Web 2.0 Tools in the Classroom

Web 2.0 tools are something I use nearly every day in my life. This week, I celebrated the Hindu festival Maha Shivarati and I immediately went to Wikipedia to learn more about it. Wikipedia is great for when anyone is looking for a broad understanding of a topic. While it is certainly not the most reliable source, it can provide basic information that is quick to access and easy to edit. Other Web 2.0 tools such as social bookmarking are prevalent in today’s society. My two favorite social bookmarking websites are Pinterest, which allows for the bookmarking of any website with an image, and Hukkster, which allows me to bookmark clothes and then notifies me when they are on sale. These websites help me organize my favorite recipes and websites and then share them with my friends. I would probably argue that I use Web 2.0 tools multiple times throughout the day, and they clearly permeate many different aspects of my life.

Today’s education is impacted almost daily by Web 2.0 tools. As I mentioned earlier, I often go to Wikipedia in order to learn more. Students these days may not go to the library and use an encyclopedia, but they will quickly turn to Wikipedia to gain knowledge about a topic. However, this is highly questionable, since encyclopedias contain accurate and researched information, while wiki websites such as Wikipedia allow for constant revision by any user. Thus, teachers have to instruct their students on proper ways to conduct academic research. However, wiki sites can also be highly useful to teachers who seek to have multiple students contribute to the same website. As accessibility to computers and internet increases, Web 2.0 tools will become more used in the classroom.

Even today as I was looking through Facebook I came across a friend of mine who posted about copyright images and blogging. The author explained her side of the story-she had an image saved on her computer which she thought would work perfectly for her post. She didn’t have time to research and gain permission, so she used it and forgot about it, until she received a letter from the host of her blog informing her about her illegal use. The blogger goes on to explain how she was able to contact the original artist and apologize and how the two were able to become friends despite the ordeal. Now they each speak out against improper use of copyrighted images and encourage everyone to respect the works of others.

While this is only one example, it isn't the most unique. Technology allows people to create upon the works of others, but netiquette insists that we do it properly. Sampling in music, collages of artwork, and even quotes of literature can all be copyrighted and it rests on the user to insure that they are properly attributing their sources and gaining permission. If they chose to ignore this step, they face legal action and potential embarrassment or loss of content. The world will only get more and more confusing as more information is created and shared. However, it is imperative as teachers that we do our best to follow correct laws and encourage the same of our students. My fourteen-year-old brother doesn’t understand why it is illegal to torrent information, but it’s up to me and my fellow future educators to instill an understanding of copyright and legality in an online world.

On another note, teenagers also have to deal with the new threat of cyber bulling-an intense and often extremely form of verbal and mental abuse that occurs online. These students are subjected to a form of bullying that isn’t closely regulated by adults such as parents or teachers. It is important to stress to our students that they can come to us if they are ever at the receiving end of the bullying. This will allow adults to intervene before it is too late. Teachers must also stress that online bullying is hurtful, that it isn’t a simple act to do when one is bored, but that it has a multitude of consequences. Thankfully, I have never had to experience cyber bulling myself, but I worry about any student that feels they must face it alone.

Link to the article about copyrighted images and blogging: http://blogher.com/bloggers-dont-do-what-i-did-pay-attention-when-selecting-images-and-make-sure-you-have-permission-us

The MAPping activity is meant to teach students about the importance of analyzing online sources. In middle school, I was exposed to these same websites and taught the importance of critically analyzing all online sources since anyone can write anything they want online. Ever since then, I have been wary of using online sources that are not certified as peer-reviewed articles. While I may consult Wikipedia or Google for basic information regarding a topic, I only use scholarly sources when trying to accurately learn about a subject. I access scholarly sources through online databases such as EBSCO or by using sites such as Google Scholar. I find that by using scholarly sources I avoid using inaccurate information. I have also been exposed to the different search engine techniques we learned today. It astounds me how complex a search can be in order to return the correct information.

I will continue to search in the same way that I always do. I plan to show these websites to my students in order to encourage them to search in the way I do. Since I know how to properly search the internet in order to return scholarly and accurate information, I will hold my students to high standards with regards to online sources. While they may be able to use any website for their other courses, I will require that they only use scholarly information. I will probably also encourage my students to use the search engine Bing since you can get reward points for using it. I enjoy using Bing and I often get free pizza as a result!

In conclusion, I did not find this activity very helpful for myself since I have already been exposed to this information in different courses and workshops. However, it is one that I will probably use with my students in my future career. I find that activities like these are very helpful for students who are just learning about how to find scholarly sources for their work. I know that many libraries have workshops covering this information in order to encourage students to use the online database. I hope to instill the same high standards that I have for online sources in my students so that they will be successful in their future endeavors just as I have been throughout my academic career.