Friday, September 4, 2009

WEEK 1 POST #1 - Web 2.0


WEB 2.0

Web 2.0 applications are changing the face of, not only technology as we know, but more notably, education as we know it today. More and more educators are turning to free applications on the internet to add to their classrooms. Much like a new car, once new textbooks leave the factory, their value of what can be offered, declines.

What is abundantly clear is that no matter what our schools are currently doing, most of our students are already actively involved in this content creation and conversation outside of school. (Hargadon, 2008) Kids today are bored, plain and simple. We cannot possibly, at the rate we are going, keep them readily engaged inside four walls. We must change our ways of reaching kids, or we will only continue to fight an already losing battle.

Like the web itself, the early promise of e-learning - that of empowerment - has not been fully realized. (O’Hare 2006) Technology, in every aspect, should not be a reward, but a must. We must use any means necessary (most of which are free), to teach to this generation. To not offer what web 2.0 programs are available for our students, is a crime.

The future is now. With or without us, our children will use technology to engage in a world that can teach them more than we ever could. We don’t have all the tools now, but what we do have, is the capability of accessing these tools and using them productively in the classroom.We are, to paraphrase Clay Shirky, in the midst of the greatest increase of creative capability in the history of the world. A regular student can write, film, and edit a video which then can be uploaded to YouTube and potentially seen by more of an audience than some commercial films actually garner. (Hargadon, 2008) Why not teach our students to get to this level? Now.

References:

Hargadon, Steve. (2008) Moving towards web 2.0 in k-12 education. Retrieved September 10, 2009, from http://www.britannica.com/blogs/2008/10/moving-toward-web-20-in-k-12- education/

O'Hare, Steve. (2006) Elearning 2.0 How web technology is sahping education. Retrieved September 10, 2009, from http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/e-learning_20.php

The Wii Fit Project 9/5

I can't seem to sleep again. When I close my eyes all I do is think of new things for this project and I have to get up and work on my ideas. It just comes to me. I can't explain it. Like it's meant to happen. Driving in the car after school today I saw the colors I want to use for my logo design. Just like the phrase, "Get up, Get out, Get active," it came to me (that phrase appeared three ago and I can tell you exactly where I was when it happened). I knew then that I wanted to help kids become more active, but I didn't know how. Now I know.