Week 1 - Blog Posting #1 - Web 2.0

I can't focus this week, at all. My mind is all over the place, and while I have looked at all our materials and read the books, I cannot seem to channel my energy into a direction that allows me to finish these blogs. My nerves are all over the place; I know it is because I am still healing from the surgery and my hormones are now gone. I am ALL over the place emotionally. So, I will do my best to focus on the topic at hand, while calming down from another one of my rampages.

The more I find out about the availability of the Web 2.0 tools, the more I am overwhelmed with excitement and a sense of anxiety. I truly want to incorporate them into my language arts curriculum and have spent the last week working towards that goal.

According to Solomon & Schrum, one of the biggest benefits of these tools is that they are available for free. The advantages of a Web-based program over traditional, costly programs are apparent. It is a wonderful way for my students to create a Wiki on our BlackBoard site, discussion topics as they arise or even journal on a regular basis. However, I fear that I will not be entirely successful in moving my curriculum into a completely online forum. (This is one of my goals.) This fear arises as I am faced with state testing, overbearing administrators, countless hours of paperwork and less than three hours a week to prepare.

But with any profession, we have to keep up with the progress of society. Educators can't allow themselves to become obsolete. We are vital to the success of each student. Sadly, if we aren't able to keep their interest, then we will be just like the example in, "Here Comes Everybody." In chapter three, Shirky talks about his uncle, a newspaper man, who was fearful of "USA Today" when they first came out. The author felt like his uncle misdirected his concern. He should have been worried about the availability of the news through an "amateur source" rather than who was carrying it. I think that parallels where educators are right now. We are focused on the smaller picture of how "kids are using Google or Wikipedia to get their facts" and thinking if we let them use these search engines as a research tool then they are doing it wrong. Information is readily available to us all at the click of a button, what's important is how we process, synthesize and analyze the information. Teachers can keep a student's interest, while incorporating Web 2.0 tools, if they are willing to stay current and accept that change is coming. We can either be a part of it or be in the past!