Reddit is a social networking and forum website where users can post links, images and text posts on various subreddits (forums) related to different topics. Users can create a profile using just an email address to make posts, comment and vote on content. One of the most interesting features is "AMA" (Ask Me Anything) where famous people answer questions from Reddit users. While using the AMA feature with elementary students could enhance learning, it may be difficult to find relevant experts. A more practical classroom use would be having students join, read posts and comment on educational subreddits related to topics they are studying like insects in a science unit. Teachers could assess students' learning by having them report on interesting facts they found

1. Paige Birthisel
Web 2.0 Review
Harold Blanco
CI 250
Reddit.com
The Web 2.0 application I chose to research is Reddit.com. This website is similar to
Facebook in the way that anyone can make a profile, post information, and comment on posts.
However, Reddit does not have a profile page that includes things like personal information,
occupation, profile picture, etc. Instead, Reddit.com’s profile page simply includes the overview,
posts one makes, comments, likes, dislikes, hidden, saved, and viewed images. To use Reddit, all
one has to do is make a profile using an email address, which is possible for any person with
access to a computer to do. Using Reddit is fairly simple in the way that a search bar can be used
to look up any topic anyone can think of. Reddit mixes social networking with forums, meaning
that by searching a topic one can read posts and their comments. Also, anyone can post their own
links or text posts for others to comment on a certain page called a “subreddit.” An example of
this is searching “teaching” in the search bar, many subreddits will come up, but it would be
beneficial to choose the /r/teaching link.
By accessing this subreddit, anyone can read and comment on those posts or even create
their own post under this subreddit. This allows anyone to collaborate with others or even experts
of the field, or the moderators of the subreddit. It is also possible to access other people’s

2. personal profile and read or comment on their posts. Another interesting feature is the AMA (As
Me Anything). This can be used by common members, but in most cases it is used for well-
known people. President Obama has actually utilized this feature and common Americans could
ask the president questions and he would answer them. This would be the most beneficial feature
on Reddit.com to incorporate technology into the elementary classroom; however, it may be
difficult to find people that are accepting questions that go along with a lesson or unit. If students
could ask scientists, educators, politicians, etc. questions in real-time, it would enhance learning
because of the relevance and excitement of the assignment.
A more practical way to use Reddit.com in the elementary classroom would be to have
students join and then read and comment on posts within a certain subreddit. An example would
be if a teacher were to be teaching a unit on insects, the students could utilize the subreddit
/r/askscience and search insects within that subreddit. The students would be able to read
information relevant and interesting to them and comment on it. Teachers could assess students’
by having them turn in their comment and write or explain to the class what interesting facts they
learned from the post they chose.