With Web2.0 Comes New Literacies Expectations

Web2.0 is defined as the Read/Write Web. Since we no longer depend on the web as a stream of one-way information that can simply be assimilated and now that anyone can publish on the web we must teach our students to become more critical readers and writers. Students must be able to not only evaluate a website for authenticity now we must further their skills by adding in evaluating the writing on the website for information gathering purposes. Educators must also step up their game in teaching writing skills for publishing purposes. These are the challenges we face now.

We must reach the goals of creating students who can critically read and write. Today I witnessed this in a fourth grade class where two teachers were trying to stretch their students’ writing skills by using an abstract process. I’m not sure how successful it was judging by the discussions that followed at lunch. Teachers and students are baffled at the new writing process we are expected to leap into with the latest Core Curriculum standards. I must point out that having attended several workshops on brain research and how children learn that children are, for the most part, concrete thinkers until the age of 12. At that age of development, children are able to be abstract thinkers. I launched that discussion at lunch today. Two teachers said I had a valid point as they were tutoring children that age who suddenly clicked with more abstract ideas and connections.

So what do we do about this? Of course, we need more research, more professional development, but I think the answers lie in social networking tools. It’s been interesting watching this network evolve. When we first received email, we began connecting with other teachers in the district and those we met at professional development. Now with social networking tools teachers can reach virtually any teacher in the world and exchange ideas and lessons. Those who are involved in developing standards would do well to reach into those networks to see what is happening at the classroom level. Too often our administrators pop in a few times a year. Everyone at every level, including parents, need to be involved in these networks of sharing vital information. In addition, data mining of online programs used currently in schools should be evaluated by everyone involved in the education process. As usual, I think the students will be ahead of everyone in this road to the next generation of Read/Write Web2.0 critical thinkers. We teachers can only hang on and guide them along as we find out how to change content and curriculum to best suit student needs.