Web 2.0 (9/14 - 9/18)

Steve Hargadon has a wonderful blog which discusses issues vital to educators concerning technology. This particular blog post explains his reasoning for believing that Web 2.0 is the future of education. (Web 2.0 is basically the newest evolutionary existence of the web in which content is created and shared, changed and enhanced, by interaction between and among users. This evolution allows for increased interaction on the part of the producer and consumer, blurring the lines between which is which and causing Haragadon to coin the term "prosumer.") Each time I think about these points I am almost overwhelmed by what lies ahead in our future, both in education and in the work place.

I do not want to repeat information from previous posts, but I think teacher interaction in the on-line social networks is VITAL! If educators are not a part of these social networks, it will not stop them from existing. It will just mean they exist without any direction or leadership from our generation. Some may argue that we are not doing a very good job leading, but that is not an excuse for not trying. My feeling is that we will only do a poor job leading when we give up and stop trying to be leaders. And it does no good to lead where there are no followers. We must go to where the students are and educate them there. This is not going to be comfortable for us. We have no models or schema for what this kind of education looks like. But we must face our fears and deal with our discomfort, for the sake of our students! They need us there, teaching them what to do in this Brave New World.

As for my communications class, this shift changes not only instructional methods but also the content itself. How rapidly communication is changing each second! And how wonderful to be alive at a time when this great shift is occurring. As I try to keep up with all of the changes I am again reminded that the keys are still the same as they always were. That success comes from having principles, believing in those principles, and living by them. And that working in groups to be successful is fundamental. That you must think win-win and seek first to understand and then to be understood. By teaching these basic Seven Habits, I think I am preparing the students to enter that virtual world. And in the coming weeks and months I intend to find ways to move all of this learning online and to lead boldly as is my charge.