Blog journal #8

 Through the Web design assignment I feel like I learned a lot of technical skills as well as a better grasp of website aesthetics. I used Google sites, which I though was a very comprehensive system especially compared to something like Wordpress. I think knowing how to use Google sites will be very helpful in the future, regardless of what career I end up in. Besides that, I also feel like I have a better grasp of how to design a visually appealing website, something that I think is often overlooked. 

https://sites.google.com/view/emenoelle/home

I think Diigo could be especially helpful when working with groups. Already I've had to do a ton of assignments that involve sharing sources as a group, and Diigo is much more efficient in supporting that than just using email or Docs. I also like how it lets you classify sources with tags, and share annotations with other group members. While it certainly has a learning curve to it, I think I might find myself using it in the future. In a classroom setting specifically, I think Diigo could work as a resource for students, but also one used between teachers to find helpful information. 

Professional development is incredibly important when it comes to teachers learning how to implement new technology in classrooms. I've been in many situations where a teacher was unable to properly use new learning technology that had been mandated by the school, and it always seems like they should have been better taught how to use it. I think it is a bit of a burden to ask teachers to always be on top of new technology in their classrooms without properly instructing them on how to use it, which is why professional development is so necessary. Twitter teacher communities seem to be extremely helpful in keeping up with current technology trends in education, especially because it allows for informal communication and quick responses. 

https://twitter.com/home