Introduction:
Web 2.0 is a broad term that describes a world wide web that is more connected and interactive than the first web generation. The first web generation (Web 1.0) had static pages of text and images that communicated information in on direction: from designer/publisher to customer/information consumer. The difference now, is that you do not have to be a person with any money to publish. There are many free sites and new applications such as wikis, blogs, websites, social networking sites, podcasts, and video creation sites that gives a larger voice to the common public. Web 2.0 innovations have also opened the minds of educators to new ways of thinking about teaching and learning.
Consider the following questions that focus on connecting instructional strategies to Web 2.0 technology:
1. What instructional strategies would fit well with using blogs in the classroom? Why?
- Collaboration - students and teachers could post comments to one another's posts
- Inquiry - students could blog about their understanding of questions they've posed, or even comment on what others have discovered
- Idea based - the teacher could state the big idea/metaphor, and students could blog about how this idea could be applied to another area of their life, or blog about what questions this understanding leads them to
2. What instructional strategies would not fit well with using blogs in the classroom? Why?
- Didactic - however, this strategy could be modified to incorporate blogging. For example, the teacher could teach the information, and the students could come up with examples and post them on their blog. This would broaden student's perspective on how this rule/information can be applied
3. How could you see Blogs being used in your classroom with your subject matter?
- I could see myself using blogs to enhance science discussions in middle school science. I have found it difficult to stimulate rich discussion on a topic where students respond to one another's ideas. I believe there may be several reasons why this seems to be so difficult. One reason could be lack of think time during a live discussion. Another reason could be the level of risk involved with sharing your ideas aloud with others. I think if students were to respond to each other's blogs a more interactive discussion could take place because these barriers would be minimized.
I agree that students would be more comfortable participating in a discussion if it were in blog form than in a classroom. I find myself more verbal in my online classes than I ever was in a classroom in college. There is something about not having to look at peers when you are responding to a discussion on a blog or discussion board for class that makes it easier. I also think students would feel more comfortable asking questions via a blog than asking during class or before/after school.
ReplyDeleteI am very interesting in seeing how a teacher currently uses a blog in their class room. I am finding that we all think it takes the whole fear of class participation out of the element, which is great, I totally am in agreement with that, but I want to see how a blog gets used outside of that. If you know of anyone, please let me know and how I can view a particular blog.
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