Wks 21/22 A1 Stepping over the edge

As part of the first activity of weeks 21/22 we were asked to read a chapter of  Stepping over the edge:the implications of new technologies for education by Gráinne Conole.

This was an interesting read which I mostly agreed with.

Points included;

-          The difficulty in trying to classify web 2.0 technologies as they don’t fit older classifications, they can be used for a wider range and functions and they can often be integrated with other web 2.0 systems which changes their purpose.

-          Web 2.0 has led to a breakdown in boundries eg in applications ( google docs; word processing or wiki?) in individuals and communities (blogs/ social networks) and the roles of teachers and students.

Also particular issues for learning providers in a web 2.0 world

-          What is the role of systems provided by a learning provider when other, ofren superior systems are freely available to students  (eg email)

-          What are the quality, copyright and privacy issues related to user generated content?

-          Learners (and staff) not having the digital literate skills required to find filter and interprite information from such a wide range of sources

-          Do students learn more now through experiential interaction than guided steps?

-          Teachers have changed alo less than students with a small number of exceptions

-          Teachers lack the time and incentive to explore new technologies

-          The notion that teacher is expert and student is a receiver of information is out of date.

-          “To label it as a generational effect is too simplistic”

-          Academics often fail to see the benifits of web 2.0

-          Teachers can not be shown the benifits of web 2.0, they need to be useing it and emerserd in it to fully grasp its potential.

-          As the role of the teacher/ learning provider changes, what is it the student is actually paying for?