Week 3: Free Software on the Web

How does the availability of free software via the web change how you can plan for and implement classroom instruction?

The availability of free software has impacted my classroom
instruction by adding activities that otherwise wouldn't be
available. First of all, and I hate to admit it, many of us would
purchase a small number of licenses for a specific program and end up
installing it on many more computers than we had paid for. This
brought up an ethical dilemma of whether it is more important to make
resources available for all students or infringing copyright laws.
Unfortunately in most cases, the copyright laws were broken. The good
news is that now with so many free programs available, we no longer
are put under that pressure. While I was teaching Computer Technology
classes, I used a lot of free applications. It enabled me to
opportunity to give students a greater experience of different
programs.

How does it alter your expectations of student productivity?

The incoorperation of these resources has altered my expectations of
student productivity to some extent. By having more resources
available I can give students more choices in their assignments. They
now can choose between different activities and pick the one they are
most interested in. Therefore I expect better quality projects, when
they have more choice.

What software or services have you discovered that you use in your class?

Many companies, like Google, provide a lot of free applications. In
the Computer Technology classes, we used Google Earth and SketchUp. I
also used free programs like West Point Bridge Designer (http://
bridgecontest.usma.edu/) and Car Builder (Sorry, I couldn't find the
website for the free version, but I'll post it later if anyone is
interested.)

I have also used free demos and trial programs when needed.

On a similar note, I have been the Webmaster for Wasilla Middle School
for the past 4 years. I was using a free program called Personal
WebKit (http://www.personalwebkit.com/) for the school's website.
However the school district has once again purchased a web authoring
program, that they are making us use.

Week 2: What does Web 2.0 mean to me?

Web 2.0 or, as Will Richardson calls it, the Read/Write Web is the current generation of the Internet. As with all other forms of technology, the Internet constantly changes. Until recently information posted on the Internet or Web 1.0 was dominated by a small percentage of the population involved directly in Web development, industry, or a select group of persons familiar with html code writing. Today, the Internet has transformed from a place to simply look up information to a place where just about anyone can post information or communicate with others. It has simply become an almost incomprehensible communication tool.

• Users no longer need to know complicated codes to upload content to the web.
  
• There are over 200 million registered Myspace users.
  
• It only took 2 years for Facebook to reach 50 million users.
  
• There are about 100 billion web clicks everyday.
  
• There are over 31 billion searches a month on Google.
  

I choose these points to express my beliefs and discuss the importance of Web 2.0. To truly understand the significance of the Internet, you must consider not only how much it is used, but what has caused the evolution to Web 2.0. As html (hypertext mark-up language) evolved and was replaced with xml (extensible mark-up language), uploading to the Internet became much easier for the average person to do. People no longer need to have more than a general knowledge of computer language to create webpages or post information online. This is the catalyst that has made the Internet what it is today. The amount of people using the Internet as an interactive communication tool is overwhelming, and the number continues to grow exponentially.

Web 2.0 has made significant impacts on education. The greatest impacts have been on distance education. In previous years, distance education was limited to materials and assignments being mailed back and forth as communication between the teacher and student, or teleconferences. Today distance education takes many different forms. Web-based programs like Elluminate allow us to share our work and ideas in a multimedia environment. Online communities allow us to share ideas with other students and professionals quickly and easily. Virtual communities, such as Second Life, enable us to push the level of interaction even more. However, distance education isn't the only way education has benefitted from Web 2.0. Students now have more information and resources available than ever before. Blogs and Wikis allow students to ask questions and obtain or post feedback from others.

Unfortunately, I have not been able to take advantage of all the new resources available with Web 2.0. While it has benefitted my teaching practices in some ways, many of these newer resouces are blocked by the school district I work for. The situation is comparable to when Prometheus stole fire from Zues and gave it to us. There are many concerns with Web 2.0. Student privacy is the largets of concerns with Web 2.0. We must be able to protect students from individuals whom might use their infromation in inappropriate ways. Another concern is that of plagiarism. With so many resources available, it is very easy for students to copy and paste assignments. Along the same lines, copyright infringement is also a great risk. Students must be aware of the laws and consequences of breaking them. Until there is a way to address these issues more thoroughly, the true benefits of Web 2.0 will not be reached.

Week 1: Introduction

Welcome to my Blog for ED632.

My name is David Little and I teach Industrial Technology at Wasilla Middle School. This position is a change which came mid-year after teaching Computer Technology at the same location for nearly 5 years. I previously was the Assistive Technology/Augmentative Communication Specialist for the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District, and I also taught Drafting courses at Jamestown High School in Jamestown, New York prior to moving to Alaska.

I graduated from the California University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelors Degree in Technology Education and am currently working on my Masters Degree in Educational Technology through the University of Alaska Southeast. My future educational goal is to attend the University at Buffalo for a certification in Assitive Technology.

Although I have already taken ED693 (Emerging Internet Technologies) and some of the material will be review, there are several things I am looking forward to in this class. First, I am interested in learning about new resources that can be used in the classroom. I am always trying to improve the amount of available communication between myself and my students and the Internet offers many new opportunities. Another thing I am looking forward to learning is how to incorperate these resources effectively. Eventhough I have attempted to use Internet resources I feel that I am not using them as effectively as I could. And finally, the school distict I work in uses eccessive Internet filtering, limiting the use of many resources. This has limited the amount of Web-based resources severely.