I chose to read TechLearning Web 2.0: A Guide for Educators, Tech Learning Best Practices, and the 2008-Horizon Report. In these three articles I learned many things about today's children and the teaching methods that are being used. Everyone knows that it is the 21st century and there is a lot more technology around to be used in the classroom compared to the past. However, do the students know more about the technology than some teachers? This technology and the internet in general influences today's society as well as classrooms. Many schools are changing to digital textbooks, incorporating iPads into the classroom, and virtual forums are also popping up in some. According the the Horizon Report, there are six new emerging technologies. The top two are known as grassroots video and collaboration webs.
I agree that children today are much more technologically savvy than in the years before. Therefore, as teachers we must be able to keep up with their learning to teach them what they need. Many children already know more about computers, the internet, and iPads than most of the older teachers in our school systems now. Therefore, I believe that it is important that we are learning these Web 2.0 tools now so we will be ahead in the future. By the time we graduate textbooks could be totally out of the system and every classroom may have a set of iPads. These tools will be of good use to us when this does happen. I feel that I will be well prepared for this change.
To me School 2.0 means a technological advancement in education. I believe that it is all the upgrades needed to improve education. We need these advancements to stay ahead, and if we do not have these "tools" then we could fall behind other countries, states, counties, even other schools in your county in the future. As a teacher you want what is best for your students. Therefore, you must be willing to learn these tools because when your students are adults it may be helpful to them. I look at it like a "domino effect". I believe what is not taught and learned now, in the future there will be a disadvantage to those who did not learn it in the past.
I think that your definition for School 2.0 was right on the money. I love technology and the options that come along with it, but I do have one issue. As I have come further into this semester I am being reminded of activities that I did in school. Now there are digital ways to do the same lessons. I have a very strong nostalgia for the hands-on, "old-school" activities, but our students need to learn how to use technology for more than just personal use. They need to learn practical and professional applications for the technology around them, but how far do we take that? WIll construction paper, scissors, and glue sticks become obsolete? I sincerely hope not.
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