As I continue to explore the world of Inquiry Based
Learning (IBL) the amount of materials that allow for creative instructional
lessons is seemingly limitless. Over the
last week I have been exploring the idea of incorporating Web 2.0 resources
into my classroom. Web 2.0 is, “a second
generation of Internet-based learning services that emphasize online collaboration
and sharing among users.” (Discovery Education) These resources range from simple
blogs for the students to share their thoughts, to full on video creation. What is truly exceptional about these
resources is that that they allow the students the flexibility to demonstrate
their learning in ways that are not possible with more traditional
methods. Dare I say, that gone are the
days of simply writing an essay or giving a presentation to the class.
Speaking
from firsthand experience I have used a number of these resources successfully in
my classroom. The web application Voicethread is one of
my favorite resources, because it allows those students who have difficulty
writing their thoughts down, use their voice to give their reports. Students simply upload an image and then
record themselves talking over that image.
This has proven especially successful with my ELL students who are
fluent in English but still struggle with the written part of our
language. My other new favorite is to
have my students create wiki’s for a project topic. The flexibility of the wiki allows for
students to present their information however they see fit, and also to embed a
number of other resources that would not be possible in other formats. This all leads me to the main question, why
use Web 2.0 resources for IBL?
As
I have learned, a IBL lesson must engage the student and allow them the
flexibility to explore the topic however they see fit. As they explore and learn the student must be
able to communicate their knowledge in ways that are comfortable and authentic
to the student. Today, 96% of all students
engage in social networking and 57% of teenagers create online content. (Discovery
Education)In all
honesty there is only so much flexibility in a traditional project of creating
a poster, presentation or paper. These
staples of education allow for the student to present their knowledge, but in a
very limited fashion. As I have found
from teaching, students when given the opportunity will more often than not
surprise you with what they create. By
providing them the opportunity to create a product using the Web 2.0 resources
out there, their creativity is exploited, not stifled.
This
leads me to the next burning question that I have about successfully using IBL
in my classroom. My concern is, how in
this digital age can an educator successfully use the tools available while
also staying within a school districts outdated technology policies? I teach an a very technology oriented
district that supports and encourages the integration of technology resources
into lessons. Yet, even my district
blocks a number of websites that would be beneficial to students because of
security threats. I am not talking about
threats from hacking or viruses, instead these are threats posed to my high
school students because they are posting things online. For example, Google sites and Google docs are
blocked from student access because the district cannot control the content
being posted to this resource. Youtube
is another resource that students cannot access from school, yet sometimes this
does provide valuable resources for the students to use. My fear is that a great resource will become
available, only to find that it is not supported or blocked by my
district. Which, in my opinion, defeats
the entire benefit from Web 2.0 activities and hurts the student’s chances and
opportunities for IBL lessons.
Discovery Education, . N.p.. Web. 20 Feb 2014.
<http://cdwg.discoveryeducation.com/web2.0/Web2.0.pdf>.