How Web 2.0 has changed Education
Written on February 20, 2008 – 5:05 pm | by Shana Albert |
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Photo by chbradshaw
When I was a kid I would walk 6 miles to school in snow that was up to
here (points to his shoulders).
I remember as a young girl my Grandfather telling me stories like this. And,
when he would say this to me I would be thinking, "Thank G-d I wasn’t born
in the "old days"…. I would have had to walk to school for miles
and miles in snow up passed my head!!"
But, you know what? I think we were all born "in the old days".
I believe we all rolled our eyes at our Grandparent’s stories and we were all
pleased that we weren’t born in the "old days" and that our lives
were easier than our elders…. and, yet in time we all will become elders.
It was just yesterday I was talking with my 11 year old about writing a report.
My son was explaining to me what is involved in the 6th grade when you have
to do research for writing a report. And, I heard myself say,
"When I was in the Junior High (yes, it’s true…. they didn’t call
it Middle School back then) and I was learning how to research and write reports
we didn’t have the internet to do our research. We had to do our research
in a Library. We used a Card Catalog to determine where to find information
regarding what we were doing a report on. The Card Catalog told us what Encyclopedia,
Book, Magazine, Newspaper or Microfiche to find it in. Research took much
longer than the report itself. All my research was written out on index cards,
which was then hand written out on paper, spell checked with a dictionary
and typed out with a typewriter. The typewritten report was then double checked
and all typographical errors cleaned up with white-out and manually fixed."
My son just rolled his eyes at me. It was just at that moment it occurred to
me that I am one of them!! I am a Story Teller from
the "Olden Days".
Just like everything else from then to now…. Education has changed. The World
Wide Web changed education in the 90’s. And, Web 2.0 and Social Media has
Changed Education with the new Millennium. We now have what I’d like to call
Education 2.0.
How Web 2.0 has changed Education
Education
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Education 2.0
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- Homework - The teacher wrote homework assignments
on the board. The student would copy the homework assignments into her
daily journal to remember when she got home.
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- Homework 2.0- The teacher still writes homework assignments
on the board.
- Student uses his Cell phone to text the homework assignment to
himself to remind him later.
- Student pulls up his homework assignments on the school website
when he gets home.
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- Parents - Parents check homework. Because it has
been a long time since the parent has learned these materials herself
she reads the chapter in the textbook or goes over the child’s subject
notes.
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- Studying -
- Students used their notes, text books and Study guides to study
for an upcoming test.
- Rewrite notes to help absorb the information.
- Fellow Students pass their notebooks around with classmates to
make sure they all have the correct notes.
- Study Groups.
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- Studying 2.0 - Teachers still provide Study Guides
and textbooks to study. However, students don’t have to share notes
taken in class on notebook paper.
- Student rewrites notes to help absorb the information. But, rewrites
their notes online using a social platform, so that classmates can
share the notes…see mynoteIT
- Students chat via Instant Message to study.
- Study via school chat rooms
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- Reports -
- Go to the Library to do research.
- Card Catalog to find out where they can locate the facts and information.
- Encyclopedias, Books, Magazines, Newspapers and Microfiche.
- Make notes on Index Cards.
- Hand write report and spell check using a Dictionary.
- Type report using a Typewriter or Word Processor (90’s).
- Putting together a report from research to end takes a very long
time…. students would know a month or more in advance.
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- Report 2.0 -
- Students can do their research at home.
- Students have access to a world of information at the fingertips
via the Web.
- Podcasts, Wikis, Blogs, Vlogs, Picture and Video Sharing.
- Students have tons of software to choose from to put together
their reports…. all software has spell check to easily check the
student’s spelling without the need for a dictionary.
- Putting together a report from research to end takes a fraction
of the time as it once did.
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- Oral Reports / Public Speaking -
- Research would be the same as above (look at Reports)
- Visuals that you would want to use for your oral report would
probably be hand made using poster board, markers, glue, and anything
else a student would need to make a point using visual stimulation.
Visuals would be time using imagination and materials.
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- Oral Reports 2.0 / Public Speaking 2.0 -
- Research would be the same as above (look at Report 2.0).
- Students could get their visuals using social Media and Web 2.0
as well.
- Flickr
- Google Image Search
- Students can enter exactly what kind of visual they are trying
to put together into search to find how to make it. For example,
if you are doing an oral report on the Solar System you might enter
"how
to make the solar system" into search. Here you will find
plenty of choices of projects on how to build a solar system perfect
to use as a visual for your oral report.
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- Tutoring - If the Student’s parents felt that she
was falling behind on her studies a parent would call the teacher or
Guidance Counselor so they could locate a Tutor to help study with the
Student at School or at home.
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- Tutoring 2.0 - Tutoring no longer has to be done
at school at all. It can completely be done at home in several manners.
Tutoring 2.0 can be done via:
- Instant Message with the Tutor
- School Website during a tutoring chat one on one with tutor or
tutor with an entire Study Group.
- Online with one of the many online
tutoring groups.
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- Cheating - Unfortunately, cheating was there then
and remains in education now.
- Write answers to Quiz / Test questions on hands, jeans or soles
of shoes.
- Get a copy of the Quiz / Test.
- Pass homework around to others to see.
- Get Cliff notes of a book (instead of reading the book) to study
for a test or to do a Report.
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- Cheating 2.0 - Cheating remains, but it goes to a
whole new level of cheating.
- Text Message answers to friends
- Pre-written reports and essays found online.
- Using music players to record information
- uploading information to memory sticks.
- Emailing homework assignments to fellow classmates.
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*I do not agree with cheating. It is listed here because whether we like it
or not…. some student’s cheat. I’m simply showing how cheating has changed with
the addition of Web 2.0.
My child rolls his eyes at me as I use to roll my eyes at my parents and grandparents.
I’m sure my children will experience the same thing with their children as well.
Technology has changed so much in the 30 some years I have been around…..
how much do you think it will change in the next 30?
Technorati Tags:web 2.0, social media, education, parenting, family, kids, children
21 Responses to “How Web 2.0 has changed Education”
By brett borders on Feb 20, 2008 | Reply
Cool post on how education is evolving into something totally different than what we grew up with! I really have benefited a lot from online Learning - I learned almost everything I know about my job on the Web
By Nathania Johnson on Feb 20, 2008 | Reply
I wish this was true of my kids’ school. They’re still so far behind. I guess it can be kind of a good thing. My kids are required to use books as references for their reports.
But it would be helpful if the teachers would incorporate the internet more. It would be great for homework assignments to be posted on the web. For the most part, our district is way behind the times. It’s such a disconnect between our kids education and how digital my husband and I are.
By Paul M. Banas on Feb 20, 2008 | Reply
At first this post simply brought a nostalgic smile to my face, but as I got into your comparisons I was struck by the magnitude of the changes in education.
I don’t think if we compared education 30 years ago to education 60 years ago, we’d see the same rate of change.
Would be curious if you think all these changes are leading to stronger knowledge retention and cognitive skills among kids (i.e., these technological changes are making them smarter than their parents), or the results are the same, but the education tools are simply adapting to a different lifestyle than 30 years ago?
By Robert Clough on Feb 20, 2008 | Reply
Great post! I love the opportunities with Web 2.O education. My kids are required to complete all their homework for the week on Monday. So, Monday morning they’ll check their school website to find out how much homework they’ll have so they can tell their friends about how long it will take before they’ll be out to play.
As a parent I love it because I’m able to better answer questions my kids have by having them sit with me and look it up online. Now when asked “…is a Hyena a kind of dog? Or cat?” My answer doesn’t have to be that I have no idea. Instead the answer is “let’s find out”.
I think it is a very exciting time for both formal and informal education.
(By the way I learned Hyenas are related to neither cats or dogs but I won’t spoil the surprise everyone will find when they look it up.
By Todd Mintz on Feb 20, 2008 | Reply
Certainly, Web 2.0 is changing education. However, do I detect a certain amount of tounge-in-cheek factor in this post?
By FFB on Feb 20, 2008 | Reply
I read this as my macroeconomics HW sits next to me. The HW was listed on the college blackboard site. I had to down load a 212 page pdf to get statistical information. Later in the week I have to register to take an online quiz for the class. This isn’t an online class mind you. But the work is all posted online as well as the powerpoint presentations the teacher uses in class.
By Shana Albert on Feb 20, 2008 | Reply
@brett borders - Thank you so much, Brett. I’m glad you enjoyed my post.
@Nathania Johnson - All in good time. I wouldn’t be surprised that even the smaller school districts are caught up to Web 2.0 in the next year or so. I actually find myself envious in the fact that your school district is hanging on to “old school”. Thanks for stopping by.
@Paul M. Banas - It’s scary how fast technology in education has changed in the lasts 30 years. And, you are right…. probably much faster than 60 years b/4 that. Wow…. it’s unreal!!
@Robert Clough - Hey Robert!! Thanks for stopping by. I use Google to search answers for my older children constantly!! Thank Goodness for that…. I was a pretty good student, but I can’t remember facts from that long ago!! Oh, very interesting about Hyenas…. I’m off to check out what Hyenas are related to if not a Dog or Cat.
By Shana Albert on Feb 20, 2008 | Reply
@Todd Mintz - Yes, you might sense a bit of Tounge & Cheek…. there is a bit of that in all of my posts. I’m not sure if I know how to write without a bit of that. But, everything written in this post is genuine. Frankly, it makes me feel old.
@FFB - Wow, that is amazing. Things have truly changed since I have been out of College.
Thank you so much for leaving your comment.
By Kristen on Feb 20, 2008 | Reply
Great post Shana. I find myself saying the same things to my kids. I would like to ad that for my high schooler, one thing I like is that my son’s grades can be found on line. His math teacher has actually utilized video of lessons for extra help at home as well as downloadedable practice worksheets. It is totally awesome!
By Shana Albert on Feb 20, 2008 | Reply
@Kristen - Oh, that is awesome!! Yeah, I don’t have access to the kids’ grades online at this point, but that seems like that would be the next logical step. And, I would LOVE if my school district’s website let us check out videos of lessons and downloadable practice worksheets…. that rocks!!
Thank you, Kristen for stopping by and leaving your comment.
By marti garaughty on Feb 21, 2008 | Reply
Hi Shana, gawd… reading this post makes me feel sooooooooooooo old.
I also remember my grandfather telling me similar stories and I have distant memories of my dad sitting at the kitchen table with a mountain of coins trying to help me understand basic math when I was in elementary school.
Re “I think we were all born “in the old days”… No kidding!
The way tech constantly evolves & changes, your son’s story will probably seem like ancient history just a couple of years from now.
By pat on Feb 21, 2008 | Reply
you Pat baiter, like I won’t comment on an education post
yum I like you.
By Raman Shukla on Feb 22, 2008 | Reply
This is really cool.
With web 2.0 you look for one thing and learn 10 more new things.
It is making children more advanced.
By Reynder (eduction 2.0) on Feb 22, 2008 | Reply
Good post. I work with schools. The biggest problem is that schools themselves don’t realise that education most change.
By Kyle James on Feb 22, 2008 | Reply
This is a great analysis. Makes me feel old because we didn’t have any of those things ten years ago when I was in High School. We had computers and played around on Instant Messenger, but no Social Networking, Wikipedia, or even Google! It has been really amazing that we have created and pulled together all these tools to work more efficiently. It’s also a little scary when you step back to realize that the creation of information and data is also growing exponentially.
By Lex G on Feb 23, 2008 | Reply
Man, things have changed quickly … While reading your points I got the same feeling that I got while reading the book called “the Long tail” by Chris Anderson… There were a few paragraphs in there which described today and ‘the old days’ in a similar way …
makes me feel old … dang !
By Derrick Kwa on Mar 3, 2008 | Reply
One thing, though.
It seems to me that a lot of it is about the students changing. The students are learning new technologies, and making use of them. But the system isn’t changing much.
And I think that’s the big challenge for education now. The system has to move with the times.
By pravish on Mar 5, 2008 | Reply
Wow really really cool
Loved it very much,,,,,,,,,,
Well wat about WEB 3.0 ???
Any Guess ??
By Nathan Ketsdever on Apr 3, 2008 | Reply
Except in the case of the middle class and affluent, Education 2.0 is not a reality. The digital divide is still very much with us.
I wonder if as Dan Pink projects that Education 2.0 will push in the direction of games and simulation (perhaps ala Second Life)
Great post…