2008 International Symposium Sponsored by:
Adobe
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CoSN's 7th Annual International SymposiumBringing Web 2.0 Innovation to Our Schools: Leadership and Policy Challenges
Web 2.0, 3D Internet, new media…all are terms used to define a set of applications such as social networking, wikis, virtual reality, simulation, blogs, and games. Even though these applications have roots in earlier IT software, advances in hardware, the increased ubiquity of IT, and the growing sophistication in applications design have generated powerful applications that have become pervasive thought society. While the use of Web 2.0 applications is widespread, the gulf between what students experience with technology outside of school versus what they experience in the typical classroom is a wide and ever-growing chasm. This chasm has profound implications for the success of schooling. Relatively few educators and policymakers have grasped the significance of these new applications and the cultural changes that have emerged in the world beyond our schools. Educators who recognize the importance of incorporating Web 2.0 applications in their schools as a “main course” rather than as a “garnish” are often stymied by organizational and policy barriers. This symposium will consider the role of Web 2.0 in the schools in a balanced way. It is not the purpose of the Symposium to become a “cheerleader” for Web 2.0, but rather to explore if, how, and where such resources can improve the relevance, quality, and effectiveness of schooling. The organizational and leadership obstacles and barriers that constrain the appropriate and effective use of Web 2.0 will be considered and responses to the obstacles detailed. |
