Web 2.0: Enhancing Education Through Technology

I really appreciated that this article acknowledged the efforts being made by educators and administrators to adapt the process of teaching in response to the communication revolution that technology has created. It is much more involved than simply giving students computers or iPads. And though the buildings and classrooms may look similar to how they have looked for 100 years, what is happening inside in terms of learning and multimedia communication is quite different!

This articled details the efforts being made by New York's DOE to limit inappropriate online communication between teachers and students, while still allowing for constructive and appropriate use of social media in schools. It offers examples of teachers and students who had inappropriate interactions via social media such as facebook but also notes that students need to be taught to use such tools appropriately.

Over the past two years, Forsyth County Schools in Cumming, Ga., has slowly allowed some of its 34,000 students to bring their own notebooks, iPhones or other computing tools to school and connect them to the district network. By allowing students to bring these devices into school they are allowing students to be creative in the classroom by giving the opportunity. So many districts have students "shut down" when they come into the building, and using mobile devices is what students know best, we need to embrace their knowledge, creativity and abilities in the classroom.

Brandt discusses how schools in the U.S. are starting to use social media as a means to communicate effectively with the families and community.  She also discusses the regulations and policies that schools are implementing as a result.

A lot of TI Graphing Calculator activities, both user submitted and created by TI

Starting in 2013 VA will require all students to take some sort of online course in order to graduate. Taking online courses requires higher order thinking for students and teaches them valuable 21st century skills like collaboration, independence, communication and digital literacy.