Week 1: Reflection - A Framework for Web 2.0 Learning Design
Please take some time to provide your reflections regarding this journal article. Additionally, please include connections regarding your own classroom practice.
This article was most useful to me for listing and explaining numerous different kinds of Web 2.0 technologies. Some of these I have used and others I would definitely want to try to experiment with and incorporate into my lessons.
I have never used any social bookmarking sites, but it is a technology that I am interested in and that I think would be very useful for me. I wish I had used a site like Diigo when I was switching jobs because I had so many websites bookmarked on my school computer and I had to waste a lot of time trying to make sure I would have all those sites when moving to my new job. A resource like Diigo could have eliminated this stress for me.
I have used wikis, blogs, and Google Docs in my classroom. First, I managed a wikispace where we published an ABC book that my students made about Philadelphia. My older students also created and managed a wiki to teach tolerance and peace. Another group of students started a blog to post a speech they wrote about tolerance and elicit discussions about the topic. My fifth graders used Google Docs as a way to collaborate while working together to write a script for a play that they were creating about bullying. One group of 8th graders worked together using Garageband to create background music for a song that they wrote about spreading tolerance. All of these tools really enhanced the learning experiences of my students and added to the excitement of the projects because they knew that their work was going to be shared on the Internet.
After reading the article “A Framework for Web 2.0 learning design” I would say that it’s fair for teachers both young and old to feel overwhelmed by the amount of Web 2.0 options. The article did a wonderful job of explaining the different options and their purposes. I enjoy using many of the tools included in the article in my personal life. I use Wikis, Google docs, Twitter, Facebook, Powerpoint, Photoshop, Audacity, Garageband, Youtube, and iMovie. I find it a bit more challenging to include the different tools within my daily classroom lessons. I use Wikis, Powerpoint, and Youtube very often within my classroom. As one of the younger teachers in my building I find myself explaining technology tools and ways to use them to my colleagues. I feel that it is important to strive to keep up with all of the latest and greatest Web 2.0 tools. Technology changes and advances so often that people can become discouraged about learning how to operate and incorporate it. However, I agreed with the statement regarding the learning design having central features to remain focused on instead of focusing on the technology. Understanding what objectives and concepts need to be taught will assist with determining what means of technology to utilize. “In effect, this enables learning designs to be driven by the cognitive and collaborative requirements of learning episodes rather than the ever-changing nature of technology” (Bower, Hedberg, & Kuswara, 2010). I will continue to incorporate technology and all of the options within my lessons. I believe that students need to see and use the technology tools that are available and currently being used. Future tools may be different, but the use of the current tools may spark ideas within my students for future tools.
@Heather, I have not used social bookmarking sites before either and I agree that they would have been very helpful had I known about them. I believe that any and all technology tools can enhance classroom learning. Tools are wonderful if they are used properly and engage students during the lesson. I also enjoyed how all of the Web 2.0 tools were listed and explained. It helped clarify and organize everything.
@Chera One very important point that you mentioned in your post is that it can be a very overwhelming feeling to understand that technology is changing constantly. I can especially see how this would be discouraging for teachers that naturally feel uncomfortable with technology. That is why it is important for these teachers especially to know that it is not as important to know every single Web 2.0 technology, but instead to understand the central features of these different technologies.
I also find myself explaining and sharing ways to use technology to other teachers, but it has been a rewarding feeling to then see some of these teachers implement those technologies successfully in their classrooms. I just wish that more teachers were willing to seek out help from teachers like you and I. There is always a focus on new teachers observing and learning from experienced teachers, but experienced teachers should also be encouraged to observe and learn from new teachers.
@ Heather I'd love to see the ABC book your students created. Have you ever used Voicethread? I think that would be a great repository for such a product.
@ Chera I'll start with your last point in your initial post, and that is the idea that students need to see and use current tools. That is a mindset which is needed more and more as the choices in the web2.0 world continually expand.
A major point of concern for educators is the feeling of being completely over-whelmed. I've heard the argument, "Once I learn one thing, a new thing comes around and I haven't even mastered the first tool."
My question is: how important is the mastery of the tool?
Onto another point in your post:
You note that you use PowerPoint often. To what extent? For what purpose(s)? We'll explore the use and purpose of presentation tools tomorrow, and we'll have chances to explore some of the web-based presentation tools, but much like this journal article, the pedagogical purpose behind the use of PowerPoint is often diametrically opposed to its true purpose.
This article was beneficial for me because it gave me a better sense of what exactly was meant by Web 2.0 and the many tools and features that fall under it. Despite the many benefits of Web 2.0 tools it is essential that teachers understand how to properly use the tools to achieve a desired learning objective and reach their audience in an effective way.
The only tools listed in the article that I have ever used for educational purposes are youtube and powerpoint. I have seen several teachers use youtube in the classroom to enhance a lecture or to watch a video clip on an important topic or person in class.
As for the tables displayed in the article I can honestly never imagine using them. I understand the need to have a plan for your classroom and a learning design in place, but the tables to me seemed somewhat overkill.
I'm glad you said that the amount of information in the article can overwhelm some educators because that is how I felt. As someone who has never really taught a class that seemed a lot to digest. Basically what I took from the article is that there are many great tools in Web 2.0 and that it is very important to give your students esposure to them in class. Also, I understand that as a teacher you need to know how to effectively use these tools to reach a specific learning objective. -Mark
You said in your original post that the learning experience was enhanced and the students were very excited about their project because they knew it would be on the internet. I think one of the most important benefits of these Web 2.0 tools is that they can add excitement into the classroom and gain kids interest. There are many distractions for students today, so anything that can help them focus on school is an amzing tool. -Mark
@Ken I used another technology similar to Voicethread when my students recorded commercials to try and sell inventions that they created. Unfortunately, I just cannot remember what the website was called right now though. Also, below is the link to our ABC book wiki. Through the wiki there are two versions of the book available.
@Mark I can understand what you are saying about the tables in the article. They seemed to make things more confusing for me rather than being helpful. That is also probably just because I am not really a visual learner.
@Heather I think you are absolutely right about not having to know how to use every single Web 2.0 technology available. Maybe trying out a few each year and finding what works for you, your students and the curriculum is more important than trying to master them al. I think it is truly unrealistic to think you can do it all in one school year when you are just starting out. Susan
@Chera I can understand the feeling of being overwhelmed by all of the tools out there for use in the classroom. What I find is that most teachers in my school (I hope in any school) are willing to work with each other. I know that I can always find someone in our building who has successfully used some Web 2.0 tool and is willing to sit down with me so I can at least get started. We also have a new instructional technology staff member whose job it is to work with the teachers to integrate these tools into our instruction. Susan
@Mark I felt like it was a lot of information to digest in one article as well and I have been teaching for 11 years and at different grade levels. It has to be hard to read all of this information and try to relate it to a class that you will teach in the future. Susan
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis article was most useful to me for listing and explaining numerous different kinds of Web 2.0 technologies. Some of these I have used and others I would definitely want to try to experiment with and incorporate into my lessons.
ReplyDeleteI have never used any social bookmarking sites, but it is a technology that I am interested in and that I think would be very useful for me. I wish I had used a site like Diigo when I was switching jobs because I had so many websites bookmarked on my school computer and I had to waste a lot of time trying to make sure I would have all those sites when moving to my new job. A resource like Diigo could have eliminated this stress for me.
I have used wikis, blogs, and Google Docs in my classroom. First, I managed a wikispace where we published an ABC book that my students made about Philadelphia. My older students also created and managed a wiki to teach tolerance and peace. Another group of students started a blog to post a speech they wrote about tolerance and elicit discussions about the topic. My fifth graders used Google Docs as a way to collaborate while working together to write a script for a play that they were creating about bullying. One group of 8th graders worked together using Garageband to create background music for a song that they wrote about spreading tolerance. All of these tools really enhanced the learning experiences of my students and added to the excitement of the projects because they knew that their work was going to be shared on the Internet.
~Heather
After reading the article “A Framework for Web 2.0 learning design” I would say that it’s fair for teachers both young and old to feel overwhelmed by the amount of Web 2.0 options. The article did a wonderful job of explaining the different options and their purposes. I enjoy using many of the tools included in the article in my personal life. I use Wikis, Google docs, Twitter, Facebook, Powerpoint, Photoshop, Audacity, Garageband, Youtube, and iMovie.
ReplyDeleteI find it a bit more challenging to include the different tools within my daily classroom lessons. I use Wikis, Powerpoint, and Youtube very often within my classroom. As one of the younger teachers in my building I find myself explaining technology tools and ways to use them to my colleagues. I feel that it is important to strive to keep up with all of the latest and greatest Web 2.0 tools. Technology changes and advances so often that people can become discouraged about learning how to operate and incorporate it. However, I agreed with the statement regarding the learning design having central features to remain focused on instead of focusing on the technology. Understanding what objectives and concepts need to be taught will assist with determining what means of technology to utilize. “In effect, this enables learning designs to be driven by the cognitive and collaborative requirements of learning episodes rather than the ever-changing nature of technology” (Bower, Hedberg, & Kuswara, 2010). I will continue to incorporate technology and all of the options within my lessons. I believe that students need to see and use the technology tools that are available and currently being used. Future tools may be different, but the use of the current tools may spark ideas within my students for future tools.
-Chera
@Heather, I have not used social bookmarking sites before either and I agree that they would have been very helpful had I known about them. I believe that any and all technology tools can enhance classroom learning. Tools are wonderful if they are used properly and engage students during the lesson. I also enjoyed how all of the Web 2.0 tools were listed and explained. It helped clarify and organize everything.
ReplyDelete-Chera
@Chera
ReplyDeleteOne very important point that you mentioned in your post is that it can be a very overwhelming feeling to understand that technology is changing constantly. I can especially see how this would be discouraging for teachers that naturally feel uncomfortable with technology. That is why it is important for these teachers especially to know that it is not as important to know every single Web 2.0 technology, but instead to understand the central features of these different technologies.
I also find myself explaining and sharing ways to use technology to other teachers, but it has been a rewarding feeling to then see some of these teachers implement those technologies successfully in their classrooms. I just wish that more teachers were willing to seek out help from teachers like you and I. There is always a focus on new teachers observing and learning from experienced teachers, but experienced teachers should also be encouraged to observe and learn from new teachers.
@ Heather I'd love to see the ABC book your students created. Have you ever used Voicethread? I think that would be a great repository for such a product.
ReplyDelete@ Chera I'll start with your last point in your initial post, and that is the idea that students need to see and use current tools. That is a mindset which is needed more and more as the choices in the web2.0 world continually expand.
ReplyDeleteA major point of concern for educators is the feeling of being completely over-whelmed. I've heard the argument, "Once I learn one thing, a new thing comes around and I haven't even mastered the first tool."
My question is: how important is the mastery of the tool?
Onto another point in your post:
You note that you use PowerPoint often. To what extent? For what purpose(s)? We'll explore the use and purpose of presentation tools tomorrow, and we'll have chances to explore some of the web-based presentation tools, but much like this journal article, the pedagogical purpose behind the use of PowerPoint is often diametrically opposed to its true purpose.
This article was beneficial for me because it gave me a better sense of what exactly was meant by Web 2.0 and the many tools and features that fall under it. Despite the many benefits of Web 2.0 tools it is essential that teachers understand how to properly use the tools to achieve a desired learning objective and reach their audience in an effective way.
ReplyDeleteThe only tools listed in the article that I have ever used for educational purposes are youtube and powerpoint. I have seen several teachers use youtube in the classroom to enhance a lecture or to watch a video clip on an important topic or person in class.
As for the tables displayed in the article I can honestly never imagine using them. I understand the need to have a plan for your classroom and a learning design in place, but the tables to me seemed somewhat overkill.
@ Chera
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you said that the amount of information in the article can overwhelm some educators because that is how I felt. As someone who has never really taught a class that seemed a lot to digest. Basically what I took from the article is that there are many great tools in Web 2.0 and that it is very important to give your students esposure to them in class. Also, I understand that as a teacher you need to know how to effectively use these tools to reach a specific learning objective.
-Mark
@ Heather
ReplyDeleteYou said in your original post that the learning experience was enhanced and the students were very excited about their project because they knew it would be on the internet. I think one of the most important benefits of these Web 2.0 tools is that they can add excitement into the classroom and gain kids interest. There are many distractions for students today, so anything that can help them focus on school is an amzing tool.
-Mark
@Ken
ReplyDeleteI used another technology similar to Voicethread when my students recorded commercials to try and sell inventions that they created. Unfortunately, I just cannot remember what the website was called right now though. Also, below is the link to our ABC book wiki. Through the wiki there are two versions of the book available.
http://worldabcbooks.wikispaces.com/
@Mark
ReplyDeleteI can understand what you are saying about the tables in the article. They seemed to make things more confusing for me rather than being helpful. That is also probably just because I am not really a visual learner.
~Heather
@ Heather yes, I found the wiki in the lesson document you posted on our class wiki and I included a link to it in tomorrow's agenda.
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome project!
@Heather
ReplyDeleteI think you are absolutely right about not having to know how to use every single Web 2.0 technology available. Maybe trying out a few each year and finding what works for you, your students and the curriculum is more important than trying to master them al. I think it is truly unrealistic to think you can do it all in one school year when you are just starting out.
Susan
@Chera
ReplyDeleteI can understand the feeling of being overwhelmed by all of the tools out there for use in the classroom. What I find is that most teachers in my school (I hope in any school) are willing to work with each other. I know that I can always find someone in our building who has successfully used some Web 2.0 tool and is willing to sit down with me so I can at least get started. We also have a new instructional technology staff member whose job it is to work with the teachers to integrate these tools into our instruction.
Susan
@Mark
ReplyDeleteI felt like it was a lot of information to digest in one article as well and I have been teaching for 11 years and at different grade levels. It has to be hard to read all of this information and try to relate it to a class that you will teach in the future.
Susan