My class was asked, after a reading assignment, to view a video on Web 2.0, and then answer the questions below. I have included the question because I hope others will think about this too, because this really got me thinking.
“The title of the video that you were asked to view this week is "Web 2.0 ... The Machine is Us/Using Us." Referencing what you have learned about Web 2.0 through the readings in the Courtney text and through watching the video, why do you think that Professor Wesch gave this title to the video?”
It is interesting to me that we had to watch this video. I was recently at a teachers’ conference and attended a technology breakout session where we started with this video. I mention this because I think this video and its use show how relevant this topic is. In education the push is for more collaboration, and the defining characteristic of Web 2.0 is collaboration. This is not a new idea, but an old idea seeing resurgence. I think Professor Wesch gave the video this title to show that we are driving Web 2.0. People are the force behind the machine. Collaboration is working because we have new, and better ways to work together. I do not have to stand-alone in my classroom lost on how to reach a student. I can reach out to other teachers on my campus and world wide, and get ideas. My students can reach out to other students and work on a project together. In another class I am taking we do peer review of assignments through email and features in Word that allow us to leave notes. I do not have to physically hold another’s paper to edit it. In yet another class, we used Google Doc to create an assignment together. Once person was not responsible for all of the typing. Everyone could contribute. We could truly collaborate and drive the machine. I see libraries sharing more resources. How about when a librarian has a really great lesson on research? Imagine turning that into a podcast that can be shared. Everyone can share the strengths. We can work together in ways that we find exciting and so will our students.
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