a new(ish) world

• What’s happened to the web? Over the last ten years the web has been transformed from a seemingly endless source of information to a place where we can create and post our own ideas; instead of going to the information, information now comes to us via RSS feeds, for example. John Hedron takes us through the transformation in this excerpt from his book, RSS for educators blogs, newsfeeds, podcasts and wikis in the classroom 2008 published by International Society for Technology in Education. John clearly and simply explains RSS, blogs, wikis, podcasts. He goes on to describe how these tools can be used in education – to share knowledge and ideas, connect teachers to parents, developing information and media skills, opportunities to improve creativity and critical thinking, a medium to assess students work and building communities.

• How do we prepare students for the 21st century? Rapidly changing technologies and their influence on the world around us has sparked many to look closely at education: what students are learning and how. Gwen Soloman and Lynne Schrum in an excerpt from Web 2.0: new tools, new schools (published in 2007 by International Society for Technology in Education) provides a background for this direction in thinking about transformation in schools supported by new technologies. This is grounded in the US context however it is very relevant for us here in Australia. The skills identified for 21st century learning can be supported by access to the communication and collaboration tools that NSWDET’s Learning Tools Project could provide in 2009 giving our students ‘interconnectedness, immediacy, interactivity, communications and community ... the very features that keep global businesses competitive and workers in jobs.’ This may not be the incentive that drives educators, but perhaps more equitable access to educational resources does – and I think that is more compelling.

• What is the value of online video distribution? The TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) website showcases some of the world’s leading thinkers and researchers to spread ideas. For example, how the research community can link to commercial developers and everyday people is seen as Johnny Lee shows us how a wii controller can be used to ‘make’ an interactive whiteboard!