Day+3

=Web 2.0 and AP: How Blogs, Wikis, and Other Technologies Can Improve Your Teaching.=

Overview:

 * What is Web 2.0 and why use it?
 * Using Wikis to support critical thinking and collaborative learning.
 * Blogs for improving communication with learning community
 * Alternate AP Assessments using Glogs, Wikis, and personal websites

Prerequisites:
Follow the instructions to create a wiki page and a blog before PD day 3

Objectives:

 * 1) evaluate the role of wikis for collaborative learning
 * 2) create wiki assignments for AP classes
 * 3) evaluate methods of incorporating blogs into an AP class
 * 4) analyze the use of Glogs, Prezis, Vokis, etc. in an AP class

Content:
Web 2.0 technologies are allowing teachers to create collaborative learning experiences in ways that were not possible previously. The use of wikis can allow students to work towards a truly constructivist model of education by allowing the students to research and develop their own understandings of the material. Blogs, on the other hand, allow teachers to communicate quickly and easily with students, parents, and any other individual in the learning community. These' however, are just two of the myriad tools that are available to teachers who want to explore Web 2.0 technology. This day of professional development will allow each teacher a chance to become familiar with these technologies and decide how these tools can be effectively used within the classroom. Not every Web 2.0 technology will lend itself to each course's content material so it will be up to the teachers to evaluate the pros and cons of these programs to figure out which should belong in their AP class. In any regard, Web 2.0 programs are easy to use, interesting for students, and are mostly free- all of which will help Carroll County's AP program.

Learning Activities:

 * 1) To begin the day, the AP teachers will have a brief orientation meeting with the head of the AP program for the county to discuss the importance of properly preparing students for the AP exam, while providing learning experiences so as to not just //teach to the test.// In this discussion, the supervisor will describe how the use of Web 2.0 technologies can provide students the content knowledge they need to succeed on the exam, along with some needed variety to keep them engaged and motivated to learn.
 * 2) Teachers will break into content area groups
 * 3) Teachers will pull up the wikis and blogs that they created the night before the professional development activity. If you have not already, go to wikispaces and blogger to sign up.
 * 4) The facilitator for each group of teachers will have the teachers go to the following link to read about Web 2.0 in the classroom.
 * 5) Teachers will then brainstorm ways of incorporating these technologies into their own classrooms
 * 6) Teachers will be placed into small groups to create a 15-20 minute wiki project based on an assigned topic relating to the use of web 2.0 technologies. Teachers will be assigned to investigate the uses of a given Web 2.0 tool, then create an interactive wiki using that program. When the groups have completed their lesson, they will invite another group to their wiki to complete the assignment.
 * 7) Once the assignments are done, the entire class of teachers will discuss their experiences with the wikis and the Web 2.0 tools to determine the use of these technologies in their classes.
 * 8) The final segment of this day of professional development will deal with the use of blogs in the classroom. Teachers will search to find examples of good education blogs and evaluate the key components of such websites.
 * 9) Finally, teachers will each individually work to create a top 10 Web 2.0 program list along with practical applications within their classes to post to their personal classroom blogs.
 * 10) Teachers will be required to read a colleague's blog and discuss in small groups before the end of the session.

Resources:
The 100 Best Web 2.0 Classroom Tools Education Blogs The use of blogs, wikis and RSS in education: A conversation of possibilities by Peter Duffy 2006. Uses and Potentials of Wikis in the Classroom by S. Ferris and Hilary Wilder 2006

Prerequisites for Day 4:
Don't forget to click here to see what are the expected materials and activities to perform before your next day of professional development.

Session Evaluation:
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