Even though I know HTML and CSS and love to design Dreamweaver websites I also would like to explore other tools for building websites. I just created a simple CMSimple Website. It is very easy to use and fairly intuitive. One can very easily build a simple, yet nice looking website without having to learn HTML or CSS. I will confess I kind of scoffed at the idea of using a CMSimple website at the beginning but I have since changed my mind. It’s a great tool and a great way to have others who aren’t experts in web design to create a great-looking website easily and without having to spend a lot of money on expensive software.
I recently joined the Classroom 2.0 Community in Ning. I had heard of Ning before but never joined it. It is a great social networking site similar to Facebook or MySpace but more controlled and you can join groups specific to your interests. Ning is a great tool for teachers to use with a class since it is more controlled and they won’t have to worry about outsiders “crashing the party” so to speak. If you are an educator and would love to learn more about Web 2.0, social networking, and builing learning communities then I highly recommend Ning.
Another Web 2.0 tool that I love is Wordle. You copy and paste text such as a blog entry, paragraph, story, web content or anything and it will put it in a word cloud. I created one with this blog entry and here is what it came up with:
Stay tuned because I will be sharing more and more applications and their practical uses as I progress through my studies in the New Media and Global Education Program at Appalachian State University.
