Article Summary #2

The Educator's Guide to the Read/Write Web
by Will Richardson

Overview
The author suggests that with the advent of web publishing tools, educators must be willing to adapt their curriculum and lessons to accommodate the "Read/Write Web." Literacy is no longer a matter of reading and writing in the traditional sense. Those skills are certainly necessary but students must also be able to filter through the flood of unedited material they find on the web. Educators must be willing to step aside and let the students use the wealth of resources on the internet. Students have access to scientists, researchers and other content area professionals. The author goes on to warn that educators must monitor use and teach students how to use the new tools to their advantage.

Reference Points
1. Blogs allow students and teachers to create an online diary, communicate with other students worldwide and present an interactive portfolio of their work.
2. Wikis offer collaborative resources and links to course curriculum.
3. Podcasting gives students the chance to share audio clips of museum tours, interviews, classroom news and more.
4. Web publishing skills are a must for both teacher and student.
5. Teachers must be aware of and embrace their shifting role as the Read/Write Web offers expertise and ideas from around the world.
6. The benefits of using the Web outweigh the manageable risks.

Reflection
I agree with much of the author's ideas about letting students publish their work online. Knowing their work could be read by students or teachers on the other side of the globe is an incentive to do better.

However, the situation at the school I am in now is quite different. Many times students are not allowed to use the computer because they have not completed two standards. The author's comments on the risks of using these tools is very real for us. When the students get to the computer they have a hard time focusing on what they are supposed to do and get lost in cyberspace. This would be ok, except that they are so far behind and a little wasted time every day equates to graduation when they are 21. So, the bottom line becomes getting standards and levels passed in order to graduate when they are eighteen.

In a different school, I would love to try the author's suggestions. The internet has so much to offer and secondary generalists need quality resources and content-area experts. The idea of finding scientists or researchers who would be willing to guide a student's study sounds extremely appealing. Maybe I'll try next year.