Bit By Bit

Reflection on:

Overcoming Obstacles
“No Teacher Left Behind - The Urgency Of Web 2.0”

Graham Wegner

I really enjoyed this workshop because it hits upon my “inner-panic” of urgency that I’ve felt for a while with what’s happening with technology and its inclusion (or lack of) into education. Several things really struck me from the presenters. The question that Graham puts forth (“Why is Web 2.0 Important for Educators?”) is a query that we will have to wrestle with for years… or at least until the “Tipping Point” has been reached. At times, it feels like an uphill battle and that it is indeed moving too fast for the majority of teachers to embrace (the “Not-Another-Thing-On-My-Already-Too-Full-Plate” syndrome).

Mark Ahlness really nailed it when he said, “Teachers need to be leaders, not reactors.” I think that, at least “on paper”, most teachers would agree with that; but what I fear is that Web 2.0 tools are still seen more as “something extra”, rather than an incredibly powerful approach to achieve what we’ve been working toward for years. As Greg Carroll noted, many Web 2.0 tools are going to be in line with many students’ learning styles. Doug Noon talks about how “kids need to take part in their creation”, which highlights a constructivist approach. Jo McLeay points out the benefit of people becoming better communicators and that students are more engaged.

On a daily basis, I see people who are afraid of the technology, and either hide from it or adamantly resist it. Unfortunately, the need for us to ask “Why is Web 2.0 important for educators?” accentuates one of the major barriers: that people see it as a discussion of technology rather than practice. Perhaps the question should be: “Why is Best Practice (i.e., integrated curriculum, learning styles, constructivism, etc.) Important for Students?” I see teachers embrace that discussion on a daily basis. It is in that conversation, perhaps, where we can offer these Web 2.0 tools as a powerful route to achieve those goals. Let us first talk about the learning, then offer the tools.

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