I have been reading all the hubbub about Wikipedia in the news. To me, it seems like a tempest in a teapot as we evolve into a Web 2.0 world. What makes this story remarkable isn't that there are inaccuracies in Wikipedia. The mainstream media seemed all too eager to point those inaccuracies out. The important fact to bear in mind is how accurate Wikipedia is compared to traditional encyclopedias. Check out the article in Nature. I guess it is easier to sell a story about the shortcomings of Wikipedia than one about its advantages.

I asked my students for some feedback on how the debates in class were going. Being a cynic by nature I was ready for the worst. To my surprise they preferred discussing topics on the computer using a bulletin board service called QuickTopic. Many students liked being able to see the thoughts of other students including those from other classes. Other students enjoyed the ability to craft their response instead of just relying on sharp wits and a quick tongue. A few students complained of some of the technological hurdles and some had trouble accessing the site from home. I liked the ability to create a discussion, post a link to our class website, and have the students contributing all within ten minutes. The site also doesn't require email addresses, which is perfect since a minority of my students don't have any. The site address for the discussion is usually some random mix of letters and numbers, so interlopers are unlikely to stumble into your discussion (although it wouldn't be too terrible if one did since it is easy enough to delete inappropriate comments). This is a great tool to add to my class discussions. It also makes assessment easier because I have the evidence right in front of me.

After spending 3 months absorbing all the advances in educational technology, I though it was time to start a blog. With thoughts of wikis, podcasts, e-portfolios running through my brain, I am taking the plunge. I hope to use this space to sort through my attempts in incorporating tech into my classroom.