Thing #5

Wow, Web 2.0.  That was my first initial response to the many opportunities and possibilities for Web 2.0/School 2.0. 

School 2.0 means many things to many people, but to me as a future educator, it means removing students' limitations on learning.  In conjunction with the traditional learning tools such as lectures, books, pencils, and paper,
School 2.0 provides students additional tools through the World Wide Web.  For example, elementary students are no longer confined to books found at their local library, classroom, or home, but they now also have access to digital books with sound and movement incorporated into them.  Today they not only have access to construction paper, crayons, and paints, but now with Web/School 2.0, they can unleash their creativity with various programs that enable them to create their own digital storybook. 

As schools become immersed with School 2.0, traditional teaching methods and attitudes will have to change.  School 2.0 will translate into teachers once again becoming the students in order to educate themselves on present technology and their relevant applications to education and learning.  School 2.0 will also require educators to be dedicated lifetime learners in order to keep abreast of the emerging technologies and their relevancy to education.

I have to admit I was a bit overwhelmed myself when exploring and discovering all of the various sites, applications, and opportunities available to teachers.  Then I was reminded of the old saying: How do you eat an elephant?  One bite at a time.  So as we all embark on this journey of learning about new technologies and maybe adjusting our own attitudes towards the "T" word (technology), let's all remember to do it one byte at a time. :-)