My+take+on+the+Big+Shift.



Shifting With the Times The development and movement in education over the internet has opened up and offered new possibilities in the past few years. The most common paradigm in education has been the lecture face-to-face model. It is possible that this old paradigm will be replaced by growing technologies of Web 2.0. Web 2.0 does not have a finite definition; even the man that coined the phrase struggles to explain its exact meaning. Click [|here] to watch. Many of the words used when talking about Web 2.0 is; the web as platform, the underlying philosophy of relinquishing control, giving up control and setting the data free, and an attitude not a technology. Web 2.0 technologies shift control from marketers to the markets. In the past, many programs or content had been driven by the experts, but in this shift of control/power the users were driven the content. Consumers are now in the driver seat.

In Will Richardson’s book //Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms//, he emphasizes how the change in the internet has been keeping with the shifting in the direction of Web 2.0. He describes these changes as the “big shifts”. He describes ten “big shifts.” But to life around, to be very close related and one of the most important parts of this Internet shift was shift’s 3 and 4. #3 Group Collaboration, and #4. Teaching is Conversation, Not Lecture. As Richardson talks about these two shifts, the message to me is how being lectured to, in terms of learning, is the old model of teaching. it could be considered a 1.0 model. However shifts three and four promote a more community or social learning model Web 2.0.

One of Richardson’s favorite tools was wikispaces and how wikis can be useful in education and in business. A Wikispace is a group of web pages that are able to be edited by anyone who is signed on to that wiki. You can collaborate with these other group members about the shaping of the finished product. To see an explanation about wiki’s click [|here]. A Wiki space could be used in a class to post homework assignments, or for a classroom project, to work together with an international classroom. The possibilities are many. If used in a business setting, Wikispaces’s could be used to organize schedules or projects, create a round-table dialog with your customers.

The main features used to describe Web 2.0 are socially based. The approach to education can be explored. One of the many benefits of a social learning model would be to give far greater global input than ever before. In this way the advancement of education is endless. It’s a proven tactic to use “think tanks” to develop and nurture problem-solving ideas. With the capability of involving people from different cultures, religions, socioeconomic status a quantity and variety of ideas that one student, or one classroom could have access to, could have enormous benefits. I felt Richardson ended his book with of knowledge to redefine our approach to education.

What I feel:

While I do believe these changes in technology and approaches to learning will have some very positive outcomes, I am concerned about the kind of student this type of learning will incorporate. If you are teaching a student who is uninterested in school I’m not sure the efforts to contribute to the discussion, would be as motivated as other students. Therefore I’m not sure if that student is reaping the benefits of the social learning experience.

more to come....... ?????

Close with  Richardson's Wiki prayer: "Please grant me the serenity to accept the pages I cannot edit, The courage to edit the pages I can, And the wisdom to know the difference" (Richardson 69).

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