What does Web 2.0 look like in my school? Not much right now other than use of the Promethean boards. There are few, if any, teachers with Blog pages. Several teachers use United Streaming within instruction but computers are used primarily for communication between teachers and with administration as well as the county. Students computer use is primarily drill and practice or for research.
The article a day in the life of web 2.0 sounds not too far off from where some schools are headed. I hope that all schools will move in that direction soon. My children attended a middle school that was rich in technology and encouraged student use, but most of those students came from homes with computers. I don't think that having a computer at home is essential, but it sure does make it easier for children to explore technology. There are not many families at my school that have computers at home so the urgency has not really been there to vamp up Web 2.0 tool use.
I hope that through this class, my perspectives will change regarding ways to incorporate more technology use into the classroom to enrich student learning and to light a spark among students for a desire to learn. I know I will need to use the tools more myself to really get the feel for how I could incorporate it into education. I do see many possible uses for older students but am still struggling as to how to incorporate much of the emerging technology with younger students who have little exposure to computers outside of school.
The article "A Day in the Life" is such an exciting thing to read, to imagine that schools out there are operating as this one is. I love the idea of podcasts in-class for various members of the community, families, etc. to tune into classroom happenings, and then to be able to comment about the podcasts via email, blog. Such a terrific way to "tear down the walls" of the traditional classroom!
ReplyDeleteMy teaching years were mostly in first grade, so I too am in that frame of mind wondering how to implement internet tools more into the early elementary classroom. I am looking forward to learning through your experiences!
A majority of my school sounds the same way. However there are several teachers that are beginning to incorporate Web 2.0 tools in the classroom. They are mostly teachers in a degree program similar to ours.
ReplyDeleteHome access seems to be an issue for many schools. It is easier to use Web 2.0 tools at school but we are also allowing students to access these helpful tools at home if available. Some applications we use can be accessed on the Internet, Phone or iPod Touch.
I would like for my school as a whole to incorporate more Web 2.0 tools in the classroom and to be open to learning and experimenting new teaching methods.
It sounds like a lot of schools, including yours and mine, are on the same page! The technology is available and provided, but it may not be being used to best instruct the students. Web 2.0 Tools in my school are used on a very surface level. Blogs are used to provide information to parents, but that is as far as it gets. It is the communication and making connections piece that seems to be missing. It is great to publish and share the information, but the real learning takes place when we are given the opportunity to interact and communicate with each other about it!
ReplyDeleteI am in a similar area where Internet access is not necessarily a given for my students at home. This can makes things a little tricky because I want to use Web 2.0 tools to bridge the gap between home and school, but that can only go so far.
I teach elementary school students also and I can't wait to learn more ways to implement the tools within my own classroom. Right now, that seems like quite the challenge, but I'm hoping, as I become more familiar with the different Web 2.0 tools and resources, it will become easier for me to implement these tools with my young students.