Journal Response #5

Bull, Glen (2006) Collaboration in a web 2.0 environment.Learning and Leading With Technology. 7, 23-24.

In this week's journal article, "Collaboration in a Web 2.0 Enviornment," author Glen Bull discusses various ways that the internet is changing, and what how these changes are impacting teachers and students.

He begins by explainng that, in a Web 1.0 enviornement a user must seek out information on the internet, whereas a Web 2.0 enviorment is designed so that information comes directly to the user. Bull also points out that the web-based programs of a 2.0 enviornment means that it is easy for studnets to work collaboratively, and for teachers to accurately guage student participation online.

Tools like blogs and discussion boards make it easy for studnets to contribute to class discussions and projects, while web-based word processing offers students an easy way to work together to create and edit documents and presentaions. Using RSS, a teacher can know as soon as a student or a group makes a post or change to their project, without having to search for updated information. Similarly, students who use RSS can access new information quickly and easily. RSS also allows teachers and students to have the most current information available when following topics of interest, such as news stories, by sending new information to subscribers immediately.

Question #1:

How can a Web 2.0 classroom environment help students who do not have access to a home computer?

Web-based technology opens up new doors for students, because they can access and work on projects continuously, from any computer. A student who has no computer at home will be able to create and save documents, discussion board postings, and other information on a school computer, and access it from a computer at a friend's house, or the public library, or anywhere else. Web-based technology eliminates data storage devices, and gives students easy access to their personal projects and information, no matter what computer they are using.

Question #2:

How can a Web 2.0 classroom environment help get students involved and interested in learning?

Today's students are used to constant stimuli: they are using their ipods while texting, while changing their facebook status, while watching TV... School must seem slow, by comparison! Modern students are multi-taskers, who will be more apt to search for and use information if they can search for it online. RSS and social bookmarking offer students constantly updated information, which can be easily accessed through a classroom blog or wiki. A teacher whose classroom is technology-friendly is speaking the language of the modern day American student, and will be more likely to connect with students in a relevant way.