Where does one begin to write the end? I guess we have to go back in time to the first workshop with Mark where most of us were inexperienced users of the numerous web tools that were introduced to us over the period of this course. When told that we have to create a blog as part of our on-going assessment, I must admit that I thought it was relatively easy. However, I soon found out that embedding links, videos and images required the grasp of technology far more than what I knew. Personally, I feel that blogging is useful as I am 'forced' to read up on relevant articles and view videos before making a posting. This had led me to be better informed on the world of technology today. The only drawbacks on blogging for me is that the Blogger platform is not entirely user-friendly. I've experienced troubles posting a blog entry, where I had to type EVERYTHING from scratch to fonts and font sizes acting up.
I've created yet another Storybird (I love it!) to summarize my thoughts on this course.
Blogging on your own thoughts and experiences is beneficial. However, I feel that making a comment on two other blog posts each week is rather time consuming, especially when we have a whole load of assignments (with numerous parts) to complete as well. As I am overloaded with units this semester, it is a greater challenge for me to stay on top of things and I can only hope that I have managed to do so.
Now that the official blogging requirements are over, I may still continue to post an entry from time to time on things that I come across in my teaching career or any particularly outstanding incidents. Though, I'll probably make a Storybird or a Vodcast out of it, instead.
For the past few weeks we have experimented with numerous web 2.0 tools and learnt how to incorporate them into our curriculum. No longer is the World Wide Web merely seen as a place to obtain information passively but has now progressed to be a social and interactive web where users can collaborate with one another effectively. Digital technology has advanced to great heights and is looking to further itself in time to come.
Web 3.0 or Intelligent Web is already being fined tuned as you read this post. In time to come, web 2.0 as we know it is going to be a thing of the past. It is the next step of the evolution of the Internet, keeping in mind that the only constant in Life is change. So why it is termed as the Intelligent Web?
Inventors are looking to fine tune the web to suit each individual user. Search engines will know who you are and what information you seek.
- John Battelle (2005)
"Imagine the ability to ask any question and get not just an accurate answer, but your perfect answer - an answer that suits the context and intent of your question, an answer that with eerie precision is informed by who you are and why you're asking"
The video above clearly shows the transition into web 3.0. Its about moving away from the concept of the Internet being in a computer to it being in everyday objects. What web 3.0 promises is a more personalized, faster method of search that is tailored to our needs. This is definitely beneficial as we can safe tons of time sifting through pages and pages of irrelevant web search results.
In time, students who are exposed to web 3.0 will benefit greatly. Web tools such as M-learning and Virtual worlds are an asset to education. If used appropriately, these tools will allow students to gain amazing experiences. Virtual worlds allow the recreation of global art galleries and consist of links to various virtual art/books/podcast sites. Students will have access to places in history thanks to these virtual worlds. This interactive learning environment allows conferences and meetings to take place from the comfort of your own home, as long as you have a good Internet connection.
In my opinion, virtual words and M-learning will be relevant to higher education. Teritary institutions will benefit greatly by utilizing such tools as students are old enough to handle such technology and will be able to navigate around them with ease. That being said, students at the early years should be exposed to these tools as well. There should be sufficient scaffolding provided so that they are not left behind in this ever changing world.
I have finally conquered yet another web2.0 tool!! Its not perfect but hey, at least I am able to do make sense out of it and am satisfied with the results. Delicious.com is really useful to have all your various web pages under one folder, so as to speak. The 'bookmark' function is pretty easy to use. I had to do abit of searching, however, to find the embedding code to post the tag cloud onto my blog. Hopefully, I can master this tool in time to come!
This is my maiden attempt at creating a digital story via the storybird site. I must say it was alot of fun! I've based this story on the topic of magnets, which I'm teaching to my Year 1 group on thursdays.
“Getting information off the Internet is like taking a drink from a fire hydrant.”
- Mitchell Kapor
This quote has alot of truth in it, in my opinion. I do find it rather difficult at times to get accurate information from a credible source on the Internet. The situation becomes worse, when I have no prior knowledge on the information I'm seeking, because there is just SO much data available out there on the World Wide Web.
This era of globalization has created a large shift towards accessing the Internet for obtaining any information and conducting research. As such, web users are no longer merely accepting information passively, but are actively being engaged in the process of sending and receiving information through the creation of numerous websites that allow users to upload and download data almost instantaneously, without comprehending the validity of the content. Thus, there becomes a problem of information overload and the risk of misinformation as users become dependent on the various web tools. As mentioned in my previous blog entries, it falls on the responsibility of the user to filter data and only seek/receive information that is needed.
The cartoon above shows how such young users are able to get information at the tip of their fingers. It must be mentioned that information overload is not limited to the Internet. In fact, it comes from all types of media. The main problem of being overload with information is that we pay partial attention to everything and full attention to nothing. Linda stone, who coined the term, 'Continuous Partial Attention' argues that people need to know when to switch off/tune down the flow of information as we lead very stressful lifestyles that continuously demands our attention, taking away time from our families. It becomes crucial that young users of the web are taught how to manage the overflow of information that they come across on a daily basis as it may be rather overwhelming.
Folksonomies are a social bookmarking tool. Its a filter tool that allows users to share websites related to a topic by classifying, collaborating and managing content. Tagging, which is one of the defining characteristics of Web 2.0 services, allows users to collectively classify and find information. Some websites include tag clouds as a way to visualize tags in a folksonomy such as Delicious.com. I have created my first ever tag cloud using another famous website, Wordle.net and its now up on the left tool bar! The extensible, adaptable structure and non-linear presentation of folksonomies allows it to be a great tool in education. Teachers can incorporate this web 2.0 tool in their curriculum as it allows students to navigate various sites that has been pre-chosen by the teacher (no complications of misrepresentation of data) and complete set tasks, like quizzes and blog entries.
Christie Keeler’s Social Studies Links is an example of how folksonomies is useful in education. I found this rather eye-opening and have been inspired to create a delicious account, myself!
This acronym stands for 'Really Simple Syndication'. It is a way to easily distribute a list of headlines, update notices, and sometimes content to a wide number of people. It is used by computer programs that organize those headlines and notices for easy reading. Most newspapers around the world have an online RSS feed where users can subscribe to various sections of the paper. They then are able to receive updates automatically to their designated email/blog accounts without having to access the main website where the information is coming from. An example of this can be seen on the right tool bar of my blog. I have successfully managed to subscribe to the 'Breaking News' column of the West Australian newspaper. This is so beneficial as each time I log into my blog, I am aware of the current news affair in Perth and beyond as it is updated automatically.
RSS feeds can be useful in education because it customises content. The information given can be pre-selected by teachers and thus can be targeted to a particular chapter of a topic. RSS feeds are also useful in helping teachers to syndicate blog posts as many educators are using blogging as a creative literacy tool which helps students learn writing and reporting skills while understanding how to use technology. Teachers can also use RSS feeds to share resources and quality websites ( social bookmarking) with their colleagues. RSS feeds, in my opinion is a tool to embrace. Not only does it allow you to be up to date on your selected preferences of information, it also is a great ICT tool to incorporate in classrooms. It also aids professional development between educators.
I shall end this week's post with this video that I happen to come across while surfing on YouTube. Its yet another example of how much information is available through the Internet and how overwhelming it can be when you stop to think about the quantity and quality of information you are receiving. At the end of this video, I was so amazed by the content that I had to check out the credibility of it. And to my surprise, most of the information given is in fact, true. Be prepared to be blown away! :)
Though Internet came about in 1969, the World Wide Web only came into play in 1991. Since then, there was been a rapid shift from web1.0 to web 2.0 platforms. The Internet is no longer only restricted for gathering of information and passive surfing. Over the years, it has evolved adopting a learner-centered approach. Due to the high percentage of social interaction conducted over the web these days, it is impossible to ignore the risks that comes along with it.
The web can be a fun and interesting tool to many but it is crucial to know the downside of it too. As pre-service teachers, we have the added responsibility to not only be cautious for ourselves but also for the well-being of our students. With millions of users, the Internet has now become a one-stop paradise for storing/gathering/creating various kinds of information. Students need to be consciously taught that not all of these information is reliable, either are all users they interact with, trustworthy.
When speaking, posting content or meeting people online, young users need to be aware that there are some risks involved. The most significant online dangers for young users include; online stalking, cyberbullying and grooming. When web tools have been used to deliberately harm/provoke/exploit young users of the net, the user is in danger. When such incidents takes place in a school environment or to a student, inevitably, it becomes the responsibility of the school and its teachers to deal with the issue.
Tell-tale signs such as; unexplained changes in behaviour, reluctance to talk to teachers, changes in computer/phone use, thoughts of suicide or self-harm are an indication of online dangers affecting students. One of the main strategy to overcome online dangers would be for young users to learn NOT to disclose their personal information on the net. Home addresses, mobile numbers and other private details should remain private.
Videos such as the one above, are easily available for teachers to use to educate young users on cyber safety. It can also help someone who is currently being bullied to have the confidence to confide in a parent/teacher.
For the past few weeks, we have been introduced to many new web 2.0 tools. Along with these, new terminologies came about. One thing that remained constant when discussing any web tools is the importance of Information Literacy (critical literacy).
Each user of the World Wide Web needs to be able to distinguish accurate information from a range of data available. They need to not believe everything that comes up on their computer screen. Due to the increasing number of young users of the Internet, it has become vital for schools to educate their students on
"When and what information is needed, locate and obtain it from a range of sources and evaluate, use and share it with others”
- Overarching Outcome 3, Curriculum Framework, p. 21
Young users need to acquire skills on how to analyze information presented online and not just accept it as gospel truth. As there is a global demand for information technology, today, it has become vital for educators to incorporate this into their curriculum. That being said, ICT in the classroom is not as easy as assigning students to do research on projects using the Internet. We need to teach young students on how to question the origin of the information they find online. Students need to know how to look at the source of any data they find on the web. Where has it been posted? Who is the author? By asking such key questions, students are able to critically analyze the accuracy and authenticity of the information. Students also need to have a base line of knowledge to compare what they read online with. Thus, before assigning work on the Internet, educators have to ensure that students have prior knowledge on the topic, so that they are able to narrow their searches. These skills of information literacy should be taught to users as soon as they are able to read and write.
A user who is not equipped with information literacy skills may navigate the murky waters of the web to his detriment. As there are few gatekeepers guarding the authenticity of information found online, the responsibility falls on each user to assess online material. Search engines are only useful when we know what we are looking for. It is futile to type in generic terms into a search engine and rely on the hierarchy of the results page to give an accurate finding. Google search engine for instance, is a great tool to look for information, provided you have a base line of knowledge on what you are looking for. It is well-known that the Google results page is based on a popularity contest. Thus, the top website featured may or may not provide accurate information. It is not is the user’s best interest to use Google’s ranking system as a bench mark for reputable information.
I find the video below very informative on this topic;
Before we begun 'clicking away' into the countless web pages of information found online, we need to be responsible users of the web. Information literacy is not merely having the skill to spot a bogus website from a reputable one. It is about having prior knowledge on any information before looking to seek in depth data from the web. The objectivity of the article, the relevance of the information, the source/origin of the data are some of the key elements to analyze when doing online research. It is crucial for young users to learn these skills.
