• How is learning presumed to occur within the context of Web 2.0?According to “Minds on Fire,” student learning increases when students are allowed to view each other’s work, work collaboratively in groups, and see the feedback given to each other. When student’s can see each other’s work, a sense of collaboration, but also competition is created.  “Minds on Fire” mentions a course where students were able to see each other blog posts after a few weeks – and when they did so, their standards of work increased.  Our competitive nature kicks in and sometimes boosts our willingness and eagerness to learn.With all of the different ways that students learn, Web 2.0 tools provide a variety of ways to reach every student in the classroom, no matter what their learning style.  I really liked the example of using the web to like older generations with the young kids in school today.  Teachers were able to get a message across that may have been lost had it not been told by someone who lived the era, a generation removed.
• What are the differences in the role of the learner and the facilitator as compared to ‘traditional’ learning environments? (Do you consider these roles and processes viable/valid given your philosophy of learning?)The learner must take more responsibility for themselves and their education in these types of settings.   The teacher can facilitate but can not be the basic source of knowledge for students.
  Students must seek to interact with their peers and continue discussions on the topics outside the tradition classroom. This is the way learning should always occur, whether “traditional” or not. Learners are living in a “demand-pull” world where resources are rich and expectations of learning are very high.  With so much information at their fingertips, learners must recognize their abilities to change and add to their knowledge at any time.Facilitators, according to Brown, must understand that today’s digital learners are constant multi-processors. We must then teach them in the new way that they learn. And because their are no established sources of information on the web, we must teach our students to question and rethink all sources of information.
• What implications do these shifts have for how we think about designing learning environments?These shifts allow us to create learning environments that are conducive to all student learning.  These shifts, especially web dependence,  change what is expected of students in the 21st century.  Brown alluded to the fact that because students are expected to know more and problems solve better, we need to consider the “new normal” when creating learning environments for these “web-based” learners.Brown also points out that our students are “do-ers.”  They want to see what is being done around the world via the web and then try and out do it.  We need to challenge them to continue this practice!
• Courtney Blackhurst

Hello all!

My name is Courtney and I’m a social studies teacher at the high school level.  I work in a school south of Pittsburgh, PA.  I teach high school students, mainly grades 9, 11, and 12, American Government, Sociology and an online Community Service course. I love the school I teach in and the students I teach!

I was a Penn State undergraduate student at main campus. I completed my degree in ’07.  I’m back taking master’s courses to complete a second degree with the university.

Because I am a part of our technology team at our high school, I am very familiar with Web 2.0 tools but look forward to learning more and sharing them with my colleagues! 🙂  I am currently working on a project with my 9th graders – who are creating wikispaces for their own political parties.

I look forward to spending the summer with all of you!

Courtney