This was a very valuable class. I've learned many things about the internet, and how it can be a positive educational tool. If we had more time, I would have liked to take more of a administering role in each Web 2.0 tool. In the classroom, we will not only be posting blogs and wikis, but we will have to set up our students in a fashion that we can proctor and facilitate their progress. Being able to set up the accounts and navigate them enough to establish accountability with my students will take some more exploration (not to mention becoming very good friends with the technology specialists up at district office). Richardson's book, along with this class, is a very good start for us to take these skills to the next level.
My website is located HERE.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Sunday, July 8, 2007
Death, Taxes, and Textbooks?
I have really been impressed with how Web 2.0 tools can be used in the classroom. One Web-site I have really enjoyed perusing is that of Middle J at Bellaire Primary School in Victoria, Australia (http://middlej.pbwiki.com/). Just by looking at other teacher’s ideas, your mind really starts to rev up.
The use of wikis can be a genuine, scripted portrait of how students naturally learn and reflect with the motivation of posting their work on the world wide web. I especially liked how this teacher posted comments on “minibeasts.” (http://middlej.pbwiki.com/Minibeasts). It is a great portrayal of teachers as facilitators.
One of my struggles this year as a teacher was to motivate students to strive to improve their writing conventions. Not only will students want their posted work to be flawless, but teachers could post their wikis with spelling and grammar mistakes, and let the students edit them online.
Teachers could post outline skeletons of what the class is going to learn about. After a few days of wikis , your class will have printer friendly study guides to show their parents before the test.
The problem for me lies in my grade book. If my students are going to be spending so much time with Web 2.0 tools, how can I use them to determine grades. Especially when every student will not have the capabilities, access, or equal opportunity to contribute. I’d much rather integrate blogs and podcasts in the place of posters and worksheets, but I may be knee deep in rubrics before I ever figure out an approach to assessment.
As of now, the ideas we have for technology are stuck in extensions, remediation, adaptations, and “fun assignments” at home (if you have a computer). For most schools, Web 2.0 can only join with whole class instruction when the computer lab is open. Technology seems like the seven foot center we sit on the bench because he doesn’t know the plays.
Are we satisfied with using computers more as an extra curricular activity? Will all students have equal oppurtunity to create so that blogs and wikis can escape the extra credit section of our grade books? Can each student really have a laptop?
The use of wikis can be a genuine, scripted portrait of how students naturally learn and reflect with the motivation of posting their work on the world wide web. I especially liked how this teacher posted comments on “minibeasts.” (http://middlej.pbwiki.com/Minibeasts). It is a great portrayal of teachers as facilitators.
One of my struggles this year as a teacher was to motivate students to strive to improve their writing conventions. Not only will students want their posted work to be flawless, but teachers could post their wikis with spelling and grammar mistakes, and let the students edit them online.
Teachers could post outline skeletons of what the class is going to learn about. After a few days of wikis , your class will have printer friendly study guides to show their parents before the test.
The problem for me lies in my grade book. If my students are going to be spending so much time with Web 2.0 tools, how can I use them to determine grades. Especially when every student will not have the capabilities, access, or equal opportunity to contribute. I’d much rather integrate blogs and podcasts in the place of posters and worksheets, but I may be knee deep in rubrics before I ever figure out an approach to assessment.
As of now, the ideas we have for technology are stuck in extensions, remediation, adaptations, and “fun assignments” at home (if you have a computer). For most schools, Web 2.0 can only join with whole class instruction when the computer lab is open. Technology seems like the seven foot center we sit on the bench because he doesn’t know the plays.
Are we satisfied with using computers more as an extra curricular activity? Will all students have equal oppurtunity to create so that blogs and wikis can escape the extra credit section of our grade books? Can each student really have a laptop?
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