Using Web 2.0
This week, we read Chapters 1 & 7 in “Web 2.0 new tool, new schools”. Chapter 1 basically emphasized the oppurtunities Web 2.0 gives to everyone. As teacher’s we need to be able to give students the most recent tools available to prepare them for challenges and to make them competitive. The new tools that are available easily engage and motivate students. We need to use these tools along with creativity, collaboration, and communication to ensure our students are well prepared for the extremely competitive world. As a country we must teach “using a flexible approach rather than teaching what will be tested” (p. 21). For the most part our students know more about technology than we do. They are the technology savvy generation. ”Today’s education system faces irrelevance unless we bridge the gap between how students live and how they learn” (p.19). Web 2.0 also allows for interconnectedness and collaboration like we’ve never had before. We don’t have to do anything alone anymore. One thing I found interesting was how other countries have integrated technology into the main framework of their schools and in the U.S., we might say we are going to do that, but the money seems to keep vanishing from the technology programs. As educators we can have an influence and that is what we’ll have to do in order to make the change of direction in our education systems.
Chapter 7 focused more on the safety issues of using Web 2.0 and its off-springs. As far as districts are concerned they should have filtering and blocking programs installed on ALL computers in the district. They also must implement an Internet safety policy that all administrators, staff members, students, and parents understand and agree to follow. As individual schools and teachers we must open the lines of communication to ensure that students understand what is right and wrong to do on the computer. One thing that constantly has to be reinforced to students is to give credit to everything you use on the web. I think that is one of the hardest things to get across to students. As they get older they tend to get lazier and just don’t “care” about it. The key to Internet safety is for everyone to be vigilant!