Web 2.0 in the Classroom

What is Web 2.0?

Davies and Merchant describe Web 2.0 as "textually mediated social practice".  This is when the internet is used as not simply a source of one way information, but when it is used in interaction with other people.  Reading a blog post, for example, is not considered a web 2.0 activity, however it is if you are actively engaging with what you have read and are leaving comments for the writer and other readers to see. Web 2.0 sites allow users to collaborate ideas and share their thoughts, experiences, and perspectives on issues.

 How can we use Web 2.0 in the classroom?

It is not enough anymore for students to be asked to read a text and memorize it. Education is now making a turn toward incorporating learning strategies that require students to be collaborative and asks them to interact with the information they are reading, instead of simply absorbing it. This could mean creating a classroom blog where students are able to comment on the readings for that class, as well as other student's posts. This asks students to think about the parts of the text that stood out to them, and discuss why they are so important. It also asks students to think critically about what they are reading and to connect it to the world around them. Here they are also given the opportunity to learn from each other and see how our experiences effect the way we interpret a text. The element of collaboration that web 2.0 offers makes the student's learning experience more rich. This brings new dimension to learning that may not have been present before.

Web 2.0 Resource:

www.edmodo.com

This is a website that allows teachers to communicate with students using a medium that is professional and maintains appropriate student teacher boundaries. Teachers can use Edmodo to post schedules of when assignments are due, post links and videos for students view, and facilitate conversation where students are able to work collaboratively and post directly on each other's comments. Teachers can also use this website to assign assignments and as a place for students to submit their work to be marked.  Students like this resource because it has the appeal of a social networking site, and there is an app that they can download to communicate with the class on their phones. This makes learning more social and collaborative instead of an independent activity which is why it is considered a web 2.0 resource. 

The Edmodo website describes the strengths of this resource by saying that, "Edmodo is designed to get students excited about learning by using an environment that is familiar to them in a familiar environment. On Edmodo, teachers can continue classroom discussions online, give polls to check for student understanding, and award badges to individual students based on performance or behaviour." Another strength that this website has is that it is able to connect teachers to students, parents, and administrators so that all are informed about what the students are learning  in the classroom, and the amount each students is participating.  

The website makes it clear that this is a resource that they want school boards to adapt and bring in to every classroom, however I believe some schools may still be apprehensive of having teachers and students communicating online, even though the site is supposed to be a safe educational resource. I do personally  think that this site is a safe way for teachers and students to interact since it is similar to the "moodle" platform that some universities use, and I have not heard of any issues between professors and students in regards to using that site. Overall this may be a resource that is beneficial to bring into the classroom as it makes learning more appealing to students and gives learning the ability to happen outside of the classroom walls. It allows students to interact and share their thoughts and ideas with each other, while at the same time keeping them organized and on task. 

Sources:

About Edmodo." Edmodo. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2013. <https://www.edmodo.com/about>.
Davies, J. &, Merchant, G. (2009). Web 2.0 as social practice. In Web 2.0 for schools: Learning and social participation (pp. 11-22). New York: Peter Lang.