The more I research and explore this Web 2.0 that surrounds me I realize that I use more of it then I originally thought. And some I would like to learn to use and start my journey using them as an educator. I use Pintrest frequently as I pin things of interest to me. Specifically, new healthy recipes, work out routines, clothing, quotes, football and baseball items and gluten free options. Voicethread is still new to me but I plan on using it for my class this semester. Some that I have never heard of but will look into using as I biuld my portfolio as an educator are Edcanvas, LiveBinders and Storybird. 5 Free is a website that can elaborate on these new tools. I think you should check them out!
Through out the articles I browsed and read through I found some very interesting information on what some schools have been doing and trying to move toward in the name of Technology and Web 2.0. The first one that I thought was interesting was from the site TeachersFirst. The article outlines an Elementary School that creates a school wide, home wide Web 2.0 program where students, teachers and families can be an integrative part of the modeling and learning. Each grade learns a new tool and each year they carry over the old tool and learn new ones. As students advance more tools are available and they are not only limited to learning just one. They have students available for helping younger grades or peers and they also use peer-tutors for those who need more assistance. The thing I found most interesting is that they do not require the teachers to learn more than the tool they are teaching the students. I think that teachers should be experts on the tool they are teaching at their grade level, however I feel they should learn more, maybe the tool a grade above and below their grade and maybe one other of interest or a tool close to the one they are teaching to pair things or explore and relate. * If you click on the website about under TeachersFirst you can view the bubble map they outline with each grade and the tools used.*
Educational Responsibility This was an article I found to be most interesting. It describes different types of classrooms and a model they've been implementing across three schools, however it's what they state in the article that I feel is of great importance not only to internet and technology but to social media, cell phones and Web 2.0. They discuss a Flat Class and a Virtual Class. Both models use technology mediums and collaboration on the internet and through Web 2.0. The major difference is a Virtual Classroom has students meeting and interacting much like an online class but have never met. Unlike a flat classroom. They promote the use of learning through Blogs, Networking and Skype. I think this model is interesting. I believe it could be a great model or a bad model depending how well it is implemented and used by the teachers, students and schools. For the generations that are much younger and born in to this world of technology I feel this is a model that will soon be adopted by many more. The facts I found that are interesting are the reviews and comments by the students who are participating in this model and that they are "teaching digital responsibility."
The idea of digital responsibility is something all students and children should be taught in and out of the home. Regardless of the assignment or the use of cell phones information can be taken and transposed in a mere second. They need to know what is write or wrong and how it can be used effectively.
Here are a few comments from the article of the students describing their thoughts:
There are plenty of new skill sets at work and one of them is necessary in every facet of life: Being an effective communicator. These students are speaking, writing, and collaborating with people they have never met. "Everything that I have learned in class," says David Loomis, junior at MBAPCHS, "will help me use technology in a responsible way that can promote my creative ideas." In higher education and the work force, this skill is necessary. Michelle Morgan, a senior at Burlington High School states, "For example, I would create my personal learning network or PLN on ideas for college, tips and such, on swimming and diving, and other miscellaneous subjects that interest me." This type of learning is allowing students to create learning communities in which they have the ability to share common interests. Students must learn not only to be an effective communicator, but an efficient, responsible one. This class is accomplishing both. Principal Patrick Larkin comments, "I am amazed at how little the students actually know about connecting with others for educational purposes. They use social networking solely for socializing. It has been great to see the lightbulb start to go on in regards to them seeing these tools as a resource."
I have learned a great deal of information by just doing some research on the news, views and workings of Web 2.0. I will continue my explorations especially on the new sites I have found and hope they will be of great use, maybe not now but definitely in the future.
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