Yes! These are the students I want to draw into classroom discussion. As research suggests, for example, female students are less likely to contribute their ideas in the classroom when male students dominate the conversation or there is a competitive atmosphere. For more than these reasons, however, I want to use social media as a way to engage my students in their learning.

Technology is only one of several teaching tools used in the classroom. A teacher will use Web 2.0 resources when they aptly advance students' learning goals.

I'm interested in the educational use of Twitter. I like this example in the way it balances the public nature of the social network while allowing students to express their ideas in an enclosed educational forum.

Expert content knowledge plays a central role in a teacher's ability to construct meaningful learning activities for students. Knowing what content is important, and why, directs how teachers construct self-discovery activities so that they equip students with the essential skills and concepts as students complete the exploratory task. This level of compentency allows the teacher to explain key information when students have questions, as well as allowing the teacher to scaffold learning accordingly as students sufficiently struggle to advanced in their self-directed learning. Not exclusively, however, should a teacher learn the art of creating these new kinds of learning environments. Know-how in this area is also of vital importance.

Sometimes we forget how long change takes to occur.