Nate

Today’s classroom is far different than the classroom of our past. Students are no longer confined to the walls of their classroom. Teachers are no longer confined to their local content area networks for knowledge. With one simple tool, and teachers trained with a balance of pedagogical, technological and content knowledge, learning potential seems higher than it has ever been before. This tool is requiring many teachers to refocus. When teachers refocus their roles, responsibilities, and opportunities they acquire new knowledge and skills. These skills give teachers an enriched opportunity to discuss, reflect upon, try out, and hone enhanced instructional practices. (1) So what is this tool and how does it work?

Schools all over the United States have said farewell to textbooks and backpacks; they've gone completely electronic, using modern devices such as laptops, netbooks, or e-books instead. With these devices, teachers have the ability to communicate and collaborate with other professionals from various ends of the world. The number of tools and resources available for teachers to collaborate and communicate with these devices is increasing almost exponentially! Software such as Blackboard and Moodle were predominantly used in the college setting. These software tools enhance the way students and professors communicate and collaborate. College courses began to be offered online instead of the traditional on campus. The online communication and collaboration tools are growing and enhancing so fast it is hard to keep up with them. For example, just when you thought Blackboard and Moodle were going to be courseware platforms of online classrooms, teachers tend to now be moving to other platforms such as Wikispaces and Ning which resemble the interaction found in social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace.

This brings me to the term Web 2.0. “The term Web 2.0 is commonly associated with web applications that facilitate interactive information sharing, interoperability, user-centered design, and collaboration on the World Wide Web.” (2) These tools allow students, teachers, and individuals with similar interests all over the world to connect. This connection adds a greater depth of diversity of ideas, experience, and perspective because the mode for this information exchange is global and virtually instantaneous. Another great tool allowing classrooms to connect to classrooms is video conferencing hardware. Tandberg is one of the leading companies in the world for video communications. Maranacook Community School just received a grant for the purchase of 6 mobile video conferencing units. These units can be wheeled into a classroom and can be connected and controlled remotely with the proper credentials. The software and hardware tools present in today’s classroom provide potential for learning. If tools, such as the ones mentioned above, are used by teachers that have a proper balance of pedagogical, technological, and content knowledge, student learning is at peak potential.

Accessibility and accountability continue to shape communication and collaboration online. Some schools have the financial means to provide this tool to their students and some schools do not. So as it currently stands as a high school student, your access to this tool largely depends on which city or town you live in. This discrepancy is an injustice to our future. Having discussed earlier that technology is a tool, this tool is only as useful as the individual responsible for it. Administrators and educators need to teach accountability and responsibility for this tool. Simply having the tool is not enough. Without proper integration, students potential learning is at bare minimum. Teachers who continue to think technology is a trend doesn’t work. Teachers that do not see the benefit of technology in their classroom doesn’t work. Technology has and is changing society and we need to adapt. Teachers won't be replaced by technology, but teachers who don't use technology will be replaced by teachers who do.
 * What Works, and What Doesn't**