Web 2.0 in my Classroom Part 1

As I am getting prepared for the first day of school with my students, Web 2.0 is constantly on my mind. I have thought a lot about going paperless in my classroom and utilizing Web 2.0, via google Docs, Blogs, wiki's, twitter, skype, podcasting, vcasts and more. A few questions have entered my mind in how I am going to truly utilize all these tools and get over certain barriers that I have seen we all encounter. For example, youtube is blocked in my district, but teacher tube is not. I decided if I need to show a video off youtube, I will grab the video using a fire fox add-on, using video download. Then I will take that video I want to present to my kids and post it on my class wiki if they want to watch it at home. I figured I will post all my videos via teachertube.

As for video in general there are some many cool appropriate videos out there about all kinds of things. I am hoping to enhance my teaching with these videos that will hopefully grab students' attention, and truly help them wrap their heads around all the information that they have to learn in a school year.

I would love for my students to create virtual portfolios, but there are some things that I think students need pencil and paper for. This year I am giving my students technology vocabulary. If I have them look up the words online, they will simply copy and paste the answers and never truly internalize the words. For this I think it is important for them to use pencil and paper. Hence, why I am going to have them bring a notebook and pencil to every class. I know that this defeats the purpose of truly utilizing the technology, but as a learner I needed to write things down to learn them. So my students will have online portfolios, but they will have a written journal that I will grade as well.

As for virtual portfolios, I help all my students that are 13 or older get Gmail accounts. I want to teach them how to use Google docs and other resource to create their portfolios. They can save their other items via the school network and server. My goal it to create a CD or DVD they can take with them to high school to showcase their work. In Philadelphia students apply to get into the better high schools and I want them to have those resource to help them get into those better schools. So the key is to have the students start their portfolios in 6th grade so they have them when they enter 8th grade and are applying for high schools.

Skype: I am excited about using Skype in the classroom, I am hoping schools that have Morpheus will skype with some of my classes so they can see him and interact with other students from all over the state. I would also like to setup meetings with other interesting people that my students can meet and ask questions too.

Questions I have for you...
Are there any good free sites that let students create portfolios online?