Readings
Moving Toward Web 2.0 in K-12 Education, Steve Hargadon
In this blog post, the author shares his definition of Web 2.0 and explains the aspects of Web 2.0 that translate into achieving educational goals.
Web 2.0 Tools and K-12 Challenges, Ruth Reynard, THE Journal
This article explains how teachers can use Web 2.0 tools to help students develop some of the essential skills they will need to be successful in the 21st century, such as learning how to collaborate, manage content, and maximize authorship.
Unleashing the Future: Educators Speak Up about using Emerging Technologies in the Classroom, Project Tomorrow Speak Up Reports
Read the first five pages of this report which summarizes how educators are maximizing the use of web-based technologies to help prepare their students for success in the 21st century.
Activities
Activity 1: Watch
Watch the video A Brave New World Wide Web, by David Truss. This video explores the impact that Web 2.0 tools can have on learning and teaching. As you watch, think about how this teacher uses technology to facilitate connections with peers outside of his immediate school, and how that could impact the types of instructional ideas that he brings back to his classroom.
Activity 2: Learn from EdTech Leaders
The following blogs are maintained by people that are dedicated to integrating Web 2.0 tools in education and teacher professional development programs. Explore the content in some of these blogs to learn more about how the web is changing and how these changes can impact teaching and learning in the classroom.
As you read, examine how the content is organized and take the time to read some of the comments that other people make in response to the bloggers' initial posts. Notice how the authors often include hyperlinks in their texts and think about how this form of writing differs from traditional journaling.
CoolCatTeacher Blog, Vicki Davis
The Fischbowl, Karl Fisch
Moving at the Speed of Creativity, Wes Fryer
2 Cents Worth, David Warlick
Teach42.com, Steve Dembo
Weblogg-ed, Will Richardson
Activity 3: Preview S.M.A.R.T Goal Final Project
Throughout this workshop you will use many different Web 2.0 tools that can enhance collaboration and learning in your school. Your final project for this workshop will be to write one S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Results-Oriented, and Time-Bound) goal, which will help you identify which Web 2.0 tools best fit into your curriculum.
Take a moment to preview the S.M.A.R.T Goal Template, which you will use to outline your plan to incorporate at least one of the tools highlighted in this workshop. While you are welcome to work on this project throughout the workshop, you will have time to complete it in Session Six.
Ning
The term “social networking” usually refers to Web-based, online communities of people who share interests and/or activities. With Ning, users can create their own social networks, either private or public, and choose to include a combination of features (e.g. photos, videos, forums, events). Many educators have explored using Ning as a tool to connect with peers and to find people with common interests.
Classroom 2.0 is an active social network built with Ning that invites educators interested in Web 2.0 and collaborative technologies to connect and discuss issues together. If you are interested, sign up to join this network and take some time to explore some of the discussions occurring in the forums.
Discussion
How might integrating Web 2.0 technologies impact the way you teach and the way your students learn in your classroom? Describe some challenges you face when trying to integrate technology and how you have tried to overcome them.
Optional Reading
Components of an effective Web 2.0 Classroom, Vicki Davis
More information about Vicki Davis is available via her presentation Wiki Collaboration Across the Curriculum at the K12 Online Conference.
Link Check
All links in this workshop are checked regularly. However, content on the Web is ever changing, and at times links can go down without our noticing.
Please contact ETLO to report any broken links within this workshop.
Note: We can only update links that are on our workshop pages. If you find a broken link within a workshop resource, please contact the Webmaster of that website, as only that person will be able to fix internal links.