For this thing, I chose Yahoo Answers. I think it is special for several reasons. It is a wide open forum for anything. It can satisfy people's curiosity on just about any subject. And, anonymity can always help. We always state that there is no stupid question. Unfortunately, there are stupid questions. We are all too polite to say so, groaning silently. Forums such as Yahoo Answers or Ask Jeeves and others allow people to ask questions without fear of embarrassment. People can ask the stupid questions privately, and then form a basis for asking more informed questions that increase their knowledge base for any number of subjects.
I can see this tool being useful to my population, whose English speaking and writing skills leave a lot to be desired. Students can use this tool at their own pace, not feeling pressured to peform quickly and well. They can use it in private, not leaving them open to feeling embarrassed. Hispanic children can be timid and not likely to speak up. I can see Yahoo Answers giving them a lot of satisfaction and feeling of accomplishment in pursuing learning on their own, and making their own choices and building confidence in their ability to go out and get some knowledge.
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