I have been looking at some interesting Web 2.0 tools that other art teachers might like to know about. One of the most popular, and one that I have been curious about, is Wikipedia. Did you know that "wiki" means "quick" in Hawaiian? I have used this resource, but admit that I had misgivings about the validity of the information offered there. I love the ease with which students can look for clarification, clicking on terms and other data for quick understanding. I remember long Sunday afternoons lying on the living room floor as a girl, looking things up and going from one fat volume to another from my parents' set of Encyclopedias...what? kids don't like to do that anymore? Well, I will not go into my love for reading books (their pages, their smells...)but you can tell I am not of the tech generation. I worried about who was going to rewrite history on the computer, since wikis are a collaborative effort of anonymous, unpaid contributors. Upon further investigation, I am reassured to see the "5 Pillars" that guide these contributions, and that submissions do need to be referenced. I feel safe allowing my students to use this tool, which gives research an "edge for engagement" in the modern classroom.
As an art teacher, I am looking for ways to archive and manipulate images. There are two photo organizers that I am checking out for my classroom and for my personal use. One is Flickr and the other is Photoshop.com. To be honest, I feel like I should be looking at more creative tools like Voicethread or something....there are so many new and different things available...but I really need to be realistic about what I can do at this point. I know I can use a new management system for the student artwork and portfolios. I plan to dig deeper and to see which of these organizers has the best options for me. If you would, please let me know what experiences you have had with either of these--or other offerings that you find superior.
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