Janice’s Notes

It is obvious from news reports, the teens in my youth group, and family members, that social networking is alive and well in the 21st century, especially with students.  Often the social networking sites get bad press because of reports of sexual predators or cyberbulling.  As I explored these tools to be used in an educational setting, I reflected on how helpful these can be if used in the right manner.  I also saw the potential to do some great teaching about approriate use for my students that could help them to be more responsible when online.

As I explored Classroom 2.0, I found several things to be helpful.  Under the forum section, I came across a discussion about teaching writing with web 2.0 media.  The replies were excellent and I got some really good ideas.  Under groups I explored the elementary school 2.0 and found some good podcasts on smart board lessons.  The tags helped me see how to quickly find just what I needed.  I checked out flckr and smart boards.  This tool eased my mind about jumping into using many of the things I have learned this summer.  I now know that I have a HUGE group out there who could help me with any question I have.  I also saw a place where I can contribute my ideas as well.

As I explored Ning in Education, I found Classroom N where I can set up social networking for my classroom and Fireside Learning: Conversations About Education.  There topics concerning the field of education are discussed.  I also checked into School 2.0- The Transformation of Education.  It looks like education truly is transforming, and I need to keep up!  My school has set up a Ning and I have joined it.  This helped me to understand how to best take advantage of it.