Thing #2 Continued

After posting my original reflection, I realized I didn't answer the specific questions asked so this post will serve that purpose:

Initial thoughts about Web 2.0 and its role in the 21st century teaching and learning:
I think that the possibilities created by this technology are fascinating and pretty much endless. I know that today's kids are certainly engaged in learning when using technology because they use it so effortlessly and it is fun for them. The challenges really belong to me as the teacher who is coming into this later in life.

Ways Web 2.0 tools might change or have changed my professional practice:
Well, my natural teaching style just doesn't include very much technology because it is so intimidating to me. It's not that I don't want to use it, but I just feel I waste more time trying to get it to work than I would spend teaching it the "old fashioned" way. If I could become more savvy at using these tools, then I know it would enhance what I do and my students would benefit.

How might I be able to use these new tools to engage today's digital learners? Why would I want to? How could I use it to support my own learning?
I feel confident enough now that I think I could create a class blog that my students could contribute to and that might encourage their parents to be engaged in their child's learning. That might make the kids take more ownership of their own learning.
I would want to do this so that it would help the parents feel like they are a part of their child's education. I know as a parent, I would have loved having access to something like this with my own kids' teachers.
I can use some of these tools to support my own learning by getting out there in the cyber-world even more. That is one thing that I already do with the limited knowledge that I have. Learning about more tools that I may not know about now will give me an even broader range of information to use in my teaching and in my own life.