Why I signed up, part 2

I'm hoping to get more insights about Web 2.0 from this self-directed course. I need to talk about it in my classes, and I'm always looking for new resources to help my students think about the Web.

You know, our students may be "digital natives," but in many ways, they are very naive about Web 2.0. They use it for facebook, shopping, texting, etc., but most are really un-savvy. As I sometimes put it, they are not in the driver's seat! Most of the time, they ask ME questions--me: a digital immigrant! But I have learned to "drive" a bit more--to create blogs, websites, to work with digital video and images, to tweet and use del.icio.us (social bookmarking site). Pretty much they just socialize and shop.

So I don't think we need to be intimidated by our students' seeming "nativeness" on Web 2.0.

Speaking of students, I've challenged my two sons, ages 13 and 15, to do "13 Things" along with us. I told them if they did the assignments (including creating a blog), I'd reward them with a $20 gift card to the store of their choice! We'll see what happens.

My older son is definitely in the driver's seat with Web 2.0. He knows some html code, creates games on the web, has an Opera website, and is pretty savvy. And both my sons occasionally act as my tech support guys!

Learning and Teaching Social Media

I just joined facebook in December, but I started blogging in 2005 when I started my first blog, Tae Kwon Do Mom.

I have a Twitter account, but I don't use a cell phone.

(OK, I own a cell phone, a VERY basic pay-as-you-go Virgin Mobile

but I don't carry it around with me.)

I teach online writing in my journalism class, (here's our latest site!--check out their slideshows and the interactive map of "summer at Coe")

but I read the paper versions of the New York Times and the Gazette every day.I want my Rhetorical students to understand the rhetoric of the web . . . but I also make them read Plato, Aristotle, and Quintilian.So I guess I'm interested in this summer project because Web 2.0 is a big presence in my classes and in my life as a writer.

As you can tell, I use social media and enjoy it--but I also love old-fashioned paper stuff. Also, I'm not always crazy about the changes web 2.0 has brought.

I think having this approach makes non-natives better at thinking critically about web 2.0. We CAN teach digital natives a thing or 2.