Unlearning - Education 21st Century Style
School2.0 Advocacy
Web2.0 in School2.0
I just posted this entry into the MyLearningSpace.org Ning group in response to a query about which Web2.0 tools are useful in schools.
I can't praise Diigo too much. The amazing functionality and connectivity makes it my favorite productivity and learning Firefox add-on. I guess Firefox itself would be the most useful tool. Try out Diigo, but give yourself a chance to discover all its abilities. Oh, and don't forget to join the EdTechTalk group. As much as I love Del.icio.us, I really think Diigo's got it cornered. It's essentially Trailfire, Clipmarks, Delicious, PowerPoint, PLN, right click searcher all rolled into one. If you can't let go of Delicious, just do what I do - have all bookmarks, tags and descriptions created in Diigo automatically sent there too.
Scratch is a fantastic tool for connected, project-based, learning environments. It teaches students (grades 2 to first year university students and beyond - a great way to learn with your students) how to create program scripts in a very accessible, non-tech environment. The scripts are put together like puzzle pieces and build the students' skills in logic, mathematical thinking, critical thinking and problem solving, creativity and innovation... I've seen grade 3 students create multi-player games and grade 12's create: educational, interactive, animated stories; songs; movies; and art... It was created and continually developed by The Eternal Kindergarten Group at MIT with sound pedagogy under the hood.
The Google Suite esp. Google Docs and Spreads, Picassa, Google Groups, Google Earth and Sketchup. From discussions with teachers in the "real" world (I'm in Kuwait and headed for Serbia), I understand there are countless fingers in the education pie restricting the use of these vital connected-learner tools. Believe me, we feel your pain, but can only really empathize when our broadband is down :(
Moodle is, until something better comes along, quite frankly the best way to create a fully accessible to all, Learning Community. It's Open Source which before hosting is totally free - unless you want to pay for training... It really is the future of education the way I (and many others) see it. Moodle has doubled its market share over the last 12 months! With all the problems Blackboard is going through, I would suggest getting into Moodle sooner rather than later.
Other great tools we've used with students this year: Voicethread, Podcasting, Jing, Social Networks, countless Firefox Add-ons, Youtube for user tutorials, documentaries..., Wikipedia (only we can define the collective reality objectively). For a comprehensive and visual list of all the tools we have used this year in labs and classrooms, go here.
For professional development/networking: Ning, Facebook, Skype (my wife and I video-interviewed for our next jobs - say goodbye to international job fairs), Diigo again.
The future? Students with iPhones navigating virtual field trips in Second Life, Runescape (the skills in communication, negotiation, reading and typing, mental math, problem solving, organization... that our 11 year old has developed continue to amaze me and win me over to gaming as a purpose-for-learning arena), vodcasting and podcasting at the drop of a hat...
I can't praise Diigo too much. The amazing functionality and connectivity makes it my favorite productivity and learning Firefox add-on. I guess Firefox itself would be the most useful tool. Try out Diigo, but give yourself a chance to discover all its abilities. Oh, and don't forget to join the EdTechTalk group. As much as I love Del.icio.us, I really think Diigo's got it cornered. It's essentially Trailfire, Clipmarks, Delicious, PowerPoint, PLN, right click searcher all rolled into one. If you can't let go of Delicious, just do what I do - have all bookmarks, tags and descriptions created in Diigo automatically sent there too.
Scratch is a fantastic tool for connected, project-based, learning environments. It teaches students (grades 2 to first year university students and beyond - a great way to learn with your students) how to create program scripts in a very accessible, non-tech environment. The scripts are put together like puzzle pieces and build the students' skills in logic, mathematical thinking, critical thinking and problem solving, creativity and innovation... I've seen grade 3 students create multi-player games and grade 12's create: educational, interactive, animated stories; songs; movies; and art... It was created and continually developed by The Eternal Kindergarten Group at MIT with sound pedagogy under the hood.
The Google Suite esp. Google Docs and Spreads, Picassa, Google Groups, Google Earth and Sketchup. From discussions with teachers in the "real" world (I'm in Kuwait and headed for Serbia), I understand there are countless fingers in the education pie restricting the use of these vital connected-learner tools. Believe me, we feel your pain, but can only really empathize when our broadband is down :(
Moodle is, until something better comes along, quite frankly the best way to create a fully accessible to all, Learning Community. It's Open Source which before hosting is totally free - unless you want to pay for training... It really is the future of education the way I (and many others) see it. Moodle has doubled its market share over the last 12 months! With all the problems Blackboard is going through, I would suggest getting into Moodle sooner rather than later.
Other great tools we've used with students this year: Voicethread, Podcasting, Jing, Social Networks, countless Firefox Add-ons, Youtube for user tutorials, documentaries..., Wikipedia (only we can define the collective reality objectively). For a comprehensive and visual list of all the tools we have used this year in labs and classrooms, go here.
For professional development/networking: Ning, Facebook, Skype (my wife and I video-interviewed for our next jobs - say goodbye to international job fairs), Diigo again.
The future? Students with iPhones navigating virtual field trips in Second Life, Runescape (the skills in communication, negotiation, reading and typing, mental math, problem solving, organization... that our 11 year old has developed continue to amaze me and win me over to gaming as a purpose-for-learning arena), vodcasting and podcasting at the drop of a hat...
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