Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

Final Blog Post for EDSE 501

Web 2.0 has made me yoUnique!!

[SCRIPT: OMG, I can’t believe this course is over. I am experiencing excitement and sadness at the same time. Does that make me bi-polar? So I have decided to go out on a limb somewhat and put my mark where my mouth is and present this final blog using a combination of the different technologies we’ve experienced and some we haven’t. The technologies we haven’t used in this course are ones I’ve found through the people and groups I’ve been following over the term and started using myself. Before I get into this posting, I’d like to officially thank everyone in the course who has shared with me, inspired me and made me grow so much. ]

Evidence of research and/or reading and/or linking to appropriate articles from course materials or other sources (4)

[SCRIPT: I have read so much during this course. Some of it on the fly while trying to keep up with Facebook, Twitter, blogs and other the other sources I have flooding my computer screen each day. Throughout all of the readings there is one resounding sentiment that I keep hearing. It’s that teachers and schools need to engaged students in the use of Web 2.0 tools to prepare them for work and life in the 21^st Century. So what I’d like to do is present some of the key learning I have taken away about Web 2.0 that I will take away and use and share with the hope of proselytizing my students and colleagues.]

Here goes…

1. I’ve learned that community is something that can be built with people hundreds and even thousands of miles away that you have never met before. Sadly, I have more to do with folks who don’t even live in the same country as I do than I do with my next door neighbours and some family members.

2. I’ve learned that we can’t live in isolation anymore. Web 2.0 brings people together in an unprecedented way. YALSA in its paper on social networking affirms that, “Social networking technologies create a sense of community as do the physical library and school…” (YALSA, n.d.).

I think that this sense of community and connection is the one thing I never expected at the beginning of this course. This has really caught me off guard in a fantastic way. I actually look forward to checking out what the folks I follow are doing and see what new gems they have for me every day and then I hope that I can reciprocate with a few gems of my own!

3. I’ve learned that the only place on the planet that hasn’t figured out the power of social networking is schools. In the Holt and Cornelius (2009) article entitled “Did Horton Really Hear a Who? Incorporating Web 2.0 Tools”, the authors state that maybe we should start calling social networking, “academic networking” or “academic collaboration” and maybe educators would be more willing to adopt some of these technologies into their classrooms. Mark van’t Hooft supports this when he states, “rather than appreciating the varied and often creative ways in which young people make use of new technologies, adults tend to be wary or even afraid of digital tools and seek to strengthen restrictions on their use in schools and libraries” (Van’t Hooft. 2007).

This is where I think I can make a small difference. By having the privilege of educating pre-service teachers I have the opportunity to model the use of these tools to new educators and then hope these new teachers take the skills I teach them into the 21^st century classroom. I also think I am making a difference by showing and demonstrating some of these Web 2.0 technologies to my colleagues. From these informal and impromptu demonstrations I am hoping they will see the benefits of these social and collaborative technologies in their classrooms. I do know for sure that I have already got one Animoto convert and one XtraNormal convert!! I’ll will keep bringing out my soapbox and I am hoping that more and more of my colleagues will take the steps required to keep up with their students.

4. I’ve learned that social networking and the skills students use in networking actually build the 21^st Century literacy skills needed to the Information age. Digizen.org (2007) presents seven benefits of social networking. As a result of social networking via Web 2.0,

a. Young people become social participants and active citizens

b. Young people develop a voice and building trust

c. Young people become content creators, managers and distributors

d. Young people become collaborators and team players

e. Young people become explorers and learners

f. Young people become independent and build resilience

g. Young people develop key and real world skills

Further, The Partnership for 21st Century Skills (n. d.), a group of business and educational organizations, acknowledges that society has changed, and in order for students to thrive in today’s society, educators must adapt.

Spivy, Young and Cottle (2007) continue to support this notion when they observe,

Pre-service educators are at the forefront of school reform. If students in the 21st century are going to be prepared for the future that awaits them, new teachers must be equipped with skills that will lead to educational transformation. In the next decade, over two million new teachers will be hired (National Center for Education Statistics, 2007). Although these new teachers are Digital Natives, most of them will be taught by Digital Immigrants or individuals that “were not born into a digital world” (Prensky, 2001, p. 1). Their university professors and their cooperating teachers have had to adapt quickly to this ever-changing environment. While assimilating at warp speed this new “language”, pre-service educators must not only learn to speak the language but they must also integrate it into their pedagogical repertoire in such a way that students are inspired to model their actions.

Web 2.0 can help garner the 21^st century type of skills in pre-service teachers, in practicing teachers and in the students both groups of teachers are trying to reach. Using these tools, ‘letting’ students use these tools creates a constructivist, situated and project-based learning environment and this is exactly what the research suggests teachers and schools need to do for the kids of today and tomorrow.

Reflecting on Learning (including what I’ve learned from colleagues’ blogs) (6)

When I look back and think about what I’ve learned from my cohort’s blog postings, a few names come up immediately. Rob was the first blog I followed and his blog was also the one that inspired me at the very beginning to add some flare to my blog in the form of widgets. I played and explored and finally came up with a few of my own. Cluster maps was one widget that captured my attention. It is incredible to see the little red dots appear from all over the globe and then realize that these are people I don’t know and they’re checking out my blog. It’s crazy!! Lois also inspired me a bit with her Shelfari widget. It took me a while to figure out how to get my bookshelf to appear, but I finally did it!

I also didn’t think about or realize (when I was playing with my bookshelf) that there was so much social networking, discussion and sharing around books on the WWW. Then it got me thinking that this is exactly what Web 2.0 is all about. It is a community built up around authors, genres and books. How cool!! Let me say that again, how cool! It is Brad’s Book Club (Oprah, eat your heart out) and all you need is a comfy couch and a tasty beverage and you’re set. A person’s circle of knowledge just grew exponentially. Instead of a few people discussing a book down at Chapters over a Starbucks, we’re doing this globally in front of our fireplaces or on our decks! Did I say “how cool” yet?

Then there’s Brandi!! I can’t even begin to remember all the LOLs I’ve had over the term because of Brandi. It is amazing that she can get her sense of humour across to people who have never met her. I think that’s a skill and says reams about her. There is a whole research dissertation right there. The use of humour in Web 2.0. Reminds me of the article I read called, “Did Horton Really Hear a Tweet? And of course, how could I not mention my absolute personal favorite about “breaking up”! I kind of stole this one and used it at the end of this term with my EDIT students. The last class was over and no one was leaving and they all looked so sad. So I stole Brandi’s line and said they all looked like I was going to “break up” with them. Of course I told them I wouldn’t, at least not until after the final exam! Maybe this is a location joke, but I was there and it was funny!!

I also have to give Ed honorable mention for his “media locker”! At some points during this class I kind of felt like all this Web 2.0 was more like the Hurt Locker!

Then there’s my bud Mel and his damn Web2point0 blog. Damn him, I still want that name! He is probably the person I have communicated the most with over the term. He has had so many great ideas and shared so many things with me. He has so many creative ideas and unique and original thoughts. I think he should be in marketing not teaching! I think his blog about blogs was my favorite as I have had the privilege of seeing Mel’s blog about him and his family teaching overseas. Lastly, Mel’s quote that, “Social Networking refers to the creation of a group (network) of people in order to share common interests and/or to re-kindle/maintain relationships” (Varga, 2010), really rings true with my Shelfari and so many of the other tools we’ve used. Mel you owe me. I am probably the first person to quote you!!

Discussion of the implications for my future thinking, work, networking, PD, etc. (5)

My thinking about this course and the use of these tools has changed drastically. Not only has using the tools opened my eyes to the potential, but the readings, the tweets, the blogs and all of the other resources (I’ve stashed in my Hurt Locker) have forever changed the way I look at teaching and learning.

As far as future thinking goes, and as I have already stated, I have been advocating and pushing the use of these technologies with my colleagues at RDC. I have also been gently advocating Web 2.0 with my wife who is a grade five teacher. I continue to amaze my wife with the things I do with my pre-service teachers and I think this inspires her to stretch a bit in her class. Heck she’s an active Wikispaces user now! I’ve got my oldest reading blogs now and like I said in a previous post, this is a coup! I’ve got my youngest thinking about how she uses Facebook. She continues to show me all the cool things she does on the web. Here picture editing is the latest. And, as an aspiring photographer and teacher I am sure she will continue to hook into the plethora web tools that are out there.

As far as some new directions I’m heading in, I am already in the process of revamping my EDIT 302 class at RDC to incorporate many of these Web 2.0 technologies and to drop some of the expensive Microsoft and stand alone technologies I presently use. In the chart below, you can see some of the Web 2.0 projects I have my students working on this term. They included Glogster, DabbleBoard, Bubbl, Wordle, Mixbook and Webs.com. 

In the Fall 2010 term, I am going to include Animoto as an alternative to PhotoStory, MindMeister, Tagxedo  and Text2MindMap as alternate choices to Inspiration, DabbleBoard and Bubbl. I am also going to introduce Flickr, Prezi, Slideshare, Xtranormal and YouTube. All written (word processed) work will have to be submitted via Google Docs, the class Blog and shared with everyone. Also, the teaching presentations my students do will have to be recorded, edited and posted to YouTube and the blog.

As Department Chair for the B. Ed. Program at RDC, one of our strategic directions our department will be going is with the adoption of Web 2.0 tools in all of our classes to some degree. Everyone in my department really does sees the merit and the importance, so I believe the time is right to move ahead with these technologies. This exploration will be a part of our May and June department PD. I am so committed to this, I have suggested that we don’t go on a department trip this year and we spend our money and bring someone in to teach Web 2.0 to the group. I was thinking about Will Richardson!! He has actually been to RDC and I missed him, but I’ve enjoyed his book, Tweets and his blogs.

Also, as a user and hopefully role model with my EDIT class, I would like to work from now (after exams are over) until the end of June doing little tech bites with my EDIT staff to show and model the technologies my class will use in the near future.

Lastly, I am hoping that in my new role as the Chair of the IT Steering Committee, I will be able to articulate the importance and champion the adoption of technologies at RDC that support and enable the use of Web 2.0.

References

Digizen. (2007). Young people and social networking services. Retrieved from http://www.digizen.org.uk/socialnetworking/.

Holt, K. & Cornelius, F. (2009). Did horton really hear a who? Incorporating Web 2.0 tools. In T. Bastiaens et al. (Eds.), Proceedings of World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education 2009 (pp. 3508-3517). Chesapeake, VA: AACE. Retrieved from http://www.editlib.org/p/32990.

Partnership for 21st Century Skills. (n.d.). 21st century skills in West Virginia. Retrieved from http://www.21stcenturyskills.org

Spivy, M., Young, D. & Cottle, A. (2008). Bridging the digital divide: Successes and challenges in the implementation of 21st century skills. In K. McFerrin et al. (Eds.), Proceedings of Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference 2008 (pp. 1534-1539). Chesapeake, VA: AACE.

Retrieved from http://www.editlib.org.login.ezproxy.library.ualberta.ca/p/27411.

van 't Hooft, M. (2007). Schools, children, and digital technology: Building better relationships for a better tomorrow. Innovate 3 (4). Retrieved from http://www.innovateonline.info/index.php?view=article&id=376 (accessed April 24, 2008).

Varga, M. (2010). Join the collective via social networking. Retrieved from http://myweb2point0world.blogspot.com/2010/03/join-collective-via-social-networking.html.

YALSA. (n.d.). Teens and social networking in schools and public libraries: A toolkit for librarians and library workers. Retrieved from: http://bit.ly/8ZuoUY