Web+2.0

Web 2.0 in the Spanish classroom
[|ePals] ePALS SchoolMail is an internet-based email and online collaborative system. It is designed to help protect security and privacy. Through the School Mail program, teachers and students can communicate via email with each other and with other classrooms around the world. Other features include forums and chatrooms. The teacher sets up accounts for any number of students and creates a class profile. All profiles are searchable through the School Mail system and if you find a classroom that you think could be a match you contact that teacher. Students have individual email accounts that you can set to be accessible through the internet or through the ePals website only. You can also control the settings to view and approve all incoming and outgoing messages. Besides being a way for students to meet and connect with others, the site provides project ideas and discussion boards for teachers.

I really like the security of the system and set up accounts for my two smallest classes. When I initially searched for a class in a Spanish speaking country I got over 25,000 hits! All the profiles are dated, so it is easy to find people who are thinking of doing a project like this now. One thing I do not like is the "Instant Translator" button that is featured in the email program. At any time you can hit "Translate" and choose one of 6 languages for what you've typed to be translated into. Although this can be a useful tool for communication; as a Spanish teacher, I want my students to do the thinking and writing in the foreign language, not a machine. I stress the inaccuracy of instant translators all the time and I am hesitant to let my students use this program. Overall, the security and the ease of use make this Web 2.0 site pretty appealing in an educational setting.