Journal 1

Journal 1: “Do Web 2.0 Right” by Daniel Light  (NETS-S 1-4)

Light, Daniel. (2011). Do web 2.0 right. Learning and Leading with Technology, 38(5), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/Libraries/Leading_and_Learning_Docs/February-2011-Do-Web-20-Right.sflb.ashx

Summary:

I found that this was a very interesting article that made me think of the best and safest way to integrate things such as wikis and blogs in the classroom setting.  The article was broken up into three sections: Daily Practice, Audience Matters and Appropriate Behavior.  In Daily use it talked about using individual and classroom blogs.  Classroom blogs seemed to be the more effective of the two.  They allow the students to generate conversation and get excited about upcoming units.  The next section, Audience Matters, was about being sure to create an appropriate community and to make sure to be sensitive to students who don’t want their work published publically.  The last section, Appropriate Behavior, was about controlling access to the online community and using this to promote a strong classroom community where the students know that this is an extension of the classroom and not about a strictly social experience.

Question 1: Do you plan on using this technology in your classroom?

A: I do plan on using this technology when I have a classroom of my own.  I want to teach high school history and think that a class blog that allows students to post their ideas about assigned topics will help to spark their interests in what is going on inside the classroom.  I’m thinking that once a week post of a paragraph or so would be the most appropriate.  This article also helped to show me what I need to be aware of in terms of privacy when asking students to post things online.

Question 2: What are the problems with using technology as an extension to the classroom?

A= The main problems seem to be restricting who can access and post on things such as blogs and also keeping the online usage interesting and stimulating to the students learning.  A teacher needs to make sure that their students privacy online is protected from the outside world.  Also an educator needs to make sure that their students are learning and having fun by using the online additions to the classroom community.