Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Web 2.0 - Hype for Education?
I'm also behind on assignments because of work and life. Sorry, I learned not to sacrifice sleep as soon as I had a baby! I have learned through my experiences that the term Web 2.0 for the most is an educational term. I believe it's a little more common in the business world now but it's still used the most by the educational environment. Within the past year I assisted with the hiring of a position where the applicant needed to have experience with Web 2.0 apps. To my surprise the interviewees never bothered to look the term up before arriving at the interview. However, at least half of them were using a Web 2.0 app but didn't make the connection to Web 2.0. So, it seemed (along with my other experiences) that the term Web 2.0 was only common in education.
More thought on this topic...the business world has been using high-dollar collaborative equipment and apps for some time. As a result, I don't think Web 2.0 was so earth shattering for them as education. But, I think the social networking apps have been an eye-opener because this was a different concept from using applications to collaborate. Business because of their need for security typically use applications that cost money where education looks for free and cheap. Therefore, education was not reaping the benefits of collaborative features until Web 2.0 came about. I know the location where I taught when Web 2.0 happened we had applications the district purchased but the collaborative features were not enabled and teachers never even knew the features were embedded in the software. Web 2.0 apps have opened many doors for teachers that do not depend on a district to enable it (but they can block the sites from school) and train them (since most are so easy to use).
Ok, baby is waking up so I must finish quickly. What does this all mean? Like some I think Web 2.0 was a natural progression of the internet and not this big earth shattering event. It may have been earth shattering for education since we tend to be so sheltered and slow to adapt new technology. I think the concept was also so earth shattering to education because unfortunately most teachers did not teach in a collaborative, open, everyone is an author and contributor, etc. manner. So, it seems like a big deal in education but in the business world business teams especially global teams were already working this way and using technology to make it happen. In the end maybe Web 2.0 was just a way to shove teachers into teaching in a way we should have been teaching in the first place?
More thought on this topic...the business world has been using high-dollar collaborative equipment and apps for some time. As a result, I don't think Web 2.0 was so earth shattering for them as education. But, I think the social networking apps have been an eye-opener because this was a different concept from using applications to collaborate. Business because of their need for security typically use applications that cost money where education looks for free and cheap. Therefore, education was not reaping the benefits of collaborative features until Web 2.0 came about. I know the location where I taught when Web 2.0 happened we had applications the district purchased but the collaborative features were not enabled and teachers never even knew the features were embedded in the software. Web 2.0 apps have opened many doors for teachers that do not depend on a district to enable it (but they can block the sites from school) and train them (since most are so easy to use).
Ok, baby is waking up so I must finish quickly. What does this all mean? Like some I think Web 2.0 was a natural progression of the internet and not this big earth shattering event. It may have been earth shattering for education since we tend to be so sheltered and slow to adapt new technology. I think the concept was also so earth shattering to education because unfortunately most teachers did not teach in a collaborative, open, everyone is an author and contributor, etc. manner. So, it seems like a big deal in education but in the business world business teams especially global teams were already working this way and using technology to make it happen. In the end maybe Web 2.0 was just a way to shove teachers into teaching in a way we should have been teaching in the first place?
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Preaching to the Choir
I totally agree with the concept of a personal Cyberinfrastructure. I have been working with 11th and 12th graders that want to become teachers and I have been telling them they need to take computer programming courses as their elective courses. The one major thing I have discovered over the last 3 years is that teens know how to use the technology but have no understanding behind how the technology works. They use the technology for socializing and that's it (there are exceptions to the rule)! With more and more hi-tech jobs staying in the US and average skill jobs being shipped overseas, it's our job as educators to prepare students for those jobs. Building a cyberinfrastructure is a good idea or at least an analogy to the level of learning experiences educators need to be providing students.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Favorite Blog
This is one of my favorite blogs because the author is a teacher that researches and reports out on web applications for the classroom: Ozge Karaoglu's Blog Her blog is easy to read and informative. Access her site for ideas and your students will never be bored with your class again!
Dual Purpose Blog
This blog is serving a dual purpose right now. I am participating in Edublog's Teacher Challenge along with Jim Groom's Digital Storytelling course (http://ds106.us/about/) so I begin my blog with a story about this blog (a combination of the first assignment for both courses).
It's been a year in the making, this blog (which I already know will not remain). I know and understand the importance of a web presence for people wanting to advance their career in today's technology saturated world. However, like many I just could not decide what to call a blog, how to start it, what URL to use, and the list continues. (And, I know the best way to get started is to "Jump In" and start.) In addition to this confusion, I brought a handsome little boy into the world a year ago, which really threw a monkey wrench into my personal technology interests and exploration. Add some personal chaos like an unfinished dissertation, a recently new move to the desert (I'm a mountain girl), new really fun career, and a new wonderment about life and you have the need for this blog. I am wandering around because my life direction has changed and I haven't had time to re-orient myself. I settled on the name of this blog because my dog passed away on New Year's Eve in the kennel while I was away visiting family. This incident left me wandering without my furry companion (I loved to walk him and think.). So, I present to you ... Wandering Pooch. Now, I know this blog will not remain in existence because it's not meant to be. It's only meant to help me find my new direction in life and career along with determining what I would totally enjoy as content for one or maybe two "professional" blogs.
It's been a year in the making, this blog (which I already know will not remain). I know and understand the importance of a web presence for people wanting to advance their career in today's technology saturated world. However, like many I just could not decide what to call a blog, how to start it, what URL to use, and the list continues. (And, I know the best way to get started is to "Jump In" and start.) In addition to this confusion, I brought a handsome little boy into the world a year ago, which really threw a monkey wrench into my personal technology interests and exploration. Add some personal chaos like an unfinished dissertation, a recently new move to the desert (I'm a mountain girl), new really fun career, and a new wonderment about life and you have the need for this blog. I am wandering around because my life direction has changed and I haven't had time to re-orient myself. I settled on the name of this blog because my dog passed away on New Year's Eve in the kennel while I was away visiting family. This incident left me wandering without my furry companion (I loved to walk him and think.). So, I present to you ... Wandering Pooch. Now, I know this blog will not remain in existence because it's not meant to be. It's only meant to help me find my new direction in life and career along with determining what I would totally enjoy as content for one or maybe two "professional" blogs.
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