Journal 4: "It's Time to Trust Teachers with the Internet"

Schaffhauser, D. (2010, December 1). It's time to trust teachers with the internet: a conversation with meg ormiston. Retrieved from http://thejournal.com/Articles/2010/12/01/Its-Time-To-Trust-Teachers-with-the-Internet-A-Conversation-with-Meg-Ormiston.aspx?sc_lang=en&Page=1

In this interview, Meg Ormiston cannot stress the importance of giving teachers access to more Web 2.0 tools in schools, and for schools to let up their firewalls. She states that students are excited to interact with other students by using new technology, and that teachers are getting frustrated because they are being pressured to use 21st Century technology, and then being banned to do so. Students have access to these tools on their phones and at home, but they aren't being taught how to appropriately use them in an education sense because schools are blocking them from existence. Ormiston feels strongly that this vicious circle created is not beneficial to either the student or the educator. Both are left in the dark; one is uneducated, and one is educated with no where to go.

If firewalls were let up in all schools around the country, how would we know that all of the educators would even be knowledgeable enough to handle the new responsibility?

This would cause problems for teachers who have been teaching for a good amount of time, because most teachers who are the most knowledgable about Web 2.0 tools are the ones who new. Districts would have to make it mandatory for their teachers to be educated by teaching them how to use new technology to their advantage. This may cause trouble considering that some teachers may be against it, and wouldn't want to spend extra time learning it either.

With negative views on social networking sites all over the news, would parents be supportive with the use of Web 2.0 tools for their children?

I think the same problem with parents being skeptical about the new technology is the same problem educators have (hence the blocking). If districts let their parents know EXACTLY how their students will be using these tools, it could change their views on it, and even make them a little more educated on their use. I think educators, parents, and students all need to be in this together and have to be open to using Web 2.0 tools for their advantage. The hard part is proving that there is an advantage to using these tools for those who are in the dark about them!