week four

As I mentioned on the class discussion board, I am eager to bring Voicethread, glogster, and animoto into the school library. I am still continuing to struggle with my Communications class. My students arrive at scattered times throughout the first period and I mostly have about 20 minutes teaching time. Additionally, each of my students has varying special needs and it is very difficult to come up with a project that all of my students will be able to perform and enjoy. For example, I have a student who enjoys creating iMovies. However, she does not realize the importance of using her own words and not plagiarizing. She has seemingly never been taught this. I also have great difficulty with classroom management in general. My room is not conducive to structure -- all of the library furniture is donated and mismatched, which definitely does not set an organized tone. I am hoping that in the next year when the new school library is completed this issue will be alleviated a bit. Next week, we will begin using iPads in the library. We are currently working on determining which apps we should be using with our students. We are excited about this endeavor but know that there is a learning curve involved, just like in web 2.0. Hopefully we will figure things out in a few months...

week three

My frustrations with web 2.0 are continuing to mount!

The good:
- Web 2.0 allows our students to create, rather than simply use.
- Web 2.0 allows students to learn in a new way.

The bad/the ugly:
- Many websites often require students to create a log-in username and password -- and my students often forget their log-in information.
- Many Web 2.0 tools are simply not usable for special needs populations -- these groups of students are missing out greatly as a result.
- Many Web 2.0 tools are blocked in schools. Usually, these are the tools that students, themselves, are familiar with and truly enjoy using. As a result, we cannot hook our students in.
- At least with my students, Web 2.0 tools can be overwhelming to learn.
- They can also be very overwhelming for educators to learn how to use.
- There are hundreds of Web 2.0 tools and it is impossible to be caught up with everything.
- Web 2.0 tools can be very time-consuming. Often, we adopt a new bit of technology and it becomes updated or irrelevant.
- As discussed on the class wiki, we as educators often erroneously keep school projects the same but now package them in fancy boxes. We need to be aware of this.

We need to remember the following:
- Although our students are 'digital natives,' this does not mean they are instantly familiar with Web 2.0 tools. They will forget their passwords. They will be overwhelmed.
- We need to make sure we are using Web 2.0 tools with a purpose and a goal in mind.
- We will be overwhelmed just like everyone else. We need to take our time and figure out what is best for our population.
- Hopefully in time, we will be trusted by our superiors to teach without restrictions.

week two

Zawilinski's article, "HOT Blogging: A Framework for Blogging to Promote Higher Order Thinking," allowed me to have a greater understanding of blogs in the classroom. Although I read many blogs both for personal leisure and professional use, I never thought about the categories of blogs, including News Blogs, Mirror Blogs, Showcase Blogs, and Literature Response Blogs. I am hoping to create a library blog this year featuring book reviews, student work, and library news. I now understand that my blog will be a mix of a News Blog and a Showcase Blog. Although I am in a high school library setting, this is the blog type that I feel would be most appropriate and well-received. Now, it is up to me to begin blogging, recruit students to contribute, and figure out a way to market the blog effectively. I am looking forward to receiving ideas about marketing from my classmates.

week one

As discussed in Baumbach's article, Web 2.0 allows students to create and contribute to the web, rather than simply consuming it. Unfortunately, many Web 2.0 tools are blocked in NYC schools. For example, Tumblr, a simple blogging site, is now blocked in our school -- even though last year, our students were able to create their own online journals using this tool. This is a huge barrier when it comes to equitable access. The digital divide is extreme and public schools should be leveling the playing field, rather than perpetuating the inequality. Currently, many educators in my building have received the professional development and training required to teach Web 2.0 tools effectively. Now, we just need the resources.