[MUSIC] Welcome to Powerful Tools for Teaching and Learning Web 2.0 Tools. My name is Sarah McNeil, and for the last 20 years, I've been teaching courses at the University of Houston that focus on using technology in teaching and learning. I’m especially interested in how teachers and trainers can harness the power of free, easy to use online tools to engage and motivate their learners. In this we’re going to explore strategies and approaches to effectively integrate Web 2.0 tools into your instruction regardless of your content area or age of your learners. No matter what your experience in using technology in teaching, we think you'll learn some valuable skills that you can implement immediately in your classroom. You will learn how to use these tools effectively through unique problem-based scenarios that will help you understand how to choose the best Web 2.0 tool for your needs. You'll take place in a robust exchange of practical ideas while participating in online discussion forums, sharing your experiences, and learning from fellow teachers about best practices with Web 2.0 tools. [MUSIC] Our explorations during weeks one, two, and three are based on an article, Implementing the Seven Principles, Technology as Lever by Arthur Chickering and Stephen Ehrmann. We've taken the ideas in this essay about using technology to advance the seven principles of good practice and updated those using Web 2.0 tools. Although this essay and the seven principles ideas are decades old, the principles themselves are enduring, and they provide effective strategies for teaching and learning. During the first three weeks of the course we will explore a variety of Web 2.0 tools related to communication, collaboration, and creativity. You will select a tool each week to review, and share what you've learned with your peers. In week four, you will apply what you've learned in a mini action research project. In this project, you will select a Web 2.0 tool to explore and reflect on how you might integrate it in a lesson and implement it in your classroom. To wrap up the course, in week 5, we'll help you develop a personal learning plan, so you can keep on adding Web 2.0 tools to your digital toolbox. Certified Texas teachers are eligible to receive 15 hours of continuing professional development credit if they earn a statement of accomplishment in this course. If you are a certified teacher in another state or country, you may wish to check with your school to see if they will recognize this continuing education credit. I am so delighted to welcome you to Powerful Tools for Teaching and Learning, Web 2.0 Tools. I look forward to sharing with you my passion for how these amazing tools can be used to help expand your teaching with technology and support your student's learning, motivation, and engagement. [MUSIC]