Issues & Contexts The implementation of technology in education poses two specific issues: (1) teachers are unfamiliar with operating the technologies in question, and (2) teachers who are interested in implementing web 2.0 tools often do not receive active follow-up. It is important that the teachers themselves know how to use the web 2.0 tools that they plan on having their students use as it promotes technological fluency and literacy, both of which are state-driven standards set for our students. The issues center around (1) the need for teachers to engage with and actively use such tools to become familiar with them, (2) reduce anxiety about incorporating technology, (3) to bring personal knowledge of operating the tools to their students, and (4) to be able to apply them creatively to their own content area. The majority of our students use social media regularly. Only 58% of high school educators are likely to be a member of social media sites, and only 15% of educators are using them “to stay current with the latest Web 2.0 technology” (“A Survey”, 2009). Activities & Ojectives · Maintain the website featuring two to four posts per month (bimonthly / one per week) showcasing one web 2.0 tool per post · Gather a following of peers and educators who are interested in personally exploring and working with web 2.0 tools · Allow followers to actively participate in discussions, or passively participate as readers · Encourage followers to actively participate in sharing personal examples of a featured web 2.0 tool with each other · Encourage collaboration across disciplines · Implement new forms of blogging: screencasting, vidocasting, and/or voice-casting · Use it within a PLC | |