Doris: Some things students already do well; I know how to do very few of them well. Don't have the opportunity throughout the day to use these things.
Wendy: Found social bookmarking sites really useful for myself recently; realize that students need access from anywhere so they can continue where they left off with research. Instantly applicable.
Doris: Took Google Docs class. Useful if we teach kids how to use it.
Wendy: I do all my work that way.
Shannon: Google Docs has changed my life, but I have no idea how to use spreadsheets.
Therese: 2007 doesn't even look the same
Wendy: Open office on desktop - I use it at home on Linux.
Therese: Part that I'm concerned about is how to set up, monitor, make it private for students.
Wendy: page 56
Therese: We need tech support to use the tools effectively. If we don't have support, how can they be effective?
Doris: Teachers are behind the curve for a variety of reasons: generational, happening so quickly, expensive, time consuming... we can't even share docs outside of our network.
Therese: We lack access to technologies that would make them useful.
Therese: Kids need to be taught skills to use tech -
Doris: Instruction happens as teachers need kids to use the skills; pick it up as they go along.
Therese: If you are going to use the tools, what teaching needs to go on in order to use them effectively?
Doris: What is the curriculum like at places that have all of this stuff?
Therese: How do you deal with the issue of a reliable site?
Shannon: There is explicit instruction in ELA at the HS levels.
Doris: Maybe a good place for a delicious kind of site - send kids directly to reliable sites.
Wendy: Blogs to create accountability and to determine areas of interest, questions, etc.
This is an incomplete record of our conversation....
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Chapter 4 Discussion
I think we should use this area to post our own ideas about how to use web 2.0 in the classroom.
Here are a couple of links that I find inspiring:
http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/documents/21st_century_skills_english_map.pdf
http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/2008Standards/NETS_T_Standards_Final.pdf
Here are a couple of links that I find inspiring:
http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/documents/21st_century_skills_english_map.pdf
http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/2008Standards/NETS_T_Standards_Final.pdf
Chapter 3 Discussion Questions
These are more my observations than questions.
1. On page 52, where the authors describe "tag clouds," I had to respond that I don't like them. I tend to be very linear and like things in a one thing leads to another format. Although I think applications like wordl are very cool, I never thought of them as an organizing feature. Tag clouds are sort of like jumbled up outlines, which sort of freaks me out. I can see how they could be useful to some people, but I'm not sure they are for me.
2. I think RSS feeds have real potential for on-going research projects. I'm thinking about how to use them (53).
3. I'm thinking hard about my experiences as a teacher and I am realizing just how deeply stuck we are in the 19th century style of learning. We need to get rid of the idea that individuals are competing against one another for the top rank and figure out how to build a collaborative culture of learning! We have the tools, we just have to embrace them. Technology is not going away and it provides opportunities that we must embrace rather than shun.
1. On page 52, where the authors describe "tag clouds," I had to respond that I don't like them. I tend to be very linear and like things in a one thing leads to another format. Although I think applications like wordl are very cool, I never thought of them as an organizing feature. Tag clouds are sort of like jumbled up outlines, which sort of freaks me out. I can see how they could be useful to some people, but I'm not sure they are for me.
2. I think RSS feeds have real potential for on-going research projects. I'm thinking about how to use them (53).
3. I'm thinking hard about my experiences as a teacher and I am realizing just how deeply stuck we are in the 19th century style of learning. We need to get rid of the idea that individuals are competing against one another for the top rank and figure out how to build a collaborative culture of learning! We have the tools, we just have to embrace them. Technology is not going away and it provides opportunities that we must embrace rather than shun.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Chapter 2 Discussion
Here are some of my thoughts on Chapter 2.
1. I am really concerned about what will happen to rural kids who cannot have access to high-speed internet connections and to impoverished children who don't have access to computers at home in any form. We know these kids exist. How do we include them with the resources available at school?
2. On page 32, the authors use a list of metaphors to describe what Internet is to students, but they fail to mention that it's a facilitator for academic dishonesty! The authors are painting a rosy picture about how much kids want to learn using IT, but they forget that the flip-side of that is that students can actually avoid learning anything except how to find ways to cheat.
3. I would like to see answers to the block of questions on page 33. Does anyone have any ideas?
4. I have always enjoyed doing research and I enjoy teaching the research process in my English classes. I really like this quotation: "Society needs more synthesizers capable of filtering divergent sources into a coherent, relevant whole" (34). This is what the research project is all about.
5. Still thinking about the revised taxonomy. I would like to know more about this. Is it a semantic change, or is there really more to it?
6. I would love some help identifying real ELA problems. I am going to search for some. More and more I am realizing that English class as we know it is over. It has to be. We need to broaden the curriculum to teach broad communication skills in addition to studying literature.
1. I am really concerned about what will happen to rural kids who cannot have access to high-speed internet connections and to impoverished children who don't have access to computers at home in any form. We know these kids exist. How do we include them with the resources available at school?
2. On page 32, the authors use a list of metaphors to describe what Internet is to students, but they fail to mention that it's a facilitator for academic dishonesty! The authors are painting a rosy picture about how much kids want to learn using IT, but they forget that the flip-side of that is that students can actually avoid learning anything except how to find ways to cheat.
3. I would like to see answers to the block of questions on page 33. Does anyone have any ideas?
4. I have always enjoyed doing research and I enjoy teaching the research process in my English classes. I really like this quotation: "Society needs more synthesizers capable of filtering divergent sources into a coherent, relevant whole" (34). This is what the research project is all about.
5. Still thinking about the revised taxonomy. I would like to know more about this. Is it a semantic change, or is there really more to it?
6. I would love some help identifying real ELA problems. I am going to search for some. More and more I am realizing that English class as we know it is over. It has to be. We need to broaden the curriculum to teach broad communication skills in addition to studying literature.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Chapter 1 Discussion
I have listed some questions and quotations to begin our discussion. Please add your own thoughts, questions, and reactions as you see fit. In addition to adding your own threads, commenting on each others' posts is vital.
Chapter 1
1. What is your understanding of the structure and function of Web 2.0? Has reading this chapter changed or broadened your understanding?
2. On page 16, the authors say that "... the Web is democratic..." What are your thoughts on this statement?
3. Reflect on and respond to this statement: "As businesses and employees adopt new practices, their expectations for the next generation of employees will evolve into an assumption about technology skills and collaboration and communication skills that the new Web tools embody" (17).
4. What do you think about the idea that "Today's education system faces irrelevance unless we bridge the gap between how students live and how they learn" (19).
5. On page 20, the authors propose that "to be literate today involves acquiring new skills, including those of using technology, understanding science, having global awareness, and, most important, having the ability to keep learning..." How does this statement challenge our traditional understaning of literacy? Do you agree with this new definition?
6. The authors suggest on page 22 that "students' use of technology is stronger" than teachers' and that we have to "work from our own strength, which is pedagogy." Do your experiences support or refute this statement?
Chapter 1
1. What is your understanding of the structure and function of Web 2.0? Has reading this chapter changed or broadened your understanding?
2. On page 16, the authors say that "... the Web is democratic..." What are your thoughts on this statement?
3. Reflect on and respond to this statement: "As businesses and employees adopt new practices, their expectations for the next generation of employees will evolve into an assumption about technology skills and collaboration and communication skills that the new Web tools embody" (17).
4. What do you think about the idea that "Today's education system faces irrelevance unless we bridge the gap between how students live and how they learn" (19).
5. On page 20, the authors propose that "to be literate today involves acquiring new skills, including those of using technology, understanding science, having global awareness, and, most important, having the ability to keep learning..." How does this statement challenge our traditional understaning of literacy? Do you agree with this new definition?
6. The authors suggest on page 22 that "students' use of technology is stronger" than teachers' and that we have to "work from our own strength, which is pedagogy." Do your experiences support or refute this statement?
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Welcome to the discussion
This is an on-line discussion group for LGTC book chat course 128 Web 2.0: New Tools, New Schools. As a participant in this group, you will read assigned sections of the book; react, make observations, and ask questions through posts; and comment on others' posts.
Discussion sections are as follows. Questions for each section will be posted closer to the meeting dates:
March 10 - Chapters 1 & 2
March 31 - Chapters 3 & 4
April 9 - Chapter 7 (skim), Chapters 8 & 9
Discussion sections are as follows. Questions for each section will be posted closer to the meeting dates:
March 10 - Chapters 1 & 2
March 31 - Chapters 3 & 4
April 9 - Chapter 7 (skim), Chapters 8 & 9
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