The Value of a Social Network? - Classroom 2.02024-03-28T19:58:36Zhttps://www.classroom20.com/forum/topics/649749:Topic:85?commentId=649749%3AComment%3A363&feed=yes&xn_auth=noSteve, I would simply point D…tag:www.classroom20.com,2009-03-21:649749:Comment:3126282009-03-21T17:58:03.950ZRoland O'Danielhttps://www.classroom20.com/profile/RolandODaniel
Steve, I would simply point David to this discussion. It's the purpose of this Ning. Are there limitations to the technology? Yes. Are there problems with David's approach too? Yes. I think the only thing we have established is that people need options, they need to work through those issues as best they can given all the variable being discussed here. I don't think the technologies are the primary point for this group, at least that's my opinion. I think the value is bringing people together…
Steve, I would simply point David to this discussion. It's the purpose of this Ning. Are there limitations to the technology? Yes. Are there problems with David's approach too? Yes. I think the only thing we have established is that people need options, they need to work through those issues as best they can given all the variable being discussed here. I don't think the technologies are the primary point for this group, at least that's my opinion. I think the value is bringing people together to discuss theory and practice and the Ning allows lots of those conversations to take place quickly (and I really like Lisa's response below).<br />
In ten years will the Ning be the technology we are using? I doubt it, but I don't know, but for now this community is providing opportunity for great discussions and sharing.<br />
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I do want to respond to the "<b>of the 65,000 school districts, damn near all of them are blocking access to the very tools the teachers need to transform their practice.</b>" point that is being espoused. I, agree, that there is a lot of blocking going on, but it's also my experience that a few practitioners can make headway into getting things unblocked when valid rationale can be supplied. I'm not justifying the practice but I am saying that there are schools in KY that now unblock Ning because of this and other communities like it. Kudos to you for providing a tool that allows educators create better social learning environments in their schools. Brandt, I feel that places wi…tag:www.classroom20.com,2009-03-21:649749:Comment:3125552009-03-21T15:19:48.635ZDaniel Bassillhttps://www.classroom20.com/profile/tutormentor
Brandt, I feel that places with high levels of organizational effectiveness probably already encourage employees/members to be part of learning communities where they can expand the range of ideas and resources that they apply to solving the problems the organization focuses on. No matter how smart the people are in an organization, their knowledge is limited by what the have learned in their life, who they know and what those people have learned.<br />
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A network like this one, expands the range of…
Brandt, I feel that places with high levels of organizational effectiveness probably already encourage employees/members to be part of learning communities where they can expand the range of ideas and resources that they apply to solving the problems the organization focuses on. No matter how smart the people are in an organization, their knowledge is limited by what the have learned in their life, who they know and what those people have learned.<br />
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A network like this one, expands the range of knowledge that can be accessed at any time to solve a problem. I'm posted a <a href="http://www.tutormentorconnection.org/LinksLearningNetwork/LinksLibrary/tabid/560/rrcid/13/rrepp/20/Default.aspx">set of links</a> that relate to this, which I hope expand the ideas that anyone reading this has for their own use. Would much of this be moot if…tag:www.classroom20.com,2009-03-20:649749:Comment:3122242009-03-20T16:20:21.568ZBrandt Schneiderhttps://www.classroom20.com/profile/BrandtSchneider
Would much of this be moot if we all worked in places that high levels of organizational effectiveness? Where teachers/students/staff reflected with each other, shared thoughts, and strategized ways to improve student learning. Where we constantly visited each others classrooms.<br />
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Instead, I fear, we are doing this virtually. "Twittering" a question rather than asking our neighbor.<br />
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Do we turn to technology (blogging or nings) because it easy, or because the traditional means of…
Would much of this be moot if we all worked in places that high levels of organizational effectiveness? Where teachers/students/staff reflected with each other, shared thoughts, and strategized ways to improve student learning. Where we constantly visited each others classrooms.<br />
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Instead, I fear, we are doing this virtually. "Twittering" a question rather than asking our neighbor.<br />
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Do we turn to technology (blogging or nings) because it easy, or because the traditional means of reflection/improvement have become so hard?<br />
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I think the percentage of users is higher than you think. While I have a high regard fo…tag:www.classroom20.com,2009-03-19:649749:Comment:3117762009-03-19T22:41:44.026ZLisa Nielsenhttps://www.classroom20.com/profile/lnielsen
While I have a high regard for David Warlick and the rest of the successful edubloggers, what they sometimes fail to acknowledge is that BLOGGING IS HARD WORK. Few educators have the time or interest to devote the amount of energy it takes to have a successful blog. Also, while the blogger benefits, the commenter's benefit pales in comparison. A social network provides equal standing for everyone, allowing all educators access to connect and have their issues addressed, instantly. Furthermore,…
While I have a high regard for David Warlick and the rest of the successful edubloggers, what they sometimes fail to acknowledge is that BLOGGING IS HARD WORK. Few educators have the time or interest to devote the amount of energy it takes to have a successful blog. Also, while the blogger benefits, the commenter's benefit pales in comparison. A social network provides equal standing for everyone, allowing all educators access to connect and have their issues addressed, instantly. Furthermore, unless you have a wildly successful blog, even if you write a provocative and/or worthy post, few people will comment. Though I have a <a href="http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/">blog</a>, when I want instant valuable answers to issues, a social network is the forum I choose. Additionally, the social network often compliments my <a href="http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/">blog</a>. I often point my readers to discussions on Classroom 2.0 to read additional thinking about the topic at hand.<br />
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Thank you Steve and all of those who contribute on Classroom 2.0. Social Networks are a wonderf…tag:www.classroom20.com,2009-03-19:649749:Comment:3115302009-03-19T11:00:19.687ZAriane Skapetishttps://www.classroom20.com/profile/ArianeSkapetis
Social Networks are a wonderful source of knowledge and a meeting place for like minded educators who can share resources with others. Ning communities such as this one can make all the difference to an educator who is just starting with web 2.0 technologies. It allows the novice blogger to view various blog posts of others and become comfortable in finding their online voice to share their ideas. I have definitely benefited from this social network and I have discovered interesting projects to…
Social Networks are a wonderful source of knowledge and a meeting place for like minded educators who can share resources with others. Ning communities such as this one can make all the difference to an educator who is just starting with web 2.0 technologies. It allows the novice blogger to view various blog posts of others and become comfortable in finding their online voice to share their ideas. I have definitely benefited from this social network and I have discovered interesting projects to get involved in. I know I will continue to be a member of this community for a long time. Let me pursue an old analogy:…tag:www.classroom20.com,2007-03-26:649749:Comment:4132007-03-26T23:29:36.417ZSteve Eskowhttps://www.classroom20.com/profile/SteveEskow
Let me pursue an old analogy: perhaps you and others here will tell me if it fits.<br></br><br></br>Let's assume that the "Assembly Line" is a well-designed and efficient technology. A moving belt, a product designed to be assembled in stages as it moves along such a belt, workers assigned specific tasks to do as the prduct comes to their section of the belt. . .<br></br><br></br>Now, in this scenario, it is proposed that the efficiency of Assembly Line can be dramatically improved if we put small computers at…
Let me pursue an old analogy: perhaps you and others here will tell me if it fits.<br/><br/>Let's assume that the "Assembly Line" is a well-designed and efficient technology. A moving belt, a product designed to be assembled in stages as it moves along such a belt, workers assigned specific tasks to do as the prduct comes to their section of the belt. . .<br/><br/>Now, in this scenario, it is proposed that the efficiency of Assembly Line can be dramatically improved if we put small computers at the station of each worker, "blend" the virtues of two splendid technologies: call it Assembly Line 2.0.<br/><br/>Distance learning--correspondence education, radio education, tv education, computer-mediated distance learning--worked, and works now precisely because the learners and the teachers and the instruction did not have to accomdodate to the rhythms and routines of the classroom, although instruction tended to be shaped (and misshaped) by the traditions and instructional practices developed in classrooms.<br/><br/>Classroom instruction, and "curricula" and the teaching practices and the "standards" developed for the school building and the classroom divert and distract the new communication technologies from what they can do well.<br/><br/>If the history is any sort of guide to the future, the marriage of the classroom and the computer will be an uneasy one, with much tension, and perhaps eventual divorce. Re: "of the 65,000 school dis…tag:www.classroom20.com,2007-03-26:649749:Comment:4032007-03-26T21:48:04.248ZClaude Almansihttps://www.classroom20.com/profile/calmansi
Re: "of the 65,000 school districts, damn near all of them are blocking access to the very tools the teachers need to transform their practice. " <br />
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In a presentation of some Web 2.0 tools at a teachers' training institute (here in Switzerland), we had foreseen to do a recording of a part of it with Studio Odeo. But the institute's firewall (?) blocked the recording. So I piggybacked an external open wireless connection, but you can't do that in regular teaching.
Re: "of the 65,000 school districts, damn near all of them are blocking access to the very tools the teachers need to transform their practice. " <br />
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In a presentation of some Web 2.0 tools at a teachers' training institute (here in Switzerland), we had foreseen to do a recording of a part of it with Studio Odeo. But the institute's firewall (?) blocked the recording. So I piggybacked an external open wireless connection, but you can't do that in regular teaching. I agree on all points, Steve.…tag:www.classroom20.com,2007-03-26:649749:Comment:3852007-03-26T21:08:15.956ZClaude Almansihttps://www.classroom20.com/profile/calmansi
I agree on all points, Steve. Only 2 reserves so far: I haven't found a way to change the copyright license to a creative commons one, and I haven't found a help menu. <br />
True, the interface is very intuitive for people who know English, but if there were a help menu, then it could be translated into other languages for those who don't, as with <a href="http://www.wikispaces.com/help">wikispaces.com/help</a>. <br />
(and now I'll discover if you can use html tags in these forums, lol)
I agree on all points, Steve. Only 2 reserves so far: I haven't found a way to change the copyright license to a creative commons one, and I haven't found a help menu. <br />
True, the interface is very intuitive for people who know English, but if there were a help menu, then it could be translated into other languages for those who don't, as with <a href="http://www.wikispaces.com/help">wikispaces.com/help</a>. <br />
(and now I'll discover if you can use html tags in these forums, lol) The problem is the dichotomy…tag:www.classroom20.com,2007-03-26:649749:Comment:3822007-03-26T20:55:55.688Znlowellhttps://www.classroom20.com/profile/nlowell
The problem is the dichotomy between 2 and 3.<br />
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There are upwards of 7 million teachers in the US.<br />
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Maybe 7,000 are doing anything with Web 2.0<br />
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BECAUSE<br />
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of the 65,000 school districts, damn near all of them are blocking access to the very tools the teachers need to transform their practice.<br />
<br />
But you're right .. the opportunity exists for educators of all stripes to collaborate outside the walls.<br />
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Which brings us back to why are we bothering with the classroom anyway? If the students are…
The problem is the dichotomy between 2 and 3.<br />
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There are upwards of 7 million teachers in the US. <br />
<br />
Maybe 7,000 are doing anything with Web 2.0 <br />
<br />
BECAUSE <br />
<br />
of the 65,000 school districts, damn near all of them are blocking access to the very tools the teachers need to transform their practice. <br />
<br />
But you're right .. the opportunity exists for educators of all stripes to collaborate outside the walls. <br />
<br />
Which brings us back to why are we bothering with the classroom anyway? If the students are out here (and they are) but the only way the teachers can get out here is by leaving the school ... what's that say? This is a point that I have t…tag:www.classroom20.com,2007-03-26:649749:Comment:3702007-03-26T19:41:33.767ZSteve Hargadonhttps://www.classroom20.com/profile/SteveHargadon
This is a point that I have thought a lot about. What leads me to believe that the read/write web may be different is the degree to which 1) the students are engaged in creating content, and 2) the personal learning practices of the teachers using these tools are so dramatically changing, and 3) it is allowing the implementation of pedagogical practices that are not new, but are newly facilitated by the medium<br />
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Now, having said that, I think that the number of teachers actively using read/write…
This is a point that I have thought a lot about. What leads me to believe that the read/write web may be different is the degree to which 1) the students are engaged in creating content, and 2) the personal learning practices of the teachers using these tools are so dramatically changing, and 3) it is allowing the implementation of pedagogical practices that are not new, but are newly facilitated by the medium<br />
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Now, having said that, I think that the number of teachers actively using read/write web technologies in the classroom is pretty small. Thus, it seems appropriate to use one of the web's very own tools (social networking) to increase exposure to each other. :) And that, I don't think, was possible before.