GUIDING EDUCATORS TO INTERNET OPTIONSOVERVIEW
The article The Educator's Guide to the Read/Write Web written by Will Richardson addresses the many different ways in which students can work together collaboratively using today's technology such as blogs, pod casting and RSS.
Collaboration is a process in which two or more people work together toward a common goal. Collaboration has always been around but in today's world the technological capabilities bring collaboration to a new innovative height. With the new capabilities of technology people can collaborate by posting to blogs where people post their own writing to their blog spot. Really Simple Syndication also known as RSS is digital technology is where you subscribe to various feeds of information that is broadcast. Thus allowing students to keep up to date instantly. The other form of innovative technology allows a group of people to add their own definition to a wiki an online dictionary or encyclopedia. The wiki can be added to by anyone, so bogus information can be added but it can also be edited so the users self-regulate to ensure the information is accurate.
All of these technology options allow students to have their work viewed. Seen by millions of other viewers and classmates. This type of technology allows students to be accountable for their work. Because of technologies variety of sources they are also accountable for their sources.Today's technology changes the face of typical collaboration. It allows student to work together without having to be in the same location. Technology today allows people to work collaboratively from anywhere.
REFERENCE POINTS
1. Blogs are a space or website where one can post their own writing for all to see. These are fairly simple and can be created by anyone and also allow the viewers to post comments to the postings.
2. RSS, pod casting and feeds are similar to home radio programs that can be distributed on the web. People can subscribe to receive various feds of information and the can be continually streamed into a file so they can have updates almost immediately.
3. Wiki's are online sources for definitions. The most famous form of a wiki today in the online encyclopedia known as Wikipedia.
4. Digital tools, the new technology tools today such as the wiki's, blogs and RSS change the face of what a write assignment may be. It's no longer simply paper and pencil assignments.
5. The read/write web challenges the traditional pedagogy by changing the traditional methods and ways of thinking. As technology becomes more advanced the old traditional methods of delivery become less relevant to real life.
6. Risks versus Benefits, the benefits of the web far out way the risks if proper use and supervision is used.
REFLECTION
This article was an eye opener. Today's students are so technology oriented that in order to make it relevant to the digital natives. Teachers must keep up with the times. We are living in a technology world and in order to keep the student engaged changes need to be made. As a teacher we must keep up. We should not only allow we should implement for students to write, post and edit with online technologyy such as blogs, wiki's and RSS. Even though the online technology poses some risks, the benefits far out way the risk especially if used properly and with supervision.
