Module 10

Wikis

I like wikis I think they embrace the collaborativeness of web 2.0.  Wiki sites like wikispaces allows a teacher to create a wikki, it can become an online forum for sharing knowledge.  The students are able to edit, and add to the information and teachers are able to see who wrote what.  Wikis also provide a very easy website for teachers to use to share information with their students and other teachers.  I agree with Suzanne Blain who in her blog wrote “A good site, constantly updated by the class teacher, can provide a rich source of information to the student”  Although it requires a lot of work, if students are keen and the teacher is motivated wikis can be great for encouraging student learning and collaboration

Nings   

I have to admit when I first read about nings in this module I thought of the song” in the ning nang nong where the cows go bong and the monkeys all go boo”  I had never heard of a ning in the context of social networking. 

From my explorations it seems to cost to use nings themselves (although you can sign up for a free 30 day trial).  It seems to me that nings are an educational version of facebook.  I think that they have their place for professional discourse but it is unlikely that I would use them in the primary classroom.  Tools like wikis and blogs provide the teacher with greater control than nings seem to. 

How can Web 2.0 assist in improving learning outcomes for all students?

This is a big question!  I think Web 2.0  can help capture the interest and learning styles of a range of students.  I think by utilising Web 2.0 tools more students will be able to participate and be engaged in learning.  If students are more engaged in learning it is likely that they are absorbing and thinking more about the content.  And, thus hopefully will gain a better understanding of the content.  Web 2.0 adds more tools to a teachers repertoire of teaching and learning strategies.  It allows teachers to cater for the individual needs of students eg by providing podcasts of audio books.  It facilitates collaboration eg by using wikis and google docs.  It can help appeal to the different learning styles eg glogster, bubble.us, podcasts, vodcasts.  It can allow students to learn when they want and how they want.   Web 2.0 can allow students to learn at their own pace.  Most of all Web 2.0 can help all students improve their learning outcomes.