Thing 16: Student Web 2.0 Tools

I discovered the Research Project Calculator last year. I played around with it some then- created a pretend project for myself and had emails sent to remind me of due dates. I do not teach big independent research units in my K-5 program but I did inform our middle school staff and principal about it with access information. It is a wonderful tool!

So much to think about - so much to learn!
I watched the YouTube video, “A Vision of K-12 Students Today,” and I was impressed with how fast the old ways are going out and the new ways are taking over. Kids today truly are digital learners – their teachers can’t forget that and need to do their best to keep up.

The YouTube video, “(Re)Visions of Students Today” was unsettling. Kids are being educated under very different conditions today than just 5 years ago! The pace of change is so fast – the diversity in the changes is so great – and so many young people are being left behind. The comment, “I’m one of the lucky ones,” really got me. I want all kids to be the “lucky ones.”

I read the article written by Josh Catone, “The Web 2.0 Backpack.” He agrees with me that face to face learning is best, but the host of web apps available to students today can really facilitate their learning. Web apps that sub for Microsoft Office, web apps that help for note-taking, charting, researching, bookmarking and collaboration are all at students’ fingertips and are constantly “evolving in amazing ways.”

Using wikis as a study tool or note-taking tool is a fascinating concept.

I typed in a question on Yahoo! Answers, “How much Vitamin A is dangerous?” and was sent out to several good websites to find the answer. That was cool how it worked.


Comments
This “23 things on a stick” tutorial has really been a challenge for me, but have been really glad for it. I hate to say it, but I think we need one of these every year – for at least the rest of our professional lives.

I do want to help and encourage my students living in the Web 2.0 world. Something I have wanted for many years is a web-based library automation system with a homepage interface where I could post links to their school curricular needs – a “one-stop shop” page that would have many of the tools/links they would find handy for their school work.

I like the idea of encouraging the use of their friend – the library media teacher.