21st Century Learning: Observations and Concerns

So, is Web 2.0 a big deal? Is it necessary for education, as an institution, to blend these newly emerging technologies into existing curriculums and goals so that we really are providing a 21st century education for our young people? If the answer is "no" - that this is only a tech fad to be ignored, or that we have more critical issues at hand to deal with (i.e. meeting state standards or NCLB requirements), I, for one, am gravely concerned about all of our futures.

Truly, Education 2.0, Classroom 2.0 -- whatever one wants to call it -- is about how we help facilitate learning in an ever increasingly flattened and networked world. At the core of this idea is having conversations with others via user-generated content. Web 2.0 technologies (wikis, blogs, RSS aggregators, VOIP, mashups, etc) add this value to a student's education. But do we get the "big idea" - the need to equip our students to compete in global economies? Do educators responsively read Thomas Friedman's work or watch Karl Fisch's video with dropped jaws and a firm resolution to learn more about our exponentially changing times? Or do they dismiss each with a shrug of the shoulders and return to drilling the skills for the upcoming standardized tests?

We need both, together, woven together inextricably as one fabric. We need students to be rock solid in their basic skills, but we need them to be able to apply them in a computerized, networked world which also has its own skill set to learn, and relearn, and relearn. We are losers if we think glowing standardized test results are the end all. We are losers if we think technology is the magical elixir. We're winners if we can realize that blogging, wiki creation, and many other Web 2.0 endeavors strengthen reading and writing skills, but in authentic and meaninful ways. The big idea is to realize that there is room for both. That's the big ideal. Big deal? Very.

What's Blogging got to do with Gratitude and Authentic Happiness?

I'm really big on the idea of getting students to look "beyond themselves", and technology, especially blogging, is a wonderful tool to do just this. This is a gentle process in my Web 2.0 Technologies class; we talk first about how they use technology in their own lives. Common answers are to download music, to watch online videos, to chat, and to update their MySpace pages. After this discussion I have them learn about the Guinea Worm. Most cringe, and look askew at me when they realize what we're going to study (mostly girls cringe -- some boys say "cool" or "wicked" to hide their true immediate thoughts). Having a two foot worm growing inside of your body sounds almost sci-fi. Knowing that there is no cure for it scares them. Finally, after watching a web video about this water-borne African illness and the extraction process of pulling the worm out an inch a day - usually from the leg or foot because it has "surfaced" to breed - a student will ask, "Why are we studying this? I thought we were here to learn about Web 2.0 technologies."

Then arrives the teachable moment we all look for and crave. We begin a discussion about how this all happens because of lack of clean drinking water. Here we set with new computers, new flat screen monitors, new software, a T1 Internet connection and Web 2.0 tools everywhere we look. Clean drinking water is a given. We don't even give a thought about how important it is. Then we take a look at the site Global Rich List , and then the lights (or lack of lights) in this satellite image and tie both into what we're discussing. Then I begin to talk about how technology has made others aware of the Guinea Worm problem in Africa, but the power of the message really depends on who wants to listen, who wants to care, who wants to "tune in" and see it as "valuable". Slowly discussion weaves around to talking about how technology can be used as a narcissistic tool for our own pleasure (i.e. experiencing the latest/greatest download), or be used to help others - to promote awareness of really important issues, to cause people to act and bring about change.

Martin Seligman (2002) writes that "People typically use three strategies to chase happiness: by 1) pursuing pleasure, by 2) engaging in personally meaningful actions, and by 3) performing service." He asserts that only two of these, 2 and 3, really lead to happiness. I've taken it upon myself to help students learn this, not through words, but through action. When it comes time to create their second blog in my class, I really encourage them to "step outside of themselves" and find a topic that really, really needs to be talked about -- that others need to know about so change can occur. We talk about countries whose governments won't let their citizens even have blogs or who shut them down because they do just this. We talk about the power of blogging, about the democratization effect it wields, about how blogs give us, the common person, an incredible platform to say what needs saying, and in return, have a real audience with real conversations these important issues.

I was so proud of my students last semester. Each of them, save one, chose a topic that was "outside of themselves"; their self-chosen blog topics included racism against Hispanic Americans, prejudice against homosexuals, ethical issues related to abortion, child sweatshops, child soldiers, blood diamonds, the use of child slave labor in the production of chocolate, deforestation, the importance of finding alternative fuels, racism in the NBA, and racism in international soccer. The students explored their chosen topics through blogging, but also learned to use various online apps. to bolster their blog messages (podcasts, slideshows, etc). When the dots started appearing on their visitor maps, their eyes grew wide. When comments began to happen, their motivation to keep blogging was even more fueled. I truly believe their excitement came from finding a slice of "true happiness" - one that transcended their false narcissistic search for meaning. They had begun the process of moving down the two real paths to happiness, namely meaningful actions and service.

I am convinced that young people today want to have a voice and want to bring about social change, despite how our commercial culture molds them into pleasure seekers. I am convinced that blogging - the act of using a wide reaching Web 2.0 tool - can facilitate this. The opportunity, the audience and conversation are all real, ready to be had.

Reflections on Teaching Web 2.0 Technologies

Before long, it'll be time to teach a second round of Web 2.0 skills to my computer applications students. I'm learning as I go, fully realizing that the potential for my professional growth comes from both successes and failures along the way. In reflection, here's a quick summary of what I know I want to change or continue using as I head into the new semester.

One of the first activities I'll continue to have my students do is to create a Google Account. From this one account they get access to GMail, iGoogle, Blogger, and Google Docs and Spreadsheets and so much more. Students usually come in with an email account (though some don't), which is a requirement for setting up a Google Account.

I will continue to use Delicious.com to model social bookmarking. I thought of switching to Diigo.com because I value the idea of being able to highlight and clip notes from web pages. However, I'm not totally convinced that Diigo.com works seamlessly with the browser we primarily use in our school district. Also learned that our district blocks it -- why?? I am still very open to other social bookmarking services that have the power and popularity of Delicious, but with highlighting features. Suggestions anyone?

In retrospect, I'm painfully aware that I need to do some work on how I teach students to do their podcasts. I think I did well teaching the technical side of Audacity and layering soundtracks, but feel I did not do so well helping students construct meaningful content for their podcasts. Though all students had to flesh out a rough draft of their podcast before recording, interviews were often shallow and contrived. Are students more afraid of the mic than I thought? As I listen to their recordings, I get this continual feeling as though they just want to get the interview "over with". Also present in many of their podcasts was the inability to really listen to those they interviewed - to really probe and ask more about what was being said or even unsaid. How to teach these skills will prove interesting.

Students loved Netvibes! We started dubbing it "iGoogle on steroids". The embeddable slideshow offered up by Onetruemedia was also a huge hit as was the online editting power of Splashup.com. Was very proud of students' ability step outside of themselves to create blogs that drew attention to social issues they felt passionate about. In the end, I felt like they really understood that blogging gives them a voice and an authentic audience to converse about ideas that really matter to them and the world.

As far as establishing blogging boundaries and parameters, I feel I did a pretty good job on this first go round, but as I research Internet safety in more depth, I think I'd like to send home some info to parents to get them involved and aware. To focus more on digital citizenship and responsibility, I'd also like to tackle the topic of cyberbullying and see how the students respond to the idea.

Overall, a majority of my students left at the end of the semester with smiles on their faces. I heard comments of "I'm going to miss this class" and "we learned a lot of cool stuff in here" as they walked out. There were those I failed to ignite, as well, so I continue to explore the underlying reasons to see if I can bring change to those things within my control. Wish me luck as I continue to learn and share more with both students and colleagues about these amazing tools!

Seismic Shifts Occurring

As a teacher, my learning never stops. Overwhelming? Sometimes. Exciting? Always!

Using Blogs to Promote Authentic Learning in the Classroom

Resources for those educators wishing to learn more about blogging for themselves and/or their students.
Compiled by JBlack, Jan. 2008, while preparing a presentation and a hands-on workshop on educational blogging

What is Blogging?
1) Blogs in Plain English
2) What exactly is a blog anyway?
3) Back to School with the class of Web 2.0

Blogging Statistics and Research
1) Important Blogging Statistics
2) Pew Internet Blogging Report
3) Pew Internet Teens and Social Media
4) ERIC Research Abstract on Student Blogging
5) Motivation For Writing Through Blogs
6) Summary of Research on Edublogging, Jeff Felix, Ed.D.
7) CNet's Report: Girls blog, boys post video

Which Free Hosted Blogging Platform to Use?
**Hosted Blogging Platforms are great to begin with – very, very easy to use; reside on a host computer somewhere else. I highly recommend these to start your educational blogging experience.

1) Edublogs – Free,video tutorials found here
2) Blogger - Free, simple, reliable, written tutorial here , video tutorials here
3) WordPress.org - Free
4) Blogmeister - Created by D. Warlick for educators and students



Ratings/Critiques of Blogging Platforms
1) Blogging Options for Educators
2) PCWorld Blogging Platform Ratings
3) Quick Overview of Blogging Platforms

Educational Rationale for and Pedagogy of Blogging
1) Rationale for Educational Blogging by Anne Davis
2) Quotes From Blogging Teachers by David Warlick
3) Blogging Vs. Writing by Clarence Fischer
4) Blogs as Conversations by Patrick Higgins
5) Educational Blogging; What, Where, Why and How by Troy Hicks
6) Celebrate Blogging by Steve Hargadon
7) Sample Blogging Assignments -ISTE Aligned by David Warlick
8) Connect the Dots: Students, Blogs, and the Nobel Peace Prize by A. Carvin
9) Blog Rules by David Warlick
10) Educational Blogging by Stephen Downes
11) Talking About Educational Blogging with Wider Audiences by Wesley Fryer
12) Why blog as an administrator? by Scott McLeod
13) Educational Blogging on BBC by Ewan McIntosh
14) How to Get Something Out of Educational Blogs by Dana Huff
15) Classroom Blogging: 2nd Edition by David Warlick
16) TILT Episode 9 - Educational Blogging, Part 2 by Danny Maas
17) Reflections on the Austrailian Blogging Conference and Blogging in Education by Tama Leaver
18) Making Assessment Personally Relevant by Konrad Glogowski
19) It's Not About Web 2.0 - It's About Learning by Jeff Utecht
20) A Vision for Classroom Blogging - Anne Davis
21) 20 Reasons Why Students Should Blog - Anne Mirtschin
22) Bloom's Taxonomy Blooms Digitally - Andrew Churches
23) ISTE NETS*S - Educational blogging supports many of these standards

Student Safety and Responsible Blogging
1) Social Networking and Security for Kids by Cindy Seibel
2) A Proposal for Banning Pencils by Doug Johnson
3) Blogging Rules by Bud Hunt
4) Responsible Blogging by C. Miller
5) Blogger's Contract by David Warlick
6) Discovery Blogging Rules by ?
7) Online Consent Form - Holicong Middle School
8) Keeping Students Cybersafe - Anne Mirtschin


Evaluating Blogs – Rubrics

1) Blog Refection Rubric
2) Comprehension and Analysis Blog Rubric
3) Research Blog Rubric

Suggested Blogs Readings on Everything Web 2.0 and Education
1) http://supportblogging.com/Links+to+School+Bloggers
2) Long list of teachers-turned-bloggers as a means of professional/personal educational reflection -- http://del.icio.us/tag/discoverourvoices
3) http://www.bloggerschoiceawards.com/categories/17
4) http://www.shambles.net/web2/comingofage/Coming_of_age_v1-2.pdf

Classroom-created Blogs /Student-created Blogs
*The below list is from http://supportblogging.com/Links+to+School+Bloggers
http://classblogmeister.com/blog.php?blogger_id=40878, Gordon Brune's 5th graders in Mamamroneck, NY (USA)
5/6NT Blog (Nathan Toft, Ottawa, Canada) Grades 5 and 6
A New Adventure, Technology
A Room 29 Classroom Blog, Year 5 and 6 children Balmoral School, Auckland, New Zealand.
Al Upton and the miniLegends, (Year 3 - Glenelg, South Australia)
American Studies
AP Calculus
Applied Math 40S
Arty Reflections ,Year 4 - NSW ,Aust , Focus: creative and critical analysis using de Bono's Hats of student artwork
B2's Blog - A Class of 6-7yr Olds, Teacher = Mr Lietze. New Zealand (Updated weekly and is current)
Blogging in College: Gender & Pop Culture's Blog Experiment, The home of the big blog experiment!
Bud's Blogging ExperimentBugmania,Year 4 -NSW, Aust . Focus: A group of year 4 students who are passionate about bugs have created their first ever wiki. These students would love to hear from other students who are also passionate about the world of bugs!!! )
CILASS Student Blog by University of Sheffield Student Ambassadors of the Centre for Inquiry-based Learning In the Arts and Social Sciences (England)
Class 2i Reads and Writes! by a class of Year 2 students in Geneva, Switzerland
Class of Ambrose, a 5th grade classroom blog, mathcast, podcasts, and wiki from Detroit, MI)
Collaboration Nation, Team Blog with links to individual student blogs -- 8th Grade Connecticut
College English, Beth Ritter-Guth, Lehigh Carbon Community College
Dekita. org, gathers ESL/EFL posts from around the world
ESL Bullying BlogExcellence and Imagination,Grades 7 and 8
Free Range Thinking, teacher and student blogs, 11th Grade English, Northridge CA
Get Lost, a video travel blog being created by middle school social studies teachers.
Grade 8 Humanities , class and student blogs created by Gary Coyle's classes at the American Embassy School - New Delhi, India
Grade 7 Math Blogorama at Sargent ParkHow Beautiful You Are, a 1st Grade Class in Oxnard CA blogging about their year,Hueneme School District with Projects, Books, pictures, words of the Day , and expanding as we go, Mrs. Sarah Puglisi's Room 10
In Need of Coffee, High School Literature
Interactive Chatting Teddies, a collaborative blogging project in Argyll Scotland involving children in P1-3 (ages 4-8) and their teddy bears
ISS07, an International Space Station Project: Students from around the world blogging with astronauts onboard the ISS, learning about life and work in orbit.
I Think...., Middle - Upper Primary -NSW, Aust, Focus: Having students respond to online statements and then formulate arguments. Links to exposition and discussion text types in English
ITGS Forum , discussion and resource sharing for the Information Technology in Global Society class (Grade 11 and 12)
Josh's Amazing Blog, Wellington, New Zealand student blogs
Kathy Cassidy's Grade one classKindergaten Tales, Cindy Blakely
Manaia Kindergarten, Tania & Bev in New Zeland
Math306-04, Grade 9 math class
Mirror Mirror, Year 4 -6 -NSW, Aust, Focus: Encouraging reflective thought during an independent learning project
Miss Baker's Biology Blog, 9th biology and AP Biology
Moturoa Classroom, a year four and five class from Nelson, New Zealand
Mullum Writers, showcasing the work of the talented young writers at Mullumbimby Public School. NSW Australia (K-6)
Mr. Abe, a blog for his Math classes at Restoration Academy, Fairfield, Alabama
Mrs. C's Senior English Blogs, Senior English class blog in the Tiny Kingdom of Mtn. Brook, Alabama
Mr. Belshaw's Student BlogsMr. Mayo's Student Weblogs, (Online Portfolio's) 100+ student blogs used in an 8th grade Language Arts class.
Mrs. Perry's Blog, fourth grader's blog network at St. Leonard Elementary School.
Mrs. Perry's 2005-6 Blog, fourth grade blog focusing on interaction with Guest Experts in different fields (astrophysicists, test pilot, veterinarian, & Broadway musical star) along with student interaction with curriculum content.
Mr. Miller's English 10 homework blog, writing and thinking assignments for high school sophomores
MR. Sigler's Class Page - 3rd Grade class page blog in Carl Junction, MO mainly intended for parents.
Mr. Watson's Classes, sophomores in Honolulu keeping online commonplace books.
Mrs. Watson's ClassesMs. Mercer's Class Blog, a blog for a fifth grade class, but is no longer active. It's a nice example though.
Oak Ridge Elementary Sixth Grade, sixth grade (11 yo) from Sacramento, CA
Oak Ridge Elementary Fifth Grade, fifth graders (10 yo) from Sacramento, CA
Oak Ridge Elementary Fourth Grade, fourth graders (9 yo) from Sacramento, CA
Ontario Blogs, elementary and secondary school students from across Ontario, Canada, all "writing to learn"
PAWriting, early Secondary School writing from Perth Academy, Scotland.
Picture Talk Blog, excellent blog that focuses on visual literacy - Primary Setting , AUST
Pre-Cal 20SPre-Cal 30SPre-Cal 40S (Winter '06), teacher Darren Kuropatwa
Priestsic6, class blog from a Year 6 class at Priestsic Primary and Nursery School, Nottinghamshire, England
Portablec.com (our wiki site with a link to our blog) Elise Mueller
Puzzling Maths Problems (Year 4 - NSW, Aust, Focus: Problem solving strategies in Mathematics)
Room3tai Year 7 & 8 class blog, Te Awamutu, New Zealand (with links to individual student blogs). Teacher Lynne Crowe
Room16 Math Grade 8 Class math blog Uses blogger, teacher Chris Harbeck
Room17 Math Grade 8 Class math blog Uses blogger, teacher Chris Harbeck
Room 41 Math Grade 8 Class math blog Uses blogger, teacher Chris Harbeck
Room73 Math Grade 8 Class math blog Uses blogger, teacher Chris Harbeck
Room 208 (Grade3/4 class)
Room 110 Blog - 9th Grade students from Central New Jersey
Room 613 Student Blogs - written by Mr. Hetherington's 6th Grade students
Room One's Blog - Class blog by year 2/3 students at Mapua School in New Zealand - not in use anymore but a good example
Room 9's Class Blog - Class Blog by year 2/3 students at Nelson Central School in New Zealand - current
Roomtwelve.com - third graders from Seattle, WA
Sandaig Otters Sandaig Primary School Glasgow, Scotland.
Sargent Park's Grade 8 Math Zone Class hub for blogging assignments and news
Secret Life of BeesSCC English : English Department of Irish secondary school, St Columba's College, Dublin 16.
Science Matters Science, Technology, and Society Connections (Richibucto, New Brunswick, Canada Grade8)
Seufert's Scholars - 5th Grade class blog from El Paso, Texas
SidneyMedia - 12th Grade media class from Sidney, NY Mike Dionne
Sixth Grade Teachers - sixth grade teachers blog in Atlanta, GA with links to 46 student blogs
Spells Grade 9 humanities/Literature class blog from Korea International School, Seoul (student blogs on blogroll on right sidebar)
Teaching in the Inner City, Ideas and Inspiration for Inner City Teachers
Tell the Raven - Grade 6 classroom blog from Fairbanks, Alaska
The Blurb - A student blog and podcast program debating current event issues.
The ClemMiddle School Language Arts
The FCE Blog (Claudia Ceraso) A student's guide to autonomous English language learning.
The Mattson Daily - Stories, poems, opinions and the daily events of fourth grade students in El Paso, Texas.
The Sausage Machine, leerblog van Janien Benaets en de jeugd van tegenwoordig, Antwerp, Flanders, Belgium.
The V Posse Journal (Amy Vejraska's 3rd graders' class blog in Branson, Missouri)
The Write WeblogVamos Blogar, blogging project for children in Brazil's poorest and most violent slums
Westwood Schools - Uses classblogmeister, teacher: Vicki A Davis
Year 6/7 Blog (and podcast)
Grade 7 Language Arts - Teacher: Sid de Haan, Edmonton, Canada
Room 167 - High School Social Studies
Write On! Mr. Monson's Grade 5 Classroom Blog Join our class in this amazing, online world! (Check out our wiki too!)
Portable Radio (Nathan Toft and Jane Smith) - A podcast made by students in grades 5 and 6. We are from Ottawa, Canada.

Additionally, a large List of Language Arts Examples can be found at: http://adavis.pbwiki.com/Language+Arts+Examples











Best Blogs, all topics, 2007
http://www.elitechoice.org/2007-round-up-top-125-elite-blogs/
Places to Find Blogs of Personal Interest
Google Blog Search
Technorati
Sphere

Blog Add-ins/Widgets – Items that can be added to student blogs
1) Clustrmaps.com - Creates visitor map to add to your blog
2) Amung.us - Creates visitor map to add to your blog (similar to above)
3) MakeBeliefsComix.com - Create online comic strips to add to your blog
4) StatCounter.com - Create an invisible web tracker that gathers real-time hits and stats.
5) Feedjit - Arrivals and Departures Widget - Creates a log of your traffic telling you where exact web location viewer came from and where they go upon exiting your site.
6) Widgetoko - Website devoted to all things widgety; you name it, they probably have it
7) Neowork.net - More online visitor counters and maps
8) Widgetbox - Every widget under the sun for your blog
9) Tag Cloud for Blogger - Generates a tag cloud of most used terms in posts
10) Widget Gallery of Wigipedia - More widgety things for your blog
11) Dashboard widgets - Lots of widgets, but site is a little strange -- sometimes you must choose a category and then scroll way down to see available widgets
12) Animoto.com - slick, professional video-like slideshows to embed in blog posts (not a true widget - more of an embeddable component for your blog)
13) Onetruemedia.com - Powerful online slideshow creator that is high customizable for blog posts (not a true widget - more of an embeddable component for your blog)
14) Gabcast.com - Creates podcasts using your cell phone; can embed resulting podcast into your blog (not a true widget - more of an embeddable component for your blog)
15) Voicethread.com - Creates online presentations using voice/text in a collaborative fashion (teachers get a free account!) You embed these in your blogging posts (not a true widget - more of an embeddable component for your blog)

Promoting Your Blog
http://vandelaydesign.com/blog/category/blog-promotion/
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2006/06/how_to_get_traf.html
http://www.dailyblogtips.com/traffic-generation-tips-final-list/
http://www.google.com/analytics/
http://www.seomoz.org/blog/10-remarkably-effective-strategies-for-driving-traffic
http://jonathanfields.com/blog/top-bloggers-reveal-how-to-build-traffic-off-blog-without-spending-a-dime/
http://www.copyblogger.com/increase-web-traffic/

Simple and Sweet! Blogging Defined!

Thanks once again Commoncraft.com! You guys really know how to distill it down to the really essential points!