What's the answer please or, is it a rhetorical question?

There's no doubting it - I love Web 2.0 and the potential it holds for learning....... small glitch however......... what about related cyber-safety issues? A colleague just blogged about coming across a blog that was incredibly distasteful. She had found herself there simply by clicking onto the words 'next blog' at the top of her own blog. She was shocked at what she saw and horrified at the possibility that this situation could so easily have occured within a classroom environment.

Of course, students are going to navigate around whatever tools/ sites we open up to them for exploring but, how do we (in fact, can we) give guarantees to parents and carers that their children won't be exposed to incredibly unsavoury content? "Oops, little Johnny Smith clicked onto that x rated content by mistake" just isn't going to wash (and, nor should it).

Of course, we need to teach students about cyber-safety issues - in my colleague's case, she is aware that she could have then clicked the 'report abuse' button. Equally, a student could be taught to do the same - but what about the possible harm viewing such images may cause? In this case they were disturbing enough for my colleague, an adult - but, what about a child? Once on screen, 'the damage is done' so to speak.

So I ask you all...... what's the answer please or, is it a rhetorical question?

Glogster EDU

I was just reading a colleague's blog regarding his experience of exploring Glogster EDU and thought I'd post a slide show (see below) that outlines what it's all about. It's a fabulous tool for fostering higher order thinking skills as outlined in Andrew Churches' article Blooms Taxonomy Blooms Digitally. Go on ....... give it a go ........ it's loads of fun!

Glogster EDU Education 2.0

Check out this SlideShare Presentation:

Glogster EDU Education 2.0

View more presentations from glogster.

Food for thought.......

I just finished watching the following clip 'A Brave New World-Wide-Web' which Helen highlighted on her Rampantred Weblog. It provides 'food for thought' as it highlights the perceived differences between teachers that do and, those that do not, integrate technology into their pedagogical practices. A question worth considering is 'where are you at the moment in your journey through A Brave New World-Wide-Web?' - personally, I'm just at the beginning.....

PS: You may need to be a bit of a speed reader to keep up with the pace that the text appears on screen!

Elephants in Ngorongoro Crater

Elephants in Ngorongoro Crater
Originally uploaded by geoftheref

Gentle giants of the Savannah - not the least bit worried about the integration of Web 2.0 tools into pedagogical practice - what a life!

I had written in my Module 10 post that I would keep this blog going and thought I would start by outlining how the little school I work at is approaching and implementing our learnings from this course.

I have to say that we have been very blessed to have the support of a wonderfully talented CEO adviser, Scott, who is really helping to generate enthusiasm amongst the staff that are participating in this course. Just in the past couple of weeks, Scott has facilitated several sessions with both teachers and students on podcasting which has allowed students from Years 1-6 to create their own podcasts on content they have been covering this term in class.

For many teachers, integrating technology can prove daunting. We worry about things going wrong - and fair enough. We worry about not being an expert on all those fabulous Web 2.0 tools out there that just keep increasing in number at such a fast rate. If that's not enough, there's the latest press that poses questions such as "Can a teacher be a good teacher without using technology" and "Are teachers who are not integrating technology doing their job?" - see David Warlick's blog 2c worth. When this isn't an area you're feeling really confident in it can all get a little overwhelming and it's easy to put it in the 'too hard basket'. Personally, I don't believe that answers to these questions are black and white. What's important is having staff who are willing to 'get their hands dirty' and explore some of the available technology. That's just one of the great things about the staff at the school I work at - they're always so prepared to give things a go and, usually, with a magnificent sense of good humour!

Next week at our staff meeting we'll be working together to match the latest International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) profiles by student age group to the Web 2.0 tools we have available to us. Then we'll be looking to see where each fits in with a digital version of Bloom's Taxonomy. The aim of the exercise is to create a starting point for integrating technology into our current school scope and sequence. Of course, this will remain a dynamic exercise as our knowledge and understanding of technology keeps evolving.

Wish us luck!

Now that Web 2.0 is over!

Now that I've finished the Web 2.0 course it's time to focus on The Ashes. Enjoy your taunt Barmy Army while you can..... because it will be Australia singing the victory song! (see You Tube clip).