Web 2.0 In-Service this summer

I have been asked to conduct an in-service this summer on Web 2.0 tools. Please help me formulate a list of essential tools that I can introduce to these teachers. Most do not use much if ANY technology in their rooms currently so I need to keep it very simple. I want to really drill into five or six things that they will immediately want to use. I don't want to overwhelm them and have them go away thinking they could never use any of it. I plan to introduce them to the Ning of course as a venue for great ideas and possibly Twitter. I want to show them Skype because I've used it so much this year. Would love to get into blogs and wikis. What else do you all think and what clients are most user friendly?

Tags: 20, teachers, tools, training, web

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Permalink Reply by Tamra Lanning on June 1, 2009 at 11:29am

Will certainly check this out..thanks!

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Permalink Reply by Amy Capelle on June 1, 2009 at 5:30pm

One thing that is really missing is the pedagogy part of this. Don't focus on the tools so much. It's the reason why they'd want to use a blog or a wiki and the standards that are being taught with the learning experience that really matters. It's easy to fall into the trap of "I want to do a wiki" or "I want to do a blog" and not really think about the pedagogy behind it.

What are the standards? How will they plan? How do they teach? These are the questions that you need to ask about your teachers. If you have laminated lesson plan teachers who wouldn't touch a constructivist approach with a 1000-foot pole, the tools discussion and introduction is meaningless.

After that is hashed out, the two tools I'd recommend introducing the newbies to would be blogs and wikis. They definitely need hands-on practice and examples (good examples) from classrooms out there.

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Permalink Reply by Tamra Lanning on June 1, 2009 at 6:13pm

Excellent points. I hope that I am able to make this a meaningful experience for them.

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Permalink Reply by Paula on June 1, 2009 at 8:00pm

I see you got lots of suggestions already! I hope you find this useful as well

http://teach-with-internet.wikispaces.com/

also consider joining
http://teach-with-internet.ning.com/
thanks
Paula

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Permalink Reply by Tamra Lanning on June 2, 2009 at 6:57am

Paula, This is a great wiki. Do you mind if I use some of these ideas on mine?

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Permalink Reply by Shelley Krause on June 2, 2009 at 10:42am

Tamra,

A Web 2.0 Tools summer in-service... what fun!

Will you know who your participants are ahead of time? And if so, how far ahead? I think the more personalized and specific your understanding of their needs/ current position, the better able you'll be to meet them where they are and really help them reach that next level.

How much time can you spend helping them think about themselves as learners? Have you seen this? Break out the crayons... I'm convinced that every US adult secretly misses them! :-)

Alec Couros' resources here are also terrific.

Hope that helps, come back and let us know how it goes, okay?

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Permalink Reply by Tamra Lanning on June 3, 2009 at 7:25am

I will know a few of the participants ahead of time, but not by much. They can sign up until the last day. That's why I'm trying to prepare for general things like blogs/wikis that everyone can use. I absolutely love the PLN diagrams that you linked to. (It would blow their minds...but I love them:) I like the idea of starting the inservice with a learning styles inventory. Was there a link to one on that wiki? If so I couldn't find it. Thanks for the link!