WEB 2.0 TOOLS

What used to be done in the classroom on chalkboards, and later whiteboards, can now be accomplished with much more detail and efficiency using Web 2.0 tools. Various forms of multi-media presentations can be tailored to suit a teacher’s purpose using the internet, wiki spaces, blogs, web quests, screencasting, social bookmarking, podcasts, and more. Wiki’s allow students 24-hour access to the information provided by their instructor, with the ability to communicate, update, and change the information. Detailed instructions for assignments, due dates, and calendars can be accessed from home, which is particularly useful for student absences, and for students who may need visual reinforcement with lectures. Podcasts are extremely useful in subjects such as math and science; students having difficulty understanding a process can watch on-line examples, with detailed explanations of all of the steps involved. Web quests are an excellent way for teachers to initially engage their students, and to provide detailed directions and expectations for projects, and social bookmarking is an useful tool for teachers and students to share their favorite websites on a subject as a network. 

The impact of the Web 2.0 tools on education has been tremendous. Gone are the days of students using outdated encyclopedias to write reports. The amount of information available on the web is virtually unlimited, and much of it is in real time. Students can now publish their work in a variety of electronic formats, choosing whether to make it available to a limited audience, or public. With wiki’s, students are able to work with a wider audience, allowing for peer reviewing. Screencasting gives teachers the ability to work one-on-one with their students electronically by giving them direct feedback on their work, including verbal and written explanations of concepts that they may be having difficulty with. Students also benefit by being able to review information provided on-line multiple times for clarity and better understanding, rather than hearing it only once in the classroom. Although teachers are outnumbered and unable to give students a lot of personal attention in their limited class time, they can now reach out to them electronically with a variety of formats designed to help them communicate more efficiently. There are a lot of useful options in the Web 2.0 toolbox, and some formats that may be more useful in one subject than in another. A resourceful teacher will stay up to date on technology, and then mix and match the appropriate tools, using fresh ideas and formats to keep their students engaged.

COPYRIGHTS, FAIR USE & ONLINE SAFETY

Through this week’s assignment, I learned quite a bit about copyrights, fair use, cyber-bullying, and netiquette. I have actually studied this information before in my law classes, but I really liked the way that the Copyright and Fair Use Guideline for Teachers “cheat sheet” broke it all down and simplified it. The fine print was extremely specific with regard to how many copies can be made by whom, and how often. It also stated that workbook pages could not be copied, and that a copyright symbol must be visible on the copies. I doubt that a lot of these details are well known, and a lot of teachers are probably routinely violating them without realizing it. Online classes have exploded in popularity, and I think that 2002’s TEACH Act, allowing the use of copyrighted material for teaching in an online forum was an important part of that. I hadn’t heard of the act before, but in limiting the liability of educational institutions with regard to what students may do with the material used by a school for lessons via computers, it essentially opened the doors for on-line learning. 

The way that I feel about the laws protecting printed, recorded, and artistic material is that they are justified and necessary. The creators of the works used their time and energy, and likely make their livings from their craft. It is unfair for them not to be compensated for their efforts, just as we would expect to be compensated for our work. Prosecution is necessary in some instances, not only to penalize, but also to set an example to those who would attempt to unlawfully use, steal, or attempt to profit from another’s work. I think that the Fair Use Law has provided some generous exemptions for the educational community. It’s great that copyrighted materials can still be used in an educational context, as long as the right is not abused. Clear boundaries have been set regarding how and how much of various works can be used, and it is important as educators that we not only stay within those boundaries, but also teach our students to respect them. Equally important is teaching our children and students about online safety, netiquette, and what exactly constitutes cyberbullying. The more information we provide children with, the less likely that they are to become either a perpetrators or victims online.

http://dwb.unl.edu/dwb/courses/CURR880/copyright_chart.pdf

http://www.wtvi.com/teks/02_03_articles/copyright.html

INFORMATION LITERACY

     Prior to the Mapping Information Activity, I conducted an online search by simply logging onto my computer and putting what I wanted in the search bar. I will be honest and say that in doing this exercise, I actually had to go and check to see just what search engine I was using because I didn’t know (it was Google). I know I’m going to sound really naïve, but I was not aware that you were able to use different search engines. I assumed that you were locked into whatever came with your computer or internet provider. Only in doing this exercise did I find out that I could actually go through different ones.  I found the information on search techniques to be very useful. I already knew about putting quote marks around something that you want searched in its exact form, but I learned that you could use country codes and file extensions to narrow your search.  

     After doing the Mapping activity, I think that my habits in searching the internet will change. In the future, I will probably consult more than one search engine when I am looking for reputable sources. I was already aware that certain file extensions were more reliable than others, but this exercise has taught me to pay particular attention to them. I will be using country codes and file extensions in my searches because I think that it will save so much time by not having to sift through so many irrelevant sites.  This knowledge will affect my teaching, and it will definitely affect my students. I think that alerting students about the different meanings behind the file extensions is really important. My focus is on becoming a middle school English teacher, and that is where intensive research and writing really begins for most students. I can see myself going so far as giving my future students a list of file extensions that I will accept, as well as a list of those that I will not.

     I think that my search of the Pacific Northwestern tree octopus was an eye opener, (Zapato). By checking into it on other search engines, I was able to quickly establish that it was an internet hoax. Further investigation into the links attached to it revealed that the purpose of the site, and the hoax, was to market related merchandise. The information contained in the November Learning article was of a far more serious nature. The article advocates the use of www.easywhois.com to verify just who exactly publishes a website. Without realizing that the author of an article on Martin Luther King was actually a white supremacist group, students would be taking in a lot of misinformation and assuming that it was fact. This exercise was very useful to me, both as a student and a future teacher. It emphasized the importance of verifying your sources and using only those that are found to be reputable. This is something that should be taught to children at a very young age. It is important for them to understand that they cannot believe everything they read on the internet. I believe that it would be useful for elementary school teachers to present the Mapping Information Activity to their students as soon as they are old enough to begin conducting internet research. 

(n.d.). Retrieved from http://novemberlearning.com/educational-resources-for-educators/ 

           information-literacy-resources/5-find-the-publisher-of-a-web-site/

Zapato, L. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/