I think in order to think about the impact of Web 2.0 in the future, I have to think about it’s role, or lack thereof, in the past. The first time I remember really using the computer was in elementary school to play the game Oregon Trail. It was the first time I had ever used the computer to learn something in school. My family didn’t have a computer until I was in high school, which was the time when the internet was becoming more popular. It wasn’t weird that we didn’t have a computer before that…none of my friends had them either until that time. We, of course, had dial up…which was really slow, but I didn’t know anything different. I would mainly email and chat with people from all over the world. I thought I was pretty advanced. My high school computer class mainly taught me how to type. I don’t remember ever getting on the internet during school. Research was always done from books, articles, or magazines the library had there.
In high school, none of my friends had cell phones…some of them had pagers, which I thought was pretty advanced. My dad bought me a car phone when I went off to college, but I was only allowed to use it for emergencies. College was the first time I researched papers from the internet. It was amazing and fast. It completely changed the way I found information. I also completed my first powerpoint presentation in a technology class my freshman year.
After college, I became familiar with blogs, videos, web pages, etc. I didn’t utilize blogs or instant messaging. Honestly, even today I don’t enjoy spending a ton of time on the computer. Last year, I opened up a Facebook page, which I have enjoyed. I use it about once or twice a month. I have blogged, opened up a wiki page for my class, and sent text messages.
There is still so much I don’t use. It has at times been intimidating because I see my students doing things I don’t know how to do. This year, I decided to use it to my advantage. I assigned a wiki assignment and decided I would use the opportunity to learn from them. I actually found I knew more than I originally thought.
I hope to use this class as opportunity to boost my confidence and show me exatly what it means to be a teacher in the 21st century. I think it requires taking risks and changing the way we do things. It might require more work and training and I have to ask myself if I’m willing to do what it takes. Somtimes, it seems easier just to do what I’ve been doing, but at the same time my conscience tells me I’m not doing my job if I’m not preparing my students for the future.
As fast as things are changing, can we ever properly prepare them? I think the answer is yes. We have to teach them to experiment as well. We have to teach them how to take risks. So, when they enter their high schools, colleges, and professions, they will continue to step out and try new things. We have to teach them to be willing to continue their learning in order to succeed and improve themselves.
