At the start of this week, I was a bit worried about completing the main assignment. Though now that I have made it to the end of the module, I realize it was not as difficult as I thought it would be. Perhaps it was hearing all the directions at first that somehow heightened my affective filter, or perhaps it was just thinking about the vastness of what I do not know about technology that started me along the worry path. What I realize now is that the activity was manageable and also that I have used more of the Web 2.0 tools than I originally thought. Once I saw the lists and the variety of the tools, I found many that I was familiar with and some that I had even incorporated into my own teaching.
During the past year, I began using a few different Web 2.0 tools. For example, I used Poll Everywhere both as a "hook" with a polling question at the start of the lesson and also as a polling question with a word cloud at the end of a significant piece of learning. This, of course, took place in a classroom face-to-face setting, not online; however, I could see how this tool could work in an online or blended course so that students respond before coming to class. For example, students could respond online to a poll question before reading or watching a video and then reflect online on the results of the poll. They could also take a poll to help stimulate an idea and then bring the results of the poll into the online discussion forum to stimulate group discussion on a topic. These types of learnings could require students to analyze a situation, reflect on a variety of ways that they might respond, and then justify their response to varied topics, such as effective pedagogy or classroom management. Students could also critique each others' actions. This type of interactive learning would challenge students to be reflective, which is an objective at the core of our teacher preparation classes and also think about appropriate instruction.
To ensure success with using Poll Everywhere to stimulate reflection and analysis, I would want to make sure that students know how to respond to the poll. Although there are directions on each of the slides, I have found that more mature students struggle with the technology. I would want to detail a step-by-step "how to" respond to the slide to make sure there is no confusion. Another challenge that I could imagine is that students are not sensitive in their comments of disagreement on a discussion forum. Thus, I would want to set up discussion forum norms in advance and make sure that students know how to disagree in ways that are acceptable. It is also important that the person on the receiving end of suggestions is not defensive and that they are open to ideas from their peers, Again, discussion norms are critical. Assessment would also need to be clear and, just as we have been given succinct and clear rubrics in this class, I would want to do the same so that students know the expectations before they begin any kind of assignment.
Knowing and experimenting with the Web 2.0 tools myself is most important. I need to make sure that I have played with the tools so that I know what potential difficulties students may experience. I am impressed with the amount of tools available and actually excited to try more. In one class I am teaching in the fall, students use mind maps on a regular basis. I have heard about Creately before but have not used it until this week. This is another tool that I plan on incorporating into my student assignments. These tools are not "add-ons" but rather enhance the instruction and deepen conversation. It appears that this is the premier way to use Web tools to harness learning.
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