Article voice thread

I gained a lot of knowledge from this article, which taught me not to assume as much as I do about new web tools or different softwares.  When the author writes, “The specific design and functionality of a particular tool or technology does not define its pedagogical usefulness.  At least not by itself.  Rather there are other important ingredients required including the imagination and creativity of the individual user…”  This drove home an important point that we really need to consider our users when chosing these web 2.0 tools and not just choosing them because of the pedagogical affordances that come out of it.  These are almost always going to be beneficial, but users all react differently to different tools based on their environments.  When using any Web 2.0, like voicethread, it is important for the tutor to have sound planning, imagination, and creativity. Creating meaningful learning from using this technology is important, but very difficult to achieve unless you have covered yourself. 

Most of the features that this technology has to offer seem like a great set of tools for students to be exposed to in order to become 21^st century students and become more literate.  Most of these functions open up doors for collaboration where open discussions can take place.