Week 1 Blog Posting #1 The Cultural Media Wave-A new tide-Web 2.0 -

The cultural media wave has hit us educators squarely in the face. There is no turning our backs or hiding this time. It would be best to embrace the cultural wave and go out and come back in again with the new tide. The phenomenon of Web 2.0 is amazing like a breathe of fresh air followed by the ocean spray. Each droplet that falls on you face is a reminder of a new application of the Web 2.0 phenomenon or the epidemic that Malcolm Gladwell, speaks of in The Tipping Point (2000). Our challenge as educators should be to change remix, create, engage and by collaboration inspire our learners. Just by stopping and closely observing our learners, by really listening and interacting with them and finding out what really matters to them. The world around them is in turmoil, they want to help and with our guidance we can nurture exceptional people using these Web 2.0 tools to create long lasting connections and valuable real world skills, Social networking, Collaborating, Blogging, Picture/Video, Financial and Time Management, followed by an infinite list of Web 2.0 applications.
With that said I do, understand that we must maintain our teaching curriculum standards and goals. It is time to remove the worn out rose colored glasses and pick up a kaleidoscope and refocus on new textural content by way of Web 2.0 applications. The implementation can come simply by looking around your classroom and you will noticed that you have a rich multi-cultural diverse group of learners, and that they posse all different kinds of multiple intelligences strengths. Taking that into consideration review one of your old boring assignments and revamped it. Make it address real issues like cultural diversity and incorporate Howard Gardner's multiple intelligences,(Linguistic, Logical Mathematical, Spatial, Bodily-Kinesthetic, Musical, Interpersonal, Intrapersonal, Naturalist, Existential). You already know most of your learners have developed more than one of these intelligences. To me it sounds like the making of a good video or a movie. Assign each learner a role to play in the making of the movie\video. Set some parameters using only Web 2.0 applications. Using these Web 2.0 applications will, inspire critical thinking , organizational skills, help analyze, evaluate, create and engage our critical learners in away they see the world and how they use technology now and in the future. We must remember these children have never live in a world without the internet. The outcome from projects like these and great edutainment games like Quest Atlantis which is in the realm of Web 2.0 applications, achieves as David Warlick so aptly stated" We are finally beginning to pay serious attention to video games for learning". Quest Atlantis is an immersive 3-D multi user environment game that meets all the criteria designed by Indiana University team headed by Dr.Sascha Barab and funded by Catherine T. and John D. Mac Arthur foundation. They have created a game with higher order thinking that meets with seven principles of Social Commitments and they are Social Responsibility, Personal Agency, Healthy Communites, Diversity, Affirmation, Environmental Awareness, Creative Expression and Compassionate Wisdom. This has become an international game for grade school age learners age 11-16. This game meets and exceeds all the standard Science Math Language Arts and Technology requirements qualitatively and quantitatively it is a learning and teaching project. See the Quest Atlantis Videos I have posted and you will Live Learn and Play in the world of Quest Atlantis.

References

Gladwell, M. (2002) The tipping point: How little things can make a big difference.

New York: Little Brown and Company

Gardner, H: Intelligence Reframed: Multiple Intelligences for the 21st Century

Barbab,S. (2008)Quest Atlantis,Retrieved Sept 8, 2009 from http//www,crlt.indiana.edu/research.qa.html

Solomon, G. , Schrum,D. (2007) web 2.0. new tools, new schools. International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). Eugene,Oregon