enhanced in that it draws upon a pre-existing
database and allows individual knowledge to be added to the system. Upon my initial review of the program, there
didn’t appear to be a mobile application which lessened the prospect that it
would be utilized by my students. Closer
review indicated that there were several third party programs which enabled
smartphone access in both apple and android platforms. This element made this program viable for use
by the greatest number of users.
DOES THE TOOL
SPARK OR INHIBIT CREATIVITY?
Fun and creativity are essential in
keeping the users attention while utilizing the tool.
And if you don’t believe this concept then ask yourself, “Why are video
games so popular in the learning environment?”
One particular tool that is intuitive and fun to use is
Mindmeister. The ease of use and the fun
of linking ideas together in a mind map keep the user engaged while creating a
useful product for conceptual planning.
DISAPPOINTING
TOOLS:
Based upon my review of Web 2.0 tools,
I found the platforms below to be less than expected. The basis for my evaluation of each tool ranges
from complexity, lack of depth or poor final product.
1.
WordPress
2.
Podomatic
3.
Edistorm
4.
ResearchGate
5.
StumbleUpon
6.
Bit.ly
7.
Slide
Rocket
RECOMMENDED TOOLS:
The tools below are either robust in
their capabilities, highly intuitive or perform their singular functionality
extremely well. I invite you to check
them out for your own use.
1.
Wiggio
3.
Blogger
4.
Wordle
5.
Bitstrips
6.
Mindmeister
7.
Quizlet
8.
VoiceThread
9.
Dropbox
10. Mendeley
11. Prezi
RECOMMENDATION
FOR CONSTRUCTION MGMT. PROGRAM:
Finally, my last recommendation is
made specifically for the Construction Management Program at the University of
Houston. The selection of the programs
was based upon their ability to assist with group collaboration as this is a
focal point in our program. All three
recommended programs are very capable of group collaboration and each deal with
specific phases in the preparation of group projects; brainstorming, project
development and final presentation. If
you are interested in viewing this recommendation, please click on the link
below.
NOTE
OF THANKS:
My pursuit of knowledge would not have
been as comprehensive without the sharing by my fellow student’s on Web 2.0
tools and the guidance provided by Dr. Sara McNeil and Dr. Bernard Robin at the
University of Houston. Thanks to all for
their efforts and belief in collaborative learning.
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