Back to Blogging!

Greetings! School is now back in session, and with the end of vacation time comes my return to Web 2.0 Blogging; thanks to all who have read or followed my posts.

I just finished reading a short, but interesting research summary article by Dr. Chun Wei Choo of the University of Toronto. His research was around the question of whether or not the culture of an organization affects its information use. I think this is one of those questions to which the answer seems obvious, but for which real research is required in order to establish credible parameters for assessment and discussion.

In the end he writes:
"To summarize, our research showed that the part of organizational culture that deals specifically with information – the values and norms that people have about creating, sharing, and applying information – has a significant effect on information use outcomes."

To my mind, this is the concrete evidence needed to support the necessity of changing the information culture of education systems; if we are to adequately prepare our students for their likely futures, we need to teach and practice the five "information behaviours and values" Choo designates:

-Integrity (using information in a principled and trustful way)
-Informality (trust and use of informal sources)
-Transparency (openness in reporting information)
-Sharing (providing others with information)
-Proactiveness (actively obtaining and applying new information)

We do our students a disservice if we do not prepare them for the job-based information cultures to which they will eventually head, and we cannot prepare them if we are not willing to educate ourselves in the ways of Web 2.0.

Facebook & Twitter in the classroom!

Here's an update on the as-Web2.0-as-possible summer school class I'm running:

Ning -- we're using a course Ning: it is great. Students have done group work collaboration on it, and some students are using it to get last minute essay writing tips from me over the weekend!

Facebook -- the Facebook assignments are starting to roll in, although they're not due for another few days. Students had to create a Facebook profile page for a character in the novel The Great Gatsby. I look forward to reading the profiles.

Twitter -- we had an informal, in-class debate about character morality the other day. While I facilitated turn-taking in the face-to-face classroom, several students were back-channeling their opinions on the screen at the front. It was great to have the opinions flying in two ways, and the back-channeling provides a transcript of the arguments!

More updates soon, perhaps after the Facebook assignments have been marked. :-)

Where are the updates?

Ok, Ok... it's been a while. I blame year-end crazyness, a family trip, and getting ready for summer school.

That last one took a while, as I wanted to try some web 2.0 things in summer school that I've never used with a class before. Setting up the Ning (and updating the course web site) took some time, but it was totally worth it. Thomson Summer School Ning membership is growing daily, and I see students using this space for project collaboration already: it's only day 2! My in-Ning blog gets updated often, and I'm seeking comment feedback on the nature of the course itself, as well as offering reminders & updates.

Twitter accounts are growing as well: 1/4 of the class is now following me (thomsonro), and I hope to get into some back-channeling next week.

If the marking doesn't pile up too much, I'll update this blog with my summer school web 2.0 experiences often. Feel free to comment back if you've used Ning or Twitter in classroom contexts before.

People for Education: 2009 Report

Here's to the awesome 2009 People for Education Report! Entitled "Wanted: A Renewed Vision for Public Education," the document addresses the need for change in Ontario schools in order to better prepare our students for how their lives will be beyond high school.

Addressing everything from class size and declining enrollment, to principals' experience, to special ed., physical education and libraries, this is a serious look at what is working and what is needed to better the system.

Enter the section entitled "Educating for the 21st Century." Asserting that there is "a tidal wave of change approaching Ontario’s publicly-funded education system," the report goes on to talk about, in no uncertain terms, the importance (and inter-relatedness) of technology, innovation & creativity, and social connection; "For too long Ontario has been operating without a vision for education that is truly forward-thinking."

"Our educational model has looked pretty well the same for the last 160 years. If anything, over the last few decades, the model has become more, rather than less, restricted. It’s time public education caught up to the reality of the 21st century."

I like this, mostly because its true.

Now if we can just get governments, school boards, and teachers to take the implications of this report seriously -- and act on it's recommendations -- we'll be well on our way towards adequately preparing students for their likely futures...

Google Options!

Think you know Google? Unless you click "Show options..." and check out the awesome filtering and graphic organizing tools, you don't know Jack! The "Wonder Wheel" gives Clusty a run for its money, and then some!

Here's a demo.

Check it out!

One hour well spent...

Don Tapscott on the importance of understanding the cultural differences (and their implications) between today's Web 2.0 learners and those of the past.

"Teachers Online"... Really?

The June 2009 edition of Professionally Speaking, the magazine of the Ontario College of Teachers, has a promising headline: "Technology in the Classroom / Social Networks -- Teachers online." When I saw the cover I thought, "Wow! Finally an article on the importance of Web 2.0 to the classroom!" How prematurely silly of me.

The feature article is actually titled "Can We Be Friends? Watching your Electronic Step." Ah, yes... yet another warning to teachers about engaging in social media with students. I'd merely say "ho hum" and move on with my life, if I didn't get the nagging feeling that such articles are actually damaging to the futures of our students. Where are the warnings about what the futures of our students will be like if we do not engage in social media with them?

I read here, in bold lettering, that "When it comes to online social media and electronic communications, teachers often counsel students on how to operate safely and appropriately." Really? I don't know where author Stuart Foxman teaches (if he's a teacher) but I'd say such counselling is a rarity at best in my neck of the woods.

I read that "Web 2.0 will only grow and may well have a positive role to play in education." Fortunately, I love insightful understatements.

I read that "No doubt, teachers and school boards will continue to explore and wrestle with Internet usage and appropriate forms of teacher-student communications." This is likely true, if unfortunate and misdirected.

While it is (glaringly to anyone not living under a rock) true that all teachers need to be aware of the professional implications of everything that we do (whether online or offline, whether on the school day clock or not), we also have a responsibility to our students and their futures. Why not show them how we, as professionals, manage our Web 2.0 interactions? Why not lead by (shared) example? Why not offer a contemporary, "do as I do", example-based education, instead of an outmoded "do as I say, but you'll never see how I do" one?