So I spent the last couple of days in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn working with a pretty diverse group of educators and engaging in some pretty hefty conversations about what we should do about these changes that are occuring. Today, I got some pretty serious pushback regarding the usual suspects…Wikipedia, cell phones. Interesting.
On the long drive home, I started wondering to what extent some of this stuff is really being integrated in districts. So, just for kicks, is there anyone out there who has all of the below integrated somewhere into the curriculum? 4 out of 5? 3?
1. Wikipedia–as in teaching kids about the collaborative construction of knowledge.
2. Cell phones–as in teaching how to use them effectively as tools for “just in time learning.”
3. MySpace–as in teaching the safe and effective use of the Internet to build networks and publish content.
4. Martinlutherking.org–as in teaching the skills necessary for navigating a world where editing occurs post publication.
5. Google–as in teaching the skills to find the information we want.
What other “basics” would you add?
technorati tags:literacy, education, learning, weblogg-ed
I can honestly say that I’m close. I don’t use the exact resources that you mention, but I’ve got most of the descriptors you are looking at. We have several wikis for use in our classroom: a history wiki for collecting knowledge and another to brainstorm project ideas and plan. While we don’t use MySpace, my kids build websites on sites like Piczo if they want to for projects (several are doing this right now). We blog, we use our aggregators, talk about personal learning networks, discuss online safety and etiquette. We look at the evaluation of websites and validating information. Growing, changing, and evolving information sources that move over time. Finally, we look at search engines, Google and others depending on what we are looking for as well as online databases. But I can’t even think about using cell phones…. We have no cell service where I live.
Great list. We are trying to do lots of these things and we do so with: media literacy components in lower, middle and upper school, web searching/navigating, having students contribute to the School Computing Wiki, students posting screencasts on Ourmedia.org for others to learn from, taking cell phone camera shots and uploading them directly to Flickr.com when we are on fieldtrips, and many others.
I think if you aren’t using the tools the kids have, you are just wasting amazing resources that they cherish.
Doing it in pockets, but not all in one class/grade level. I have to say everything that Clarence is doing with his class is the closest thing to a 2.0 classroom I’ve seen. In fact half of the links I used today for teachers who are trying to figure out how to use 20 laptops beyond word processing come from Clarence and his class. The best part is Clarence is in a small town in Canada and I’m guessing probably has fewer resources then most of us…interesting wouldn’t you say?
Number 5. Google.
Will, why not Yahoo, MSN, or other search engine?
I think that firm is trying to dominate the internet and we, as educators and consumers, shouldn´t help them. At least, we must be neutral.
Fair point, Vitor. And one that should also probably be in the curriculum, at least the diversity of search tools part of it…
Will – I can honestly say I am using the wikis, the my space (blogger and bloglines) as well as google. I may even qualify with the cell phone, being my students have recently called me while scouting a football game to ask me questions. However, I am still not sure what you mean by “just in time learning”. I am currently attempting to contact an owner of a medical corp. in China and establish an online (Skype) interview that the students can view and ask questions (economics and globalization). We will see how it goes.
I think it is important to evolve within the classroom and to constantly ask oneself, “What am I missing?” “What do I need to add?” In a dynamic world, the classroom must also be dynamic and not static. Although the content can be somewhat consistent, the delivery mechanisms must evolve.
As for your questions about how we measure up in my classroom.
1. “teaching kids about the collaborative construction of knowledge.”
In my classroom, our award winning Wiki is a cohesive collaboration between all of my classes. It is a useful tool and helps people outside our classroom. We also use Wikipedia and other sources of knowledge as I teach them information literacy skills. This, however, is a progressive thing and cannot be done all at once.
2. Cell phones–as in teaching how to use them effectively as tools for “just in time learning.â€
I’ve been working with the developer of Cellphedia to create a classroom “quiz” type approach. Until then, we use cell phones to take photos for use in projects, listen to MP3’s, and as digital recorders. (You can even call into Odeo to record a podcast, although I haven’t done that yet again this year.
3. MySpace–as in teaching the safe and effective use of the Internet to build networks and publish content.
I use the NetSmartz.org material. We are planning an Internet safety emphasis and with permission, will be unblocking myspace to “clean up” their accounts. At that time, I’m going to have them “teach me” how to myspace and use my account as a sample of how to create a space while protecting one’s identity. (I’ll also use it to remind of tests, etc.) This is in the works. WE use blogging and other collaborative work effectively.
4. “teaching the skills necessary for navigating a world where editing occurs post publication.” With the multiple Web 2.0 tools we use, we often discuss the “grassroots” media and how it is changing things. I feel I am still working on this one as their understanding and mine mature.
5. “Google–as in teaching the skills to find the information we want.”
This is the indispensible tool I use. Although I do not allow mindless surfing as I teach, I want and expect students to use Google as I teach. I teach Socratically and expect them to google and answer my questions. If I see that there is no knowledge on a subject, I always have the class Google it together and I model and discuss the methodologies I use to weed out the chaff from the grain.
These are great questions, however, those who read your blog and take the time to introspect into their own classroom behaviors are going to be the types that incorporate these into their classrooms, or at least are beginning. The struggle is to realize the mountains of classroom behaviors that have evolved little from the one room school house on the frontier.
However, we stand on the cusp of a new frontier, and as the number one edublogger on Technorati( at least every time I have looked,) (that’s you Will), you are a great example and leader in this area.
Many of us look to you for inspiration. I guess, many of us are on the first wagon train to the new Internet frontier with you as our guide. If we keep pressing on into this unknown territory and “settle” it with best practices and “civilization” then others will follow. It is going to happen.
Thank you for driving me and others to look at ourselves.
Will – I think the point is you won’t find many that are integrating all of these tools consistently. We keep promoting the use of technology and web 2.0 and project-based, problem-based learning, but without MANY examples of teachers and schools and school districts “Doing iT.†I think it is very difficult to get many to even try. If I pushed hard in my district they are going to want me to point them to examples where it is happening AND it is making a difference and really is leading to improved student learning (show us the improved test scores). Where are they? There are some, but many? I posted about this awhile back – Working, Breathing, Reproducible, Intriguing Models http://learningismessy.com/blog/?p=51
My experience leads me to believe if done well tech integration and field trips and project-based learning will make a difference, but until they are more pervasive it seems like a hard sell – a hard sell worth making, so we keep pushing and looking for and promoting the examples there are – but a hard sell none the less.
Many of us look to you for inspiration. I guess, many of us are on the first wagon train to the new Internet frontier with you as our guide. If we keep pressing on into this unknown territory and “settle†it with best practices and “civilization†then others will follow. It is going to happen.
Reality check – last week I offered professional development at a school district here in Massachusetts. The elementary school did not have internet access in most classrooms and the Mac computers were running OS 7, 8 and 9!! Trust me – they had never even heard of Web 2.0 and the power and possibilities of the Read/Write Web.
Another question to pose is how many educators have actually even considered integrating the tools and instruction into their classrooms? There is a vast wasteland of web 2.0 ignorance that I encounter often. Blogs like yours and digital story telling like Karl Fisch’s Did you Know need to be seen and read by educators everywhere.
1. Triangular Trade Gallery – as in teaching kids about the collaborative construction of knowledge.
2. Gcast East Side Bloggers 2007 and 2008 – as in teaching how to use them effectively as tools for “just in time learning.â€
3. Youth Voices – as in teaching the safe and effective use of the Internet to build networks and publish content.
4. Teens Playing the Save Sex Game (published with Writely, still editable) – as in teaching the skills necessary for navigating a world where editing occurs post publication.
5. Be a Blogger (an outline that includes using Bloglines, del.icio.us, and Podzinger) – as in teaching the skills to find the information we want.
Extra Credit? How about this too: Entry Points – a google map where students tell about their communities.
1. Triangular Trade Gallery – as in teaching kids about the collaborative construction of knowledge.
2. Gcast East Side Bloggers 2007 and 2008 – as in teaching how to use them effectively as tools for “just in time learning.â€
3. Youth Voices – as in teaching the safe and effective use of the Internet to build networks and publish content.
4. Teens Playing the Save Sex Game (published with Writely, still editable) – as in teaching the skills necessary for navigating a world where editing occurs post publication.
5. Be a Blogger (an outline that includes using Bloglines, del.icio.us, and Podzinger) – as in teaching the skills to find the information we want.
Extra Credit? How about this too: Entry Points – a google map where students tell about their communities.
opps…
Here are the links that go with each of the above items on the list.
1. http://schools.wikia.com/wikia/Triangular_Trade_Gallery
2. http://www.gcast.com/u/paulallison/http_eschs_net_eschs2008
3. http://youthvoices.net/elgg/_weblog/everyone.php
4. http://www.writely.com/View.aspx?docid=ah5xjsc8pvmt_bbdzd4bgzshhf
5. http://www.writely.com/Edit.aspx?tab=publish&docid=ah5m9qjtkbwf_27mcjg27
Extra: http://www.communitywalk.com/map/17934#121%3C0010740.2_H%5B8-73.3B940
One more try… sorry about this… Maybe it’s worth the effort. THANKS!
http://www.writely.com/View.aspx?docid=ah5m9qjtkbwf_27mcjg27
Will, I think it’s worth repeating Vicki’s comment. Those of us who read and comment on your blog are going to be more likely to incorporate the tools of Web 2.0 into our classrooms. How are we going to get other teachers to experiment with these tools? As a previous commenter said, many haven’t even incorporated the tool of Web 1.0 into their class.
I do have to admit that I thought about using cell phones in my class when I read your post and the previous comments. I’m embarrassed to write that last year I got into a little struggle with a parent when I told her, her child couldn’t use a cell phone in my class. I think I’m going to tell my students that they can bring cell phones into class with them. (The last time I taught I used my cell phone to take pictures of them learning. Why not let them take pictures as well.)
Andrew Pass
http://www.Pass-Ed.com/blogger.html
I recently had an article published by Technology & Learning about using cell phones, wich looks at work going on in the UK amongst other things:
http://www.techlearning.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=192700197