The Strength of Weak Ties

Everyone participates. Everyone contributes. Leveraging the power of digital networks to connect people, resources and ideas to drive creativity and innovation forward...and actually accomplish something!

Thursday, May 31, 2007

Square Peg, Round Hole

Over at the Techlearning.com blog today I've posted a Web 2.0 post entitled Square Peg, Round Hole about the inability of Web 2.0 to gain traction in K-12 education.

I'm asking this question, and I've asked for 25 comments.



What has been the impact of Web 2.0 tools on your school, your teaching or on your kids, at this point in time?

I've gotten only 1 response, so there's my answer.

posted by David @ 1:38 PM  

5 Comments:

  • At 8:03 PM , Blogger Jane Nicholls said...

    Hi ya David
    Web 2 tools have transformed language in my classroom as it has given us a way to more easily look outside ourselves, our classroom, our school, our country. These are conversations that were not possible before the authentic learning that can take place with online collaboration.

    I think the reason why Web 2 tools are not taken up very quickly in our schools is that we have only just managed to get most teachers happy to use Word or Powerpoint. We are now lamenting the lack of use of the internet in the same way that a few years back we were lamenting the lack of use of technology in total. There are always going to be those people out in front who move onto the next great thing as it arises and wonder where everyone else is :)

     

  • At 9:23 PM , Blogger Ed Schwartz said...

    I typed in a nice response to your Tech Learning blog and got an error. It said my comment was too big in a short amount of time. I'll try again when I have more time.

     

  • At 11:39 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

    Hi David,

    I am an elementary ed tech specialist and although we have only begun our transformation to school 2.0, I have seen beautiful things happen. Blogging and podcasting has motivated classrooms of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders to write. One teacher emailed me, "I have never seen a better incentive for students. The allure of sharing your work with family, friends, and the world can invite the most timid, reluctant writer into the fold." Enough said.

    Our Elementary Del.icio.us account has been embraced by the teachers. They are sharing links with each other and students are using them from home. Our collective efforts are expanding our experience.

    Our first wiki, created by third grade students, not only provided an authentic audience but also reinforced the skills needed to communicate with the written word. Students read critically and became each other's editor, correcting spelling, grammar, and adding details. It was an empowering experience.

    And I suppose that has been one of the biggest benefits: empowerment. I can't wait to see where this goes next year!

     

  • At 5:36 PM , Blogger LifeLongLearner said...

    The impact of Web 2.0 tools is that it has enhanced their adaptablility to our new century

     

  • At 6:25 AM , Blogger Clix said...

    Hullo, David! Just found your blog and thought I'd share. I don't use web 2.0 in class, as the only computer with internet access is the teacher-computer that also holds my grades, and I have not (yet) been given permission to set up another user account. We get to use the computer lab roughly one week out of the semester - term paper typing and online state test review.

    However, through a handful of blogs and livejournal communities, I've been able to compare ideas with other teachers and try things I wouldn't've thought of on my own.

    This summer, some of us will be collaborating to learn about Understanding by Design. Dana Huff has started a wiki at http://ubdeducators.wikispaces.com/ that hopefully will continue to grow.

     

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