a) What Widgets and Plugins did you choose?
I chose Contact Form and Google Maps.
b) What are their strengths?
I could see Contact Form being used by teachers to intuitively contact their students privately and directly from their blogs. It can help to give a blog a more professional look too. Google maps is a good tool if you would like to embed a map in to your blog.
c) What are their weaknesses?
While I found nothing inherently wrong with how Contact Form functions, I think it lacks depth and customization options. I had the same problem with Google Maps. Besides changing the size of the map there is hardly anything to customize.
d) Can these programs be used in a classroom setting to enhance student learning? Would you use it and/or recommend it?
Even though Contact forms works for what it is, I couldn’t see myself or other students using it. This is because you can accomplish everything Contact forms does by either leaving a comment or giving your email in your blog’s home page. On the other hand I could see the use of Google Maps in some situations. It probably won’t be something you use in a lot of posts, but it helps to spice up a blog post every now and then.