The article I read for Journal #10 discussed the Knowledge Web, or K-Web, which is an interactive tools that educators and students may use to explore subjects, and apply their knowledge in a contextual way to other subjects, and to the world in general. The K-Web is easily accessible, and provides opportunities for student collaboration. At the time of this article's publication, it had been tested by some educators in Vancouver and San Jose. The K-Web was also featured in 2003 at the Intercultural Educational Alliance's online summit. At this summit, James Burke was one of the key speakers, as he explained his involvement with the K-Web, and some of the broader cultural implications of the increasing accessibility of technology on a global scale. A portion of James Burke's speech was featured in the article.
Burke's speech emphasizes his belief that technology shapes society, and that technology can and does inspire students in a dramatic way. He mentions the fear that some people (educators and those who are not teaching professionals) have that technology brings about a way of thinking that is completely technology oriented, and this causes people to lose their connection with individual cultures. He says that, to the contrary, technology is a great unifier, and that his K-Web tool helps connect and unify students.
The speech expresses Burke's hope that, as technology becomes more accessible, it will offer cultures alternate means to express themselves and preserve their unique cultural beliefs. He also believes that technology will expose people to many different cultures, and that this exposure can and will cause people to become more accepting of diversity.
Burke's vision is that of a world where people can travel seamlessly from their own local culture to a new culture, gaining a sense of the new culture's traditions, where the culture might be headed, and what the culture means on a global scale. He hopes that technology can help people understand and appreciate one another's cultures.
Questions:
How might I use tools from ED 422 to encourage students to develop increased awareness of their own cultures?
By using tools such as social bookmarking and Inspiration, students could research their family history and present it as a cultural web. This web could incorporate a student's immediate family, or several generations.
How might I use tools from ED 422 to encourage students to develop increased awareness of other cultures?
As a teacher, I could create a classroom wiki (similar to the one Jeff created for our web 2.0 assignment), and allow students to choose from a list of various cultures, picking one to research, then posting their findings on the wiki. I could check the thoroughness and validity of their research by using social bookmarking on delicious, to follow students' research and check their sources. Student would post their findings, then comment on other classmates findings, within the wiki.
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