Classroom Internet Integration Blog

My final project for ED632, Classroom Internet Integration, utilizes Blogger.com, a free Web 2.0 tool, to create my “Classroom Internet Integration Blog” as a means of communication and discussion amongst teachers, parents, community members, and other interested outside parties. The blog is intended to cover technology topics of interest and concern in our community and schools, while at the same time time covering some new technologies and offering a forum for sharing on all these topics.

Please visit this Classroom Internet Integration Blog and become involved!

Classroom Internet Integration Blog

Posting 1: What is Web 2.0?

When you arrive at this site, you will find seven major postings, the first of which is titled, “What is Web 2.0?” Here visitors can read about Web 2.0 and its implications for us in today’s society. Three key ideas emphasized are about how we are living in exponential times, we are preparing our children for jobs that do not yet exist, and in order to create change, we must understand it for ourselves. There are three main links for further reading on Web 2.0. In addition, there are comments posted that suggest great Web 2.0 tools for educational and personal use. Visitors are encouraged to post their own comments about Web 2.0 and its tools.

Posting 2: Podcasts

The next major posting covers podcasts. This topic was chosen because of its vast applications to education, professional, and personal life. The intent is to share a wide variety of resources and information on several areas of podcasting. These include, “What is a podcast?”, “Where do I find podcasts?”, and “How do I create a podcast?”. Podcasts seem to be a great example of how these are exponential times. They are being cataloged on the Web at an increasingly growing rate. The potential for use is incredible and my hope in highlighting podcasts as a major posting on this site is to introduce, share, and grow with the ever-changing availability of podcasts on the Web!

Posting 3: Social Networking

Third, you will find out about “Social Networking on the Web”. In this section, I highlighted and modified one of my blogfolio posts that I felt captured the “risks” and “rewards” of social networking on the Web. Here visitors can click on a link to The National Institute on Media and Family to download full brochures on information that I have summarized on my site. There are comments posted that suggest and explain some social networking sites that people might want to check out.

Posting 4 and Posting 5: Subscription Websites and Free Websites

The next two smaller postings on the site cover subscription websites and free websites, mostly for educational use. Here I try to make the distinction between the two and encourage people to look for the “free” tools that they can find on the Web, but don’t discount the subscription sites. There are many more tools to share for both of these sections, it’s just a matter of time spent on continuing getting them all posted! I believe these two sections will be of particular interest to parents and teachers for sharing websites they’ve found valuable for educational purposes.

Posting 6 and Posting 7: Online Rules and Safety

Finally, the last two sections are on the topics of online rules and safety. Visitors will read about how to be good “cybercitizens” via what to do and what not to do. The website for further information on rules in cyberspace is listed. The comments following this posting provide other links for parents, teachers, and students on the topic of internet rules. Online safety covers a couple great readings on the subject and too, is followed up by comments regarding links for further information. My hope in these last two sections is to prompt thought regarding rules and safety for the internet, especially for those that may have not yet thought this through. In addition, those that have had success teaching internet rules and safety, can share their experiences and expertise.

I view this project as ongoing and usable in the future. Once more is posted for resources, more parents, teachers, and community members will be invited to become members. I learned a great deal about Web 2.0 and its resources through this project. I was also able to think about Web 2.0 in terms of our school and community needs, creating a project I believe can be beneficial to many in the future. In terms of using blogger.com, I am impressed with how the focus on just one Web tool has made it part of how I think about all that I do. I find myself continually thinking about how I can use blog integration in my curriculum and personal life. What once seemed quite “foreign”, now seems to be a daily activity!

I feel the results of my project are far better than I had expected. The few colleagues that I invited to check it out were intrigued by it, providing great feedback for me! I particularly enjoyed coming up with a project that has real life application and will be never ending! Now that I have learned much more about Blogger, I know its value, as well as its limitations, and can seek other resources for collaboration online that may be more appropriate for specific purposes. I look forward to continued work on my “Classroom Internet Integration Blog”.