We can’t expect to teach our students how to navigate the new web if we ourselves are not proficient users of what Richardson (2010) calls the “read/write web.” We wouldn’t teach reading if we couldn’t read; we wouldn’t teach calculus if our only math experience was that one course required for college graduation. In my opinion, Richardson (p. x, 2010) states the obvious when he says, “In order for us to prepare our students for what is without question a future filled with networked learning spaces, we must first experience those environments for ourselves.” For educators, in addition to having the skills to provide instruction and support for students, learning to use Web 2.0 tools makes us better teachers. We expand our learning communities and increase personal knowledge when we share ideas with colleague across town or around the globe. We connect with and support others who share the same joys and frustrations of teaching as we do. We exchange teaching strategies with other professionals whom we will probably never meet in person, but still relate to as friends. Even much maligned Twitter is quickly becoming one of the most powerful tools for connecting educators with timely research and professional development opportunities (Richardson, 2010).
Many of my students are already comfortable with posting on a teacher’s blog or collaborating on Google documents – at my school, it’s how they complete assignments. They interact on Facebook, Google+ and online gaming sites. That's just what these Digital Natives do, without thinking. However, I don’t believe they realize the full ramifications of what they are doing. I hope to become as practiced and confident as they are when they venture online. I envy my students – while I am pondering and planning how to test the waters, they just jump in and swim.
I am only beginning to make the leap from consumer of knowledge on the ‘net, to producer of content on Web 2.0. As I begin this journey, I am most interested in learning about using wikis and blogs as a forum for student discussion and collaboration. I want to use these new media with students to strengthen their writing skills and stimulate their understanding as they read about topics in multiple formats. I hope their back-and-forth discussion, safe from the embarrassment that sometimes comes with speaking up in class, will stimulate engagement and further interaction. I think the ability to create and then publish, to work collaboratively and reach a broad audience is the spark that will push my students into taking charge of their own learning. I need to be prepared to give them guidance and support they need with the same tools they already use.
References:
Richardson, W. (2010). Blogs, wikis, podcasts and other powerful web tools for classrooms (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Many of my students are already comfortable with posting on a teacher’s blog or collaborating on Google documents – at my school, it’s how they complete assignments. They interact on Facebook, Google+ and online gaming sites. That's just what these Digital Natives do, without thinking. However, I don’t believe they realize the full ramifications of what they are doing. I hope to become as practiced and confident as they are when they venture online. I envy my students – while I am pondering and planning how to test the waters, they just jump in and swim.
I am only beginning to make the leap from consumer of knowledge on the ‘net, to producer of content on Web 2.0. As I begin this journey, I am most interested in learning about using wikis and blogs as a forum for student discussion and collaboration. I want to use these new media with students to strengthen their writing skills and stimulate their understanding as they read about topics in multiple formats. I hope their back-and-forth discussion, safe from the embarrassment that sometimes comes with speaking up in class, will stimulate engagement and further interaction. I think the ability to create and then publish, to work collaboratively and reach a broad audience is the spark that will push my students into taking charge of their own learning. I need to be prepared to give them guidance and support they need with the same tools they already use.
References:
Richardson, W. (2010). Blogs, wikis, podcasts and other powerful web tools for classrooms (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.