* What is Web 2.0 and why should teachers know about it?
Web 2.0 is web base or online tools that have interactive components such as video sharing (ex: youtube)and photo sharing (ex: Flickr), blogs, podcasts and wikis. These tools make it possible for students to "interact, enhance, morph, and create information and then communicate the result to a real audience".
Lynne Schrum and Gwen Solomon stated that teachers should adapt this tools to conceptualize the learning and literacy of the digital literacy of the 21st century. It is also "part of the culture" for it is important to the students' social networking lives. Web 2.0 also tend to entice and engage students and also enhance their learning experience.
* What is a Blog and why should every teacher have one?
Blog is an online tool that enable its user to utilize it in various purposes such as using it as an electronic notebook or journals, learning journal, classroom discussions/forum and management (homework/assignments, hands out, etc), interactive newsroom, personal expression/communicating and writing, etc.
Teachers should have one for their class for it can be their classroom discussion/forum and management place. Schrum and Solomon also says that "teachers use blogs to encourage students to think deeply about issues". it is because students are able to give their opinions, and comments on others, which "support peer editing and sharing". Hence making them engaged mentally. Besides that, blogging would let students express themselves by sharing their experience and opinions, interacts with others globally and gain communication and writing experience practically. Windham supported this by stating that blogging give student opportunity "to practice writing, reflect on others' thinking and respond to critical analyses of one's own work".
* What are the pedagogical implications of student driven BLOGS in contrast to a teacher-created website?
Carie Windham listed some benefits students gain from blogging, which is, the chance to practice writing, see others works and responds, access and turn in homework any time and any where, be in control with their blog in an informal setting and peer interaction through comments. Where else teacher-created website are a 'read only website' which are not interactive, also student are not involve and engage in the learning process.
