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Blog 5: Read/Write Web
Internet: Read/Write Web
Description
The read/write web consists of three tools: Blogs, Wikis, and Podcasting. Blogs enable a person or group to create a website to allow online conversations without learning hypertext language. Wikis are website that anyone can edit at anytime. Podcasts are digital recordings made available on the Internet.
Key Findings
In Will Richardson?s article ?The Educator?s Guide to the Read/Write Web? Richardson explains that the Internet is not longer a place to get information, but also a place to disseminate information.
With blogs, people can share information by just logging in, entering text, and publishing. Many students already use blogs for diaries but they can use in the academic setting to develop higher-order thinking skills.
With wikis, collaborative content creation tools, users can create websites that anyone can edit at any time. When an entry is created the creators of the wiki site to not verify the information, instead allows it to be edited by other users. You would think that wikis would have less than accurate information more times than not, however this is not the case. Users of the wiki sites feel obligated to make sure factual information in presented and make corrections when necessary. One of the most popular wiki sites is Wikipedia.com, which contains entries on more than 500,000 topics.
In the article Richardson discusses how wikis can be used as informational resources for students. Students post information about a particular subject and if the information is incorrect, it can be edited by other students in the learning community; whether that is the class, school, or collaboration of schools. Students can retain the information better, because they in essence are reteaching the material.
Podcasts are another method in which information can be transmitted over the Internet. Basically, podcasting involves recording an event or discussion and transmitting via the Internet as a way of hearing the information at a later point in time. Many times the files care downloaded as MP3 and can then become mobile with the user.
Reflection
In order to prepare our students for the future they not only need to know how to be followers, but leaders as well. Until grad school, I was unaware of all the information and tools out there to develop. Although I teach technology, I am not technologically savvy. I would much rather write and send a letter than email. However, I am charged with making sure the future is prepared to continue on. They can make a decision what they use later in life; I just want them to be prepared just in case.
I would really love to implement blogs into my class. As a teacher in the Middle Years Programme (IB) my students are required to reflect on things they have done in the class. Just as what we are doing now, my students can do the same for units of studying. The students have to list information they knew before we began the unity. They also must list the concepts they learned, who or what they learned them from and what they think they will remember 10 years from now. After students have posted their reflection, they can post comments to at least two other students from any section of the class- not just their own. Also, like the article stated, students can use the blogs as portfolios of their work. They may not want to include everything, but items they want to share.
I am also found of the Wikis. We use a wiki, Wikipedia, quite frequently in class. The wealth of information is overwhelming. Just think, you have historians, researchers, and professors publishing books, journals, encyclopedias and other professional documents, when many times the layman might know more accurate information. Wikis give raise to the layman expressing their experience and knowledge. When students realize that ?experts? can be those without extra letters added to their names, they may be able to make a valuable contribution. Students can build on knowledge of others through edits. This can also help the students understand constructive criticism. People hate to be told they?re wrong, so students can understand the delicacies of criticism. Also (hopefully this rarely happens) if there are mistakes, students will be able to develop their evaluating skills. They can understand that everything published it not always accurate. They cannot take everything they read as truth; they have to be able to analyze their sources.
Posted at 08:54AM Nov 17, 2006 by MCCRAY, CATRICE in General | Comments[0]