I think this module came at a good time in terms of exploring and thinking more about the usefulness of online communities. I feel I have learnt quite a lot about Web 2.0 now but I have sort of been caught up in my own experience of it. So it has been good to read some other blogs of people doing the course and to see what they have found useful or how they might have already tried to use some of this technology. Being part of a wiki really does give you an insight into what being part of an online community can offer, in terms of being able to ask a question, get feedback on an issue etc.
I enjoyed the delicious bookmarking site and find it very useful both for organising my own bookmarks and discovering new ones. For me, the best thing about it is being able to add people to your network and check out their sites. I have already found a number of really interesting websites for French that I was not aware of before. It really is worldwide sharing and learning as I was looking at the bookmarks of users (other language teachers) from Spain and the UK. I also found out about a great application called voki (voki.com) which allows you to create speaking avatars. My kids (my own children) love it and I'm sure the students at school would love it too - even to use personally not necessarily as part of school. I have tried to embed one in my blog but so far have not succeeded. I will keep trying.
So, all in all, I really think being able to share information and resources online is perhaps one of the best things about Web2.0. It really opens you up to the ideas of so many others and allows you to share what you have found with others. I think this is what effective teaching and learning is all about.
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