Technology for the kids

The entire Web 2.0 concept of virtual integration and teamwork are parts of many businesses today, and schools are attempting to keep pace in order to prepare students for these environments. A 2009 article by Kristen Alloway discusses the use of online collaborative tools in classrooms ranging from elementary to high school. Some students participated in video conferencing with Spanish classes in different schools, while some classes discussed the use of keeping blog posts to constantly update class wikis with new information. While some may worry about the social implications of conducting classes in less personal and face-to-face interactions, I believe that it is a useful means of teaching children how to work together in an online community. With many jobs today, the candidate with the most diverse skill set, particularly concerning technology, will likely be the person chosen for a job. Skills that are representative of multimedia or technological talent will be valued by an employer, and will be common in the workplace.

However, there must be some sort of restriction if these technologies are going to be used in the schools. One concern is the quality of the writing itself. While weekly class blog posts in an American Literature class can work well to make sure students are keeping up with their work, the longer form essays must be balanced. Also, with a number of students posting up to a site, with the material readily available to view, there could exist the possibility of plagiarism or the repeating of the same comments over and over again. These educators must be very clear about making sure the homework and assignments are distinguishable. The distractions than can sidetrack effective use of Web 2.o technology in class rooms can be countered by making sure that children are only using the computer at a specific time. For those who worry about what the children are doing, many classrooms already have monitoring programs that track what each student does on his or her computer. While the temptations to stray from a new technology's educational purpose exist, they can be managed as long as classrooms are run in a smart way.

For those who worry too much about the impersonality of these tools, the fact remains that these skills are necessary for learning to adapt to a changing world. These tools are useful when used in moderation. While we can all benefit from the use of these new technologies, I doubt anyone will ever completely forget the power of personal interaction and just plug an entire class in the whole time.