31 May 2008
Regis EDTC 613: Teaching and Learning Using the Internet Topic 1
The term Web 2.0 came out of the collapse of the dot com era. Web 2.O is the next generation of the internet. It is what the internet has become. The whole idea of me providing my responses to the class questions on this blog is very Web 2.0. Web 2.0 ushered in resources like the wiki, Google, Napster, Ebay and various personal networking sites.
Web 2.0 impacts my teaching in several ways. One such way is in how we go about doing research with the kids. In the classroom we often use Google to do a search on a topic. Wikepedia is also a well known and used research tool that we use. One huge change is that I no longer use any kind of DVD or VHS to show the kids educational movies. We use United Streaming and then a projector to show movies on the white board. The TV in my classroom had become obsolete.
Another way that Web 2.0 has changed my instruction is through the use of a blog. Towards the end of the year I introduced the kids to a blog. I created a highly protected blog for the kids to use. I would pose questions like journal questions, writing prompts, and reading comprehension questions on the blog. The kids loved it. We would look at the responses on Fridays to critique them. The initial blogs they wrote were weak. With some modeling and critiques the kids were posting quality blog responses.
I love to play music for the kids. I simply log onto my XM radio account at school. Then, I have a plethora of choices of commercial free music to play for the kids. For instance during writing I like to play jazz. The great thing about XM is that I do not have to purchase any CD's. I have a choice of five different styles of Jazz music to play during writing. With a click of my mouse I can switch to classical music for math. How cool is that?
Web 2.0 for me has opened many more doors than Web 1.0. In the future I would like to incorporate a pod cast into my lesson plans. I would also like to do something with video that I can then upload onto my blog.
I am a fourth grade teacher in Littleton, CO. I am currently working on a Master's Degree in Instructional Technology at Regis University. As part of my studies, I thought it would be helpful for me to dive right in and try and create my own Blog. This summer I will be attending the Technology in Education conference. At school I am also a co-sponsor of student council. I have two kids, two dos and one husband.