Week 3 Reflection

“So much technology, so little time” [Allen, S. LIS 703 podcast].

So true! As I spent the week perusing the plethora of Web 2.0 tools and technologies presented and considered their educational uses, one thought kept recurring: If teachers are going to incorporate these tools, they need to do it right. This will require ongoing professional development, training, time, support (funding and support staff), and a teacher who is dedicated to the effective implemention of technology in the classroom. Adding Web 2.0 technologies for the “bells & whistles” may not enhance learning, but may actually detract from the student's learning experience. Educators need to effectively design their courses with learning objectives at the forefront, and then determine how to use Web 2.0 tools effectively to meet these objectives. Technologies should be applied only after the learning outcomes have been established.

Learning how to do it right will involve more professional development for educators, which is a major challenge for many school districts. According to a twelve-year old report from Rosemary Bell, North Central Regional Educational Laboratory (1997), “Appropriate funding and professional development represent the key means of supporting equitable access and use of technology to ensure technology literacy and to support meaningful learning for all students.” (See : http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/technlgy/te400.htm).

Web 2.0 technologies offer us a way to enhance learning--creating an interactive community of participatory learners, but only if the right tools and applications are chosen.