Journal #2

Breathing Fire into the Web 2.0. by Justin Hardman and David Carpenter

This article talks about how the average classroom in this country is without some of the new technological advances. For many, it claims, it is like stepping into the past. Hardman and Carpenter found a way to integrate technology into a productive, encompassing safe environment for teachers and students to interact. They produced a three component system: the first component is to enhance communication, the second component is to provide curriculum mapping while the third component is an online portfolio.
These three components help students and teachers alike. The teachers each have their own homepage to assist with communication. The teachers are able to manage this them selves enabling them control of what when and where. There is also a connection between the curriculum, the faculty and the students. This enhanced communication keeps everyone on the same page and makes it possible for students to learn not only inside the classroom but outside the classroom as well. As for the curriculum not only is it shared by both teachers and students but it is integrated with classroom management and certain resources can be added transferred and shared. Lastly the portfolio helps keep track of students work which may be an asset to gauge where a student is concerning their course work.

Question 1: This sounds great but how much time and money does it take to make this a reality? This would probably take a good amount of money and considerable amount of time and energy to integrate a system like this. It has to start sometime might as well be now.

Question 2: Does this advancement include those that still can not afford to have a computer at home or does it just isolate them further? Their is a chance that it will isolate some students so certain methods would have to be taken to prevent this. Thier are programs such as this in place today with labtops being available to loan. A school district willing to adopt such a program should also look into this to enable all students a fair chance to participate.