Safety Concerns, Logistics & Policies

Now that you've had some time to explore and learn more about blogs, what safety issues might arise as a result of using this tool with students? How do you prepare for any issues? What things might you do to protect students' identities online? What if they need an email address to sign up or comment on a blog? What roles will parents play? What about responding to each student's posts? How will you handle evaluating students' work online? (Grade every post, right?) Copyright? Share your thoughts...

So what do you think?

Now that you've had a chance to explore blogs. I want to know your thoughts...How are other educators using blogs with students? How are educators using blogs professionally? How can you change what you do to impact how students connect to your curriculum using this tool? Fire away...

3 Epiphanies from David Jakes' WI Presentation

Epiphany: A sudden manifestation of the essence or meaning of something. (www.dictionary.com) That is what happened to me this week. As a result of this experience, I've had an epiphany with regard to web 2.0 tools. I thought had somewhat of an understanding of web 2.0 tools, but I no idea how David's insights, resources and knowledge would impact my district, how we approach pedagogy and professional development. These tools and the vast resources connected to them will revolutionize our district.The impact it will have once we employ it will be phenomenal, with some encouragement and guidance. I've learned that web 2.0 tools will expand our network of resources exponentially. I learned the potential these tools could have to expand our students' network of resources and the new exciting tools that allow them to further be content producers rather than consumers. I thought I knew, but I had NO idea. I learned that I can steal resources from experts in the field, with their permission and even sometimes with immediate online guidance; it makes me twitter and it is delicious. (Twitter, Delicious)I learned that I can "feed" my hunger for professional resources and information with something "really simple". (RSS feeds) I learned how make a page flake so I have whatever tools I want in one spot.(Pageflakes) I am so thrilled, invigorated and ready to share with everyone in our district how they can employ these tools to revitalize their instruction, their students and their careers. Thank you!

Blogs as an Instructional Tool

Wow! I am so excited! Each new element of blogging that is introduced poses another possibility. With my role in the district, I have the opportunity to look at the curricula and district initiatives as a whole. Blogs have the potential for a significant impact in our district for both students and staff. We recently implemented a district-wide professional learning community. A district blog that incorporates tools, ideas, insights, challenges and other pertinent information could greatly impact the dynamic of our PLC and the activities associated with that project. Next, there's the impact on staff development and the integration of this tool into the curricula. How awesome would it be to have a blog to share curricular concerns, ideas and tools for teaching amongst buildings in our district! Add to that the component of student use and ideas for using this tool in a variety of avenues. Then subscribing to various blogs in the educational community outside of our district...feeding them right to our computers in our offices. When connected to district initiatives and the curricula blogging is an excellent tool. I can't wait to share with everyone what I've learned and how it can impact our roles in our district.

Rxn to Jake's Square Peg/Round Hole

With regard to David Jakes' article Square Peg, Round Hole? ...
David makes some very valid points as do some of the educators that have posted following his article. I agree that connections are critical. Students need to be able to communicate and interact in our global society. We need to provide them with a skills set to support that. (A set that allows them to locate, internalize and synthesize information. A skill set that allows them to speak to various audiences and collaborate with a variety of people.) Web 2.0 tools are an avenue to develop these skill sets. He's right, this means that we as educators should re-examine the manner in which deliver and explore the curricula. It means that we should begin to embrace the tools that will allow us to do this and perhaps abandon activities that may not be practical with the information/resources that are available to us online.

Kelly Christopherson responded to David's article with this comment:
"...We either learn to work with it or shut the schools down because, sooner or later, students are going to figure out that they don't need the schools because they have no application or useful purpose." Consider what's happening with the onset of virtual schools...these establishments are making it work...with much success...It's our responsibility to expose students to these tools that enrich their learning and allow them to synthesize, question and explore it in a safe manner.

The students' world outside of school is often very connected to a number of web 2.0 tools. With some reconsideration on how we approach pedagogy, these tools are applicable to our curricula while allowing us to still meet the demands of implementing state/national standards and other requirements. We can expose the students to these tools and deliver the content we're required to do so if we rethink how we approach it...kudos to you all for taking the first steps to foster change.