Frequently Asked Questions:
1. How does this online learning program work? This is a self-discovery program which encourages participants to take control of their own learning and to utilize their lifelong learning skills through exploration and play. Participants are encouraged to work together and share with each other their discoveries, techniques, and "how to's" both in person and through their blogs. This course is web-based and not tied to any particular computer. In fact, you may want to work at home or at a library.
2. Is this program open to everyone or just some? This program is a required element for participants in the “20 in the 21st” mini-grant, but it is also open to all who want to learn and grow. Participate individually or as a group. The benefit to participating as a part of a group is that your cheer one another along. Participants say this is incredibly rewarding and also a way to learn from one another. Don’t we all like positive reinforcement?
3. How long do I have to complete the program? This is an 8-week program. The idea is that you work on a few new “things” or activities each week. However, you may work ahead or take a week off here and there. It is up to you how fast you decide to work!
4. How do I track my progress for the 20/20 Things? You will be asked to make a blog of your own to track your progress. Please use your blog to write your reactions to the lessons and add any ideas you may have on how to use web 2.0 tools for yourself and your school. This is YOUR time to experiment, have fun, and learn at your own pace. Web 2.0 is here....and now, so are we!
We recommend you to label your blog posts this way: Include THING # in the heading of each post. It will help you track your progress. It is also helpful when you want to refer back or add something new on a specific topic or tool.
5. Can we get Continuing Education credits for the course? If you are a teacher in Academy School District 20, then the answer is yes. We are offering (2) continuing education credits for this program. If you register for C.E. units, you will need to complete The 20 Things, the Discovery Exercises, and get ideas from the Curriculum Connections. Each week you should reflect on these things on your blog. Register for Credit on THE SPOT course #1011-067-20
6. What are "Curriculum Connections"? Curriculum connections are the ideas that participants have developed throughout previous versions of the course. We are asking everyone to think of ways to use each of these 2.0 tools in their own classroom. We are especially looking for ways to create dynamic collaborations with teacher librarians, technology specialists and classroom teachers. We have created a curriculum wiki. At the end of the course, you will have a lot of ideas to use and share on the wiki.
7. Week 5 is Wiki Week. We have created a District 20/20 Things Curriculum Connections wiki especially for you, so when you learn a new 2.0 application and use it in a special way for your classroom or school library, you can add and share that "2.0 Best Practice." Participants are welcome to contribute to the wiki as they move through the 8-week course, or can wait until WEEK 5. It is your choice. Just "copy and paste" your applications into the wiki. Another option is for 2.0 Partners to create their own wiki for their group.
8. Will there be any training classes offered to show participants how to do this? Yes, for grant participants, a few face-to-face meeting times have been set up. However, this is a self-directed learning program, and those joining in who are not doing this as a part of the grant should have no problem completing the assignments . We will provide helpful hints, encouraging words, and post comments from time to time. You are also encouraged to be resourceful and to find a co-worker or another staff member who can help. Be sure to share your knowledge and expertise too! Many school districts, professional organizations, and fellow educators will be offering workshops on web 2.0 tools, so plan to attend them if you’d like to add some face-to-face (f2f) learning. The more ways to learn, the merrier.
9. Is there any tech support? What tech support do you have now? At work? At home? At your local coffee shop or library? If you run into difficulties, and have done some serious problem solving and still have a question, ask the IT-ES 2.0 Team. We can assist you with the course, but not your computer or Internet connection.
10. Why Do This? Web 2.0 is a phrase that was coined in 2004. It refers to the fact that the Internet is now an interactive medium rather than a ‘place’ to go to get information. Since it is the young who are flocking to these Web 2.0 sites, it is important that those of us who work in schools should be up-to-date with the latest trends in education and technology and learn how they can be utilized in or with our classrooms and school libraries.
11. Who are members of the IT-ES 2.0 Team? IT-ES 2.0 Team leaders are Michael Doub, Linda Conway, Lori Hartman, and Nancy White, . The original CSLA 2.0 Team leaders were Connie Williams, Jackie Siminitus, Jamie Boston, Rob Darrow, and a number of additional core team members including Liz Dodds, Tom Kahn, and others. Initially, a small number of California School Library Association members were invited to join the CSLA 2.0 Team, in order to "test drive" the program and recommend relevant web 2.0 sites and activities. All participants who successfully complete Academy District 20/20 Things essentially become members of the 2.0 Team.
Learning 2.0 is a discovery learning program created by Helene Blowers. School Library Learning 2.0 and Classroom Learning 2.0 were created based on Learning 2.0. Out of this, “Academy District 20/20 Things” was born. Content was borrowed and duplicated with permission, under a Creative Commons License. Many thanks to the many talented people that have contributed to the creation of this tutorial.
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