How Can I Become Part of this ReadWriteWeb Revolution?

Wow! I didn’t realize how much I got from this presentation until I started on the reflection process. And could you believe…I was dreading having to go through the PD rubric and develop my narrative. So hats off to the developer(s) of this rubric and to Alice, Bob and Cheryl for a rich and meaningful presentation.

To date I have implemented the use of quite a few web 2.0 tools in my work with elementary students…but VoiceThread isn’t one of them. I have considered using VoiceThread again and again but just never did it. And tomorrow, I will go into school (with an obnoxious amount of enthusiasm) and convince one of our first or second grade teachers to use VoiceThread to capture our students reflections on UN Day which are we are celebrating on Friday. After going through the process of responding to the essential questions, I am a convert. It was quite an experience to listen to the responses of others that viewed the presentation before posting my own. I could see the value like I never have before. If I wasn’t already a big fan of the flip cam, you would have got me there too!

Valuable reading resources were also a highlight for me although I was already familiar with some. After reading the executive summaries, I will definitely take an in-depth look at “Confronting the Challenge of Participatory Culture” by Henry Jenkins and “The Power of Pow! Wham!: Children’s Digital Media & Our Nation’s Future” by Rima Shore. These publications will help develop my knowledge base.

The presenters’ main focus on ‘don’t do it alone’ also hit home. As classroom educators we have always been very isolated. As one of only three technology facilitators at my school I am even more isolated. Technology changes all that. At this point I wouldn’t say I am ‘doing it alone’ but I am very much on the periphery of the participatory ways of the web 2.0 world. I am an avid reader of blogs but have only personal blogs (unless you want to consider this professional). I have created content but I am so hesitant to put it out there. I look at the children I teach…and they don’t even blink before clicking the publish button.

This year I will actively participate in the conference. Perhaps this is the first step I need to take to move from the periphery to the center of it all!