The integration of blogs and wikis over the last decade has increased dramatically. It has evolved so quickly because of it's appeal to students looking to be presented with new ways of acquiring and communicating views and information to others. It has opened up so many ways to supplement teaching with a variety of uses and value that can allow instruction to be more meaningul to the student. When this happens, the teacher may experience not only a better environment for relating information, but a new sense of motivation as well.
A lot of the times, when the students are utilizing the tools to complete a given task, the teacher may also be learning right along with them. In fact, many students today know more about how to use these tools because of the advancements they grew up in. It is that connection and correlation that can create better sense of community and that can provide a more positive outlook when learning about any subject. Lastly, "because of their ease of use and rapidity of deployment, they offer the opportunity for powerful information sharing and ease of collaboration" (Boulos, Maramba & Wheeler, 2006). It is that confidence that empowers us all to further our learning process.
References:
Bolous, M.N., Maramba, I., & Wheeler, S. (2006). Wikis, blogs and podcasts: A new generation of web-based tools for virtual collaborative clinical practice and education. BMC MedicalEducation, 6(41), from http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6920/6/41.
1 comment:
It is clear, as you mentioned that quite often the teacher is learning right along side students when it comes to technology. That experience may be what keeps some veterans away from full implementation of computers in the classroom. Status quo has always placed teachers in front of students not typically beside them. Letting students take charge of their own learning may be a foreign practice that teachers may have to become accustomed to as computer technology can enhance their teaching on multiple levels.
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