Thing 5

In Web 2.0 A Guide for Educators, visual literacy is discussed in depth. This is such a great tool for both teachers and students. I know that I, along with millions of others, am a visual learner. Now we have the opportunity to expand lessons and with this, the minds of our students. They can now become an active part of the topic by creating their own visual representations. What I loved about this article is how it explained that students are using technology (visual and other) in their everyday lives. If schools and teachers would get on board with this, the possibilities would be endless.
New Literacies: Enrichment or Essential really caught my attention. After reading through the article, I found it very difficult to choose which aspects of Web 2.0 are enrichment and which are essential. In my opinion, it encompasses both areas, sometimes overlapping one another. We can use Web 2.0 to benefit our students if we use guidance and structure to actively involve them in the learning process. Blogs, wikis, and the like are the norm in today's society. Why should we hinder our students by not exposing them to all of the resources that are available at their fingertips?
To me, School 2.0 can't be labeled as just an idea or a resource. It's much more than that. It encompasses an entirely new world of learning. It's the future. For schools, it means better learning opportunities and a broader understanding of the curriculum. It means new and improved communication and collaboration among students, teachers, and parents. It means everything.