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Starting Point
Before today I had never heard of the term Web 2.0! Yes, it's sad but true, I have had my head buried in the sand since having children...it was good to finally find out what a wiki was, and why it is different to a Blog!! I must admit though that I don't see myself setting up and using these tools in the primary classroom, mainly because I am not sure what they would achieve that face-to-face collaborative learning couldn't also achieve, without the massive time/administration overheads. -
Period: to
ICT Unit - 7 Weeks
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The Epistemological Continuum
We discussed the Epistemological Continuum, humans as creators of knowledge. There is an important distinction between truth and knowledge, which students and teachers need to be aware of. Web 2.0 blurs this in many ways, allowing people to create incorrect knowledge and post it on the internet so finding correct knowledge can be more difficult, especially for chn who have no reference point to discriminate from. I am not convinced that it worthwhile using in the classroom at primary level... -
Feeling ancient, but moving forward...
Learning about Personal Learning Networks (PLNs) and that Twitter can be used for more than socialising, and email is for old people! We are introduced to a myriad of apps that I can see will be useful in the classroom (Wallwisher, Voki, Twitter, etc). I remember a comment from our 1st lecture: "It's about changing your mindset to think about new technologies without weighing them down by comparing them to old ones.-they can usually do a whole lot more." We control the technology use... -
We do what we do...
Thinking about the PLN, I realise humans have always networked and always will; we have always invented, and always will, and in many ways, technology is human. It is an integral part of the human condition, and has always been complex in the dilemmas it presents to us in terms of how we use it. Web 2.0 is incredibly powerful in terms of knowledge exchange, and I find myself spending hours exploring unknown territory to see what it can offer my classroom, and vice-versa. -
A way to connect, a need to model responsible use of ICT
I am trawling the internet searching for useful classroom apps, methods of evaluating new technologies, lesson ideas involving NTs, and reading debates and discussions about the realities of these technologies. I read an article on the digital disconnect, and realise NTs are an integral part of students' lives, another important way to connect with them, and to connect them to other people. I realise we need to model responsible onlinetworking, a necessary life skill, in the primary classroom. -
Knowledge Accessability-just joined Twitter & Google Reader!
Web 2.0 provides incredible access to knowledge. Teaching students to deal with the volume and accuracy of the knowledge is a necessity if they are to gain the skills needed to navigate the online world successfully, Teachers need to make them aware of the limitations of NTs, and encourage critical evaluation as well as responsible use of NTs. We need to question how we can best use technology to further the primary needs and purposes of our students' education. -
Enabling the way we move forward
Today's lecture showed ICT can enable students to experience things they would not otherwise be able to, facilitating vicarious learning. This is not as good as first-hand experience, but in situations where this is not possible, it is a wonderful thing, expanding horizons and perspectives. We can choose to use ICT to create environments which make successful learning more likely, to produce tech. and information literate people who can think critically and make wise decisions for the future.
