Activity #2 Post--Thoughts about Web 2.0

Consider the ways in which Web 2.0 tools might change (or have already changed) your professional practice. How might you be able to use these new tools to to engage today's "digital learners?" Why would you want to? How might you be able to use these tools to support your own learning?

·        These videos and articles definitely made me start thinking about the skills I need to teach my students, as opposed to the content.  I certainly have always thought about my teaching in terms of content and skills, but the skills have focused on reading, writing, research, and speaking, all connected to improving thinking.  Now, I am find myself contemplating incorporating more technology or digital literacy or collaboration or Web 2.0 skills. The line in the first video that pointed out that we are preparing kids for jobs that don’t even exist yet really struck me!  I need to think not only about the content I am teaching, and what really matters from that, but also the skills I am teaching because I just don’t know what they will encounter.  I need to prepare them in a broader way—thinking about how to collaborate effectively (in person and online), how to co-author a piece fairly, how to interact online in an ethical way. . .

      I think that incorporating blogs or other online, interactive responses, perhaps using Google Docs, is a great way to engage digital learners.  Students could do formative and summative work via Google Docs and share it with me and others in the class in order to have them comment/give feedback.  I also like the idea of having students create review guides for tests in a collaborative, online way, and share it with me so I can comment and support their learning and review process too.  

      

      I have to remember that the Web can support my own learning; if I have a question I probably can find a place that will help me figure out that technology question online.  It should become part of my "toolbox" rather than more of a place of frustration.