Chapter 8 “Systemic Issues”

The fastest growing student population is limited English proficient (LEP) students. This is expected to continue for at least 15 more years. Teachers in some schools are already using technology to help students acquire English language skills. Some Web 2.0 tools could include: blogging – where students could practice reading and writing, and podcasting – some teachers are already using this technology in various ways, I think the most interesting is developing “interactive story mazes” (similar to the “Choose Your Own Adventure” series.)
Some students with special needs are already using technology so that they can participate in the school environment. Web 2.0 tools can be used to reinforce skills as well as help students with IEPs. There are also numerous podcasts available to parents/guardians of special needs students.
Last year I saw and got to play (for about 5 minutes) with one of the “$100 laptops”. The laptop was part of the One Laptop per Child program. Many of these laptops are going to third world nations, but some of these machines are going to destinations in the U.S. These laptops are sturdy, simple to navigate, and do not require wired broadband to access the Web, instead they use satellite connections. Computers and wireless connections have been put into some low-income communities to help bridge the digital divide.
Assessment can take place in many forms using Web 2.0 technology. Projects and/or activities can be done using Web 2.0 tools so that others can review and comment on the piece. My school does portfolios, and I found the information about electronic portfolios to be interesting. I don’t know if we could have all of the student’s entire portfolios online, but some portions could be. The advantage of this would be that people that can’t make it to a portfolio share either because they are working, live too far away, illness, or whatever can still be a part of the portfolio process.