Web 2.0 Tools in the 21 st Century Classroom EDU 536 B By: Jeanine Boerio

What is Web 2.0?? Webopedia defines Web 2.0 as: Web 2.0 is the term given to describe a second generation of the World Wide Web that is focused on the ability for people to collaborate and share information online. Web 2.0 basically refers to the transition from static HTML web pages to a more dynamic web that is more organized and is based on serving web applications to users. Other improved functionality of Web 2.0 includes open communication with an emphasis on web-based communities of users, and more open sharing of information. Over time Web 2.0 has been used more as a marketing term than a computer-science-based term. Blogs, wikis, and web services are all seen as components of Web 2.0. From Text: Web 2.0 – How To For Educators pg. 1

Why should we use Web 2.0?? In an educational setting - challenges in schools & technology can help with some of them. According to the Horizon Report - There is a growing need for formal instruction in key new skills, including information literacy, visual literacy, and technological literacy - Students are different, but educational practice and the material that supports it are changing only slowly - Learning that incorporates real life experiences is not occurring enough and is undervalued when it does take place - There is a growing recognition that new technologies must be adopted and used as an everyday part of classroom activities, but effecting this change is difficult - A key challenge is the fundamental structure of the K-12 education establishment From Text: Web 2.0 – How To For Educators pg. 3

Why should we…?? Continued The 8 C’s Communication: Web 2.0 offers ways of creating, collaborating and distributing final products (work/assignments) and then interacting with an audience. Students now can post and share their work and get comments from readers globally. The potential of a real audience means that students work harder to perfect what they want to communicate. (blogs, microblogs and podcasts) Collaboration: students can post ideas and get feedback from others with whom they are working. They can brainstorm to narrow or expand concepts. They can discuss their ideas, share research, and collaborate on a project. Tools such as wikis and some productivity applications allow teachers to track changes and watch the progress of individual students in the process. From Text: Web 2.0 – How To For Educators pg. 5

The 8 C’s continued… Connectedness: digital learners understand the connected nature of people and ideas. Young people see that everything is connected; anything worth learning happens interactively, and other people are both their sources of information and their audience in a networked world. Linking new information to what students already know to connect past, present, and future concepts gives them a sense that everything and everybody are connected somehow. Using their familiar tech tools makes it just that much easier to reach students, using how they learn to impact what they learn. Communities of Learners: learning communities are spaces that serve as electronic communities of practice where you find groups of people who have a common topic or theme for learning and who deepen their knowledge and expertise by interacting on an ongoing basis. Using content management systems or server-based applications, districts can combine lessons, tools, and assessment with a single interface. Communities of learners can also exist at a distance with students, tools, and experts online, accessible either asynchronously or in real time. From Text: Web 2.0 – How To For Educators pgs. 6-7

The 8 C’s continued…. Convergence: “a trend where some technologies having distinct functionalities evolve to technologies that overlap.” Contextualization: the mark of true education is when students can understand new knowledge int he context of what they already know and apply it in new situations. The web has the potential to allow students to gain the context and perspective of what they learn. Cloud Computing: the servers that house the data are all online rather than on site. Students can use these online applications, store documents online, and find lessons and other students online. The potential is that districts will be able to provide an immediate picture of student learning. Cost-Free (or Almost Free): in some cases, the tools replace the high cost of licensing software such as applications for word processing, spreadsheets and presentations. In other cases, new tools are available that don’t exist in any other format and so students can learn in new ways with them. From Text: Web 2.0 – How To For Educators pgs. 7-9

Constructivist Pedagogical Style Constructivist teaching is based on the belief that learning occurs as learners are actively involved in a process of meaning and knowledge construction as opposed to passively receiving information. Learners are the makers of meaning and knowledge. From: html

Blogs….. - Blogs are a type of website developed and maintained by an individual using easy-to-use online software or a hosting platform with space for writing. - Blogs feature instant publishing online and invite audiences to read and provide feedback as comments. From Text: Web 2.0 – How To For Educators pg. 17

Blogs are useful…. - Blogs encourage writers and responders to develop thinking, analytical, and communication skills. - Blogs are brief. This makes it easier for students to focus and actually read everything they are viewing. - Students become responsive to one another - And many more!!!! From Text: Web 2.0 – How To For Educators pgs

Microblogs - Twitter - In the world of microblogging, or sending short messages quickly to multiple readers on different devices, Twitter has become the generic term. - It is a cross between blogging and text messaging with a character count limitation. From Text: Web 2.0 – How To For Educators pg. 33

Twitter is useful….. - Twitter has become a popular tool for educators to connect with one another to get advice or information quickly, share points of view, or just stay in touch. - The power is in how it connects individuals and enables educators to assemble a group of people to turn to for instant advice and leads on where to get needed information. From Text: Web 2.0 – How To For Educators pg. 35

Nine Reasons to Twitter  Together we’re better  Global or local: you choose  Self-awareness and reflective practice  Ideas workshop and sounding board  Newsroom and innovation showcase  Professional development and critical friends  Quality-assured searching  Communicate, communicate, communicate  Getting with the times has never been so easy