What+is+the+pedagogy?


 * Scott

Pedagogy for me is the art/science of designing/engineering individual and shared learning experience**. Part of that is understanding learning constraints and allowances -- Constraints are those "features" of the pedagogy that specify activity, that prescribe specific processes, knowledge acquisition and skills use. A constraint is far from a limiting connotation. **Rather, it provides focus, it specifies intent**. A constraint is limiting only when there are now allowances in the same design. The allowances are those features that give freedom for students to develop in accordance to their own desires, interests, strengths, and weaknesses. Every success learning experience needs both of these in abundance. **Constraints without allowances is limiting and unmotivating. Allowances without constraints lack focus and may ultimately lead to an indeterminacy of learning objectives.**

When it comes to the pedagogy of Web 2.0 tools, we must then ask, what are the constraints that these tools provide. What are the constraints of using a wiki in a classroom -- For some it may be a topic matter, for others it may be the part of the writing process the wiki is introduced. For example, in the Nutripedia wiki for my grade 8s, the constraint was that students could not "change" other students works. They had to use a built in system of marking up the student's work and making suggestions for improvement. The original author's responsibility was to review the mark up and suggestions and make the changes himself.

May Web 2.0 have a numerous number of allowances -- some people may say too many with too few constraints. What our job as educators is, is to look at the potential of the tools and understand how we can specify the constraints on the tools that will help focus their use for the classroom and the individuals learning objectives. So the questions foremost should, how do we constraint the use of wikis to focus the learning? How do with specify the use of YouTube or Flickr to specify the educational objective etc. If we cannot devise constraints, we must reconsider their use.

**Sharon**

I agree with Scott that web 2.0 tools permit many affordances (he uses allowances where I use the word affordances) without many constraints. The resulting actions of many schools is to simply filter out EVERYTHING! It is such a shame but the approach many school administrators have taken is to block everything and then wait for people to ask to use them or provide justification for their uses.

Unfortunately, meanwhile, students are experimenting with these tools on their own and sometimes the results are disastrous. Appropriate uses of web 2.0 tools have a place in the curriculum and teachers will not be encouraged to experiment and innovate with these tools if everything is banned on campus. **Education to appropriate usages and acceptable behaviour while using online social spaces is the key to good pedagogical practices.**

I have pointed out a number of reasons why teachers should be using web 2.0 tools in the why web 2.0 for teachers section.


 * Rationale for Web 2.0 tools:**


 * Tools foster synthesis and summarization of information to employ higher order critical thinking skills
 * Tools encourage exploration of collaborative learning strategies and Internet teamwork skills
 * Many of the web 2.0 tools are easy to monitor by the teacher
 * Tools promote information literacy skill development
 * Gives our students - and ourselves - a sense of participating in a global conversation
 * Many students' learning styles lean toward the aural and visual - for those that don't - it gives them a chance to streeettttchhh
 * Students can listen, view or read again and again - helps learning process
 * Students learn to become thoughtful producers of their own content - there is power in the spoken word!
 * Students are engaged!
 * Gives listeners power to choose anytime/anywhere learning

The [|Quebec Education Program outlines the competencies] that should be present in the current curricula of our students in Québec. The use of web 2.0 tools addresses many of the stated compentencies. Consider:


 * __C__****__OMPETENCY__** **__2__****__:__**
 * Represents her/his literacy in different media**

▪ Follows a production process to create **media texts** for specific purposes and audiences ▪ Deconstructs **media texts** to understand their meaning(s)/message(s) in specific contexts ▪ Explores the relationship between producer, text and audience in specific contexts ▪ Participates in a classroom community of readers and producers of the media ▪ Collaborates with peers to produce media texts ▪ Clarifies and confirms the needs of her/his audience ▪ Demonstrates what s/he knows about how written and visual language and the uses of sound work together to create meaning ▪ Interprets meaning(s)/message(s) of familiar media texts ▪ Identifies some of the common codes and conventions used to construct familiar texts ▪ Identifies the way images, signs, symbols, pictures, and printed text interrelate to communicate meaning(s) and message(s) ▪ Identifies the characteristics of target audiences ▪ Describes how the media create texts for a specific audience ▪ Self-evaluates her/his growth as a reader and producer of media texts ▪ Describes current media text preferences ▪ Explains how the media texts are shaped ▪ Reflects on the contribution s/he made to a team production

__**COMPETENCY 3:**__
 * Reads and listens to written, spoken and media texts**

▪ Is able to identify the attributes of **primary** and **secondary sources** in order to decide what is pertinent and to use an effective note- taking strategy ▪ **Collaborates** with her/his peers throughout the process when working with information ▪ Applies strategies, skills and knowledge in the context of using an inquiry process ▪ Organizes and maintains a record of her/his development as a reader


 * __C__****__OMPETENCY__** **__4__****__:__**
 * Writes a variety of genres for personal and social purposes**

▪ Follows a process to produce written texts in specific contexts ▪ Develops style as a writer within a classroom community of writers ▪ Explores the relationship(s) between writer, text and context

The Student: ▪ Uses narrative in a variety of contexts, including personal functions and social purposes ▪ Explores a variety of roles as a writer ▪ Adjusts her/his role(s) as a writer to suit the purpose, audience and context, shaping the text accordingly ▪ Is able to initiate, plan and develop a self-selected integrated project ▪ Locates, organizes and synthesizes relevant information to create an authentic context ▪ Applies her/his knowledge of language and text grammars when s/he writes ▪ Focuses on reporting information and ideas for a familiar audience ▪ Selects and orders information in a way that adds to the meaning(s)/message(s) s/he wants to convey ▪ Participates as a member of the classroom writing community ▪ Shares her/his writing regularly with peers and teacher; giving and receiving feedback ▪ Follows a writing process that includes adapting reliable strategies that s/he has learned over the two years ▪ Monitors, with teacher support, her/his own work habits ▪ Demonstrates her/his understanding of the writing process ▪ Self-evaluates her/his growth as a writer regularly and in different contexts ▪ Articulates her/his choices and why s/he feels they are effective in her/his writing ▪ Shares her/his integrated profile and talks specifically about the ways her/his writing profile has been influenced by peers and teacher

The [|International Society for Technology in Education] has recently released [|a new version] of their standards. Here are the standards pertinent to the use of web 2.0 tools in the classroom:

Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. Students: A. collaborate, publish, and interact with peers, experts, and others employing a variety of digital media and formats. B. communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences utilizing a variety of media and formats. C. develop cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with learners of other cultures. D. contribute to project teams to produce original works.
 * II. Communication and Collaboration (4)**

Students access, retrieve, manage, and evaluate information using digital tools. Students: A. locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and use information from a variety of sources and media. B. evaluate and select information sources and technological tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks. C. process data and report results.
 * III. Research and Information Retrieval (5)**

Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems and make informed decisions using appropriate technology tools. Students: A. identify and define authentic problems and significant questions for investigation and plan strategies to guide inquiry. B. plan and manage activities to develop solutions and complete projects. C. collect and analyze data to identify solutions and make informed decisions. D. use multiple processes and diverse perspectives to explore alternative solutions.
 * IV. Critical Thinking, Problem-Solving and Decision-Making (6, 3)**

Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior. Students: A. advocate and practice safe, responsible use of information and technology. B. exhibit positive attitudes toward technology uses that support collaboration, learning, and productivity. C. demonstrate personal responsibility for lifelong learning. D. exercise proactive leadership for digital citizenship.
 * V. Digital Citizenship (2)**