Thing #5: Web 2.0

From what I've gathered from my readings, Web 2.0 simply means using technology to your advantage. It's about seeing the internet as a way of interacting, networking, and sharing ideas. This is mainly involved in social media sites such as blogs, Facebook, Twitter, etc. It isn't merely about receiving information, but perhaps more interacting with that information received to give a whole new experience to the web previously known.

For schools of the future, this will mean much more technology in the classroom. Internet-based learning will become far more common than the elementary classroom I grew up in. Overheads and the occasional computer activity were about as high-tech as it got. What I see happening soon is the furthering use of i-clickers, smartboards, and eventually ipads to replace textbooks. Social media will be used in the classroom for more than updating what you had for lunch that day, but rather updating your class wikispace or blog to inform parents and students of upcoming events or assignments. As with any technology, Web 2.0 is all about becoming a power user and learning how to use technology to enhance how you are teaching in the classroom.