Melissa_Reams_Web20

"Classrooms tend to encourage and reward individual knowledge stored in the head, not distributed knowledge. They don't often allow students to network with each other and with various tools and technologies and be rewarded for doing so . . . . classrooms tend to narrowly constrain where students can gain knowledge, rather than utilize widely dispersed knowledge."

As educators and budding administrators, your job is to consider the use of these Web 2.0 tools in the classroom. There are clearly some educational benefits, but there may also be constraints in their use...for instance, some or even many of them may be blocked in your school division. What do you think? Is it possible to open up the classroom to these kinds of collaborative tools? If so, how? H ow might Web 2.0 tools change the constraints on student learning that the author seem to see in place in contemporary classrooms. Also note whether you think this constraint applies to your particular class or specialty.

In order to incorporate Web 2.0 tools in the classroom, there has to be: 1. A tremendous amount of support and buy in for and from the faculty. 2. The county where you work, must deem these tools appropriate for classroom use and not block them 3. The faculty and the students must understand how to use the tools and not use them inappropriately.

Do I think it is possible? Of course, anything is. It requires a complete shift in thinking for the professionals who educate this generation of students. I hate to say this, but not all teachers are "life long learners." More than 50% (not a true stat, just what I think) have probably taught the same subject the same way for as long as they have been teaching. The school systems need to decide if Web 2.0 and meeting the N-Gen needs are part of their mission and vision (which it should be since the N-GEN are our students!!!!)

In the article they mention the speed of the N-Gen vs. the speed of getting everything up and running using Web 2.0 tools in the classroom from K-university. If HCPS were to implement, we have a lot of catching up to do. I consider HCPS a technologically forward county in comparison to some of our surrounding school systems. However, even with the laptops, you have teachers who cannot: plug in an IBEAM, attach a document, create a chart using EXCEL!!! Seems crazy to this Y Gen teacher :) circa 1980, but there are skills I don't have that the N-Gen teachers do. The difference, I am willing to learn and implement in the classroom. Imagine those teachers who cannot do what seems to be the simplest things when it comes to technology, being told to create a wiki, video conference, and use other Web 2.0 tools. They would freak out. Most of the teachers in my school still think the Promethean board is a great big IBEAM!!!

Forgive me for saying this, but we have seen it in the class. The fear of the unknown. Things not completely set out the way we are use to. All it takes is a little organization, training (thanks for the video tutorial) and setting aside time. It isn't anyone's fault, it is just new. I will say, I am not sure I am ready to set up a class in Second Life like they are up there at Harvard, but the reality is all the colleges will be doing that before long. We need knowledgeable leaders who can take their faculty to the next level with technology. In turn, those faculty can meet the needs of their N-Gen students. All people involved have to be willing and able. Take HCPS for example, it would have to be a requirement to A) be employed and B) stay employed. There should be some sort of requirement as each teacher renews their license every 5 years. The same expectation should be held true for administrators.

Two years ago, someone told me there was no way I would get all my first grade students to be able to set up their AR test and take them independently. It took alot of modeling, but every September, I start step by step. By the end of December they are all independently typing in the title of their test, and completing the test. The same can be said about a WIKI or other Web 2.0 tools. Once trained, it is in the teachers hands to train the students. Even at age 6 and 7, they will get it more easily than people would think.