Chapter 6 Reading Response

Chapter 6: Community Building with Technology
Chapter 6 discusses how today’s technologies have drastically transformed our society, giving individuals increased opportunities to connect with one another. Students today are expected to participate in knowledge construction. Thus, by using technologies such as social networks and knowledge webs, students’ creation of knowledge occurs through collaboration and teamwork.
This chapter focuses on Knowledge Forums being one way technology can help students build a community from which they learn. The idea behind knowledge forums is that students share knowledge to develop deeper levels of understanding. Students create knowledge by defining problems, hypothesizing, researching, collecting information, collaborating, and analyzing the information online. Central to the idea of students learning from Knowledge Forums is the idea that students will create new ideas that ‘rise above’ the inaccuracies of other ideas. Knowledge forums help communities create databases where notes are stored, ideas are connected and ultimately knowledge is produced. The key idea of Knowledge forums is that students are contributors; they actively participate in learning.

The next section of the textbook talked about constructing knowledge with Wikis. Wikis allow students to add, remove, edit or change the available content. Throughout my schooling experience I was always told not to use Wikipedia and other wiki sites as reliable sources of information because anyone can edit and change them. However, this book discusses how because anyone can change wikis they are good sources to use for information because they are constantly being peer reviewed. This section changed my thinking about the use of wikis in the classroom. Depending on what type of wiki one uses it can be a great resource for information. The important thing to remember when using wikis is for students to examine the documentation of changes and the associated discussion pages. Wikis are great to use in the classroom because students can collaborate with others in an open forum to get a better understanding of a topic. Students also have the opportunity to contribute to wiki pages, which helps them feel like they know what they are talking about and ultimately helps them create a deeper understanding of a subject area. Wikis are also great resources to use to completing class projects.

Although wikis are good in that they allow students plenty of freedom in creativity, it is also necessary for teachers to provide students a general framework for their work so they remain focused on their knowledge.
Some examples of other wikis I found to use in the classroom include:
http://www.wikispaces.com/; http://www.wikiquote.org/; http://wikisource.org/wiki/Main_Page
http://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Wikiversity:Main_Page; http://www.wikibooks.org/; and
http://wikitravel.org/en/Main_Page
http://www.amillionpenguins.com/wiki/index.php/Main_Page is one example of how the community atmosphere of wikis allows individuals the opportunity to create a book.

The chapter also discusses the use of interactive blogs in the classroom. Blogs have changed over time, from initially personal diaries to a more interactive atmosphere for people where they can comment and respond to others ideas. Blogs are a good resource to use in the classroom as students can create their own blogs, teachers can have class blogs, and students can use other blogs as resources for information. Some examples of blogs the text mentions and I found that can be used in the classroom include:
https://www.blogger.com/start; http://technorati.com/blogs/directory/; http://wordpress.com/; http://www.livejournal.com/; http://www.blogs.com/; http://www.21classes.com/shop/features
Before this year I had no experience with using blogs. However, now I have experience using wordpress and blogger. I think using blogs is an invaluable resource in the classroom. Blogs are self-explanatory and allow students the opportunity to express themselves in an open, non-judgmental atmosphere.

Another topic the chapter discusses is the use of building international learning communities. I like this idea a lot. When I was in elementary school I always wanted to have a pen pal. We did pen pals in another classroom in the same school. However, I think the idea of connecting and communicating with others from a completely different country or culture is extremely beneficial and educational. Communicating with another from a different culture helps broaden students’ ideas and experiences; students ultimately learn more from each other. Using technology helps this process along since students have the ability to communicate with another student from around the world multiple times within the same day.

Teacher communities such as Tapped In and TeacherTalk also promote teacher professional development. Many times teachers do not have time to have in-depth conversations or collaborations during the school day. However, using technology teachers can share stories and ideas about their experiences online in an environment where multiple teachers can learn from one other. Communicating in online communities with other teachers allows teachers the opportunity to learn from and collaborate with people outside their normal area of interaction. Professional teacher communities also provide teachers with the opportunity to contribute their own ideas to forums. Many communities provide examples of lesson plans teachers can use that have been effective in addressing certain standards.
The Internet also offers forums to discuss common interests with others. These forums or discourse communities are a great way for students to talk about and share common ideals and hobbies. Students also get to know people who are like them from around the world.
Overall, I enjoyed this chapter and see myself implementing many of these resources in my classroom. I think both wikis and blogs are self explanatory and easy for children to use to communicate their own ideas and to communicate with others. I also like the idea of connecting with others outside the classroom or school via online communities. The Internet has created endless opportunities for students and teachers alike to communicate with others, thus as teachers it is our job to provide students the opportunities to expand their frame of reference and connect with people outside their comfort zone. The Internet is our playground that students should explore and ultimately further their knowledge.