Web 2.0 Exploration

I think that both idea-based instruction and constructivism would fit well with blog use in the classroom.

Idea-based instruction focuses on using metaphors to relate to bigger concepts. A way to use a blog with this type of strategy would be to use it to further explore the metaphor and reflect on its implications toward the bigger ideas. First, they could revisit the metaphor. They could discuss how it works more in depth in relation to the concept, discussing comparisons. They could dialogue with other students in their meditation of the metaphor and share ideas back and forth. Then students could think about how that metaphor might apply to other things in the world and they could share those ideas with each other as well.

Constructivism could also fit well with blog use in the classroom. I envision a large amount of reflection, as students explore their own questions and begin to build understanding. They could reflect on and explore what they have already learned about a topic. Students would be able to reflect upon the learning process as they discover both new understandings and new questions about the world around them. They could explore ideas more fully by comparing different viewpoints with one another. The constructivist concept of engaging in dialogue to help gain understanding would be developed, as students are able to link to one anothers' blogs and comment back and forth. Because students are constructing their own learning, the ideas and reflections about the process are just as valuable as the final result. Blogging would be an excellent way of doing this.

I think that blogging would be more difficult in a didactic learning environment. In this teacher-led environment, learning is measured by the amount of material gleaned during the lessons. Students are then often required to practice whatever they have just learned. There really isn't a lot of room for reflection or the need to relate metaphors to bigger ideas. The concepts are told to the students, so the process whereby they would internalize the idea in order to construct meaning is all but eliminated. Through didactic learning, other technology could be used better such as word processors for writing papers or typing up their notes, or even the Internet for collecting resources for reports or projects. Blogs, however, would serve little purpose where there is little to no reflection or emphasis put on the process of learning itself.

Because I'm not currently teaching, I'm not really sure how blogs will fit into my classroom yet, but I do plan to include them. I am a very reflective learner, and I know that many students need to come to a better understanding of material in a way were this would be a useful tool to access. I would need to assess the availability of computers and then decide how often and to what extent that I would employ the use of blogs.

I'll just jump right into the exploration of how Web 2.0 could be used as a way to support spelling and vocabulary. I haven't even begun to think about this yet, so I'm just sort of going off the cuff here. Spelling and vocabulary are usually very practice-based. Traditionally, it is often taught by pretesting, writing or saying the misspelled words/definitions until they are memorized, and remembering them long enough for the test. Depending on the school and curriculum that may be used, it might be a necessity to work with spelling/vocab lists, pretests and post tests every week. So maybe I could use Web 2.0 to allow students to create a wiki where students compile a list of their spelling words and definitions. Using the strategies for spelling and vocab, they could each create their own page and then edit each other's pages...making corrections to the words or definitions that they already know and that were missed. They could be assigned to work with certain students. They could then look up unknown words, compare spelling and vocab, and make corrections to their own. This would still involve practice, but it would also employ the element of collaboration as well. Haha, this is really foggy in my mind right now, so I'm sure that the idea would need a lot of tweaking or maybe it wouldn't even work. But this idea of using Web 2.0 to support the learning of spelling and vocab is worth exploring further.