In the summer of 1987, I first heard Sign O’ the Times by Prince and immediately loved the song for it’s music, thought provoking lyrics and (as I learned later) double album set for my music collection. I was a teenager but I knew great music when I heard it.
(Side Note: For those who didn’t know – I am a huge Prince fan and welcome any opportunity to incorporate his works into my own rambling thoughts with the correct copyright of course.)
In our recent conversation regarding Web 2.0, the song often came to mind and continues to pop in periodically as I write this post. Not as much for the lyrics but how the title applies to our everchanging look at the web and its available tools. Web 2.0 has changed how we (educators) can reach out to connect with others in the county, state, country and world. The sign of the times for the web is having the ability to reach out to others, observe, react, share and learn from one another.
As one of the leaders of technology, one of my major functions is to introduce, encourage and promote the use of these tools especially since our students have changed and grown with the technology. This blog is a perfect example of the times. I’ve blogged on several sports websites but never took the time to analyze much of the effects it can have on a classroom. This tool, along with many other web 2.0 tools (Delicious, TiltViewer) I believe provide many opportunities to create lesson plans that extend beyond the norm. The norm being what worked 10 years ago, what worked 5 years ago or what worked last week.
The times continue to change. The signs are there. We must step to the forefront and guide those who may have fallen behind the times. Our time is now.
1 response so far ↓
1
timstahmer
// Oct 30, 2007 at 6:24 am
I think one of the keys to understanding all this web 2.0 stuff (and I’m a little sick of that name
is to look at how your students are using these tools. High school students especially are used to having access to all kinds of communications tools outside of school, including MySpace/Facebook, IM, SMS, etc. In school, however, they see and use almost none of it, even when they use computers. You’re right that the things that worked in education even a few years ago may not work today and we have to look at all the possibilities.
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