I need to continue a thought I started in the Nicenet threaded discussion on 5970. Hmmm. I wonder if I can link directly to that thread here:
Conferencing Topic: How is 5970 going?
Here's the deal: I want to incorporate everything I'm learning in 5970 in my classrooms, but I know that it would both be near impossible and possibly stupid to attempt to do so. It's fine in the context of this course to sample all these technologies, because we are participating in meta-education: we are learning technology so that we can use the technology in our own classrooms. It's not like Allen is expecting us to experience each of the technologies we are learning each week. (At least I hope not.) I just don't think it's a good idea to try to do the same thing in our classes.
I think the first thing I would have to do is decide is what I want the central technology of my classroom to be: a class website? student blogs? a class wiki? a threaded discussion site? Then I would have to match up my objectives of the course with the tools that technology offers. If there are gaps, then I would add a new technology to fill in those gaps. No gaps? Then there is no need for a new technology.
The answer to this question is probably different depending on if you are talking about K-6, 7-12, or college. You need different tool sets when you have students most of the day every day versus part of the day every day versus only a few hours a week.
Above all, student buy-in is essential to creating a meaningful experience. If I decide that my students need to both participate actively (daily) in threaded discussion and keep their blog up to date (weekly?), then I need to demonstrate how those two activities are accomplishing two very different tasks. If I can't demonstrate this, then I should seriously considering using one technology and not the other.
Finally, I think it is important to get student feedback throughout the semester. If a project isn't working, there is nothing wrong with altering the project, dropping the project, or melding the project with another project.
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When I plan a class, I don't usually think about what the ideal TOOLS would be... it's absolutely something that I'll consider more in the future. That's probably why I have trouble trying to get my students to participate in outside threaded discussions... if I'm not tying it into the class and making clear my objectives for using this technology, they're gonna know, and they're not gonna buy into it.
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