Monday, August 6, 2007

Web 2.0 is exciting and will cause many changes around the world. However will it quickly become used in schools? First concern is how it fits with NCLB and the ongoing requirements for students to spit out fact or become math experts. All of that will relate to how willing the political experts are to accept change. The average student can do math with the help of computers, calculators or specific computer programs. However most testing requires paper and pencil work to answer. One exception is ACT's newer Work Keys employability test that allow students to use any technology with more emphasis on thinking and problem solving skills.

My questions are can we use Web 2.0 as a tool to help students problem solve and is it a tool for all students? We need to live and compete in a world of change, will we be able to solve all concerns facing us as a group effort on the internet? Is it all that simple? I see a movement to solve all education concerns via the computer as the "other teacher" and I believe that works well for the top 30% or so of students. It will also give us some gains in the middle level of students, but I am concerned for the lower 30%.

I will use Web 2.0 in my classroom with the understanding that each student is different and no technology is a solves all for all students. I also believe we must change how we evaluate student in the "New World"

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