The Benefits and Concerns of the Read/Write Web in Education:
Blogs, Wikis, RSS, and Social Networks, including MySpace.com

So, what are blogs, wikis, RSS, and social networks? And what do these technologies mean for your students? One thing is certain – they are using these technologies outside of school whether you know the answers to these questions or not. There is little doubt that a good deal of incidental learning is taking place online, but educators and parents can model more rigorous academic uses for intentional learning as we if they understand the technologies, the benefits, and some of the concerns. The Read/Write Web For over a decade the web has been an increasingly important resource for educators and students. They frequently search for information, images, audio files, and video for use in school projects. But, during these activities, the web is read-only. Information moves only one-way: from the publishers to the consumers. In recent years, though, things have changed. It is now as easy to create as it is to consume. Anyone can publish, share, and change information as easily as they can view and download it. There is now a read/write web, or a two-way web, what some are calling the Web 2.0.
The Technologies 

• Blogs, or weblogs, allow the author to easily create and easily update interactive multimedia websites. If you can use email, you can blog. Blogs are generally updated often, even daily, with the newest items typically appearing at the top of the page, and older items moving down before being archived. Most blogs allow visitors to comment on the site.

• Wikis are websites that allow any visitor to edit the content. If you can use a word processor, you can use a wiki.

• Real Simple Syndication (RSS) is a technology that allows visitors to subscribe to a blog, wiki, or other service so that there is no need to return to the website to check for updates – because the updates come to the subscribers. (RSS is also the technology behind podcasts, or online shows that anyone can publish - and anyone can consume at their convenience.)
• Social Networks, such as MySpace.com share much in common with blogs, but they allow users to create a profile of their interests and other personal information. This allows them to connect with other like-minded individuals online.

The Benefits

• The read/write web is engaging and motivating: Students already enjoy using these social technologies outside of school.
• The read/write web provides a context for learning: Students access, process, and create content with an authentic purpose and audience.
• The read/write web facilitates inquiry: Students can discover, explore, and contribute to topics that interest them.
• The read/write web supports critical thinking: Students can reflect on their learning as they compose their writing. They have to consider issues of audience, purpose, bias, and the reliability of information in the digital age.
• The read/write web provides a framework for collaboration: Students can connect with peers and experts using the tools of the 21st Century workplace.

The Concerns

• Students might access inappropriate content online. Federal law already mandates that schools and districts show due diligence in protecting students from potentially inappropriate or harmful content, but with the ease of creation comes an explosion in online content, which is increasingly difficult to filter. Whether these sites are blocked or not, it is important to teach students how to respond when they happen upon inappropriate content.
• Because students themselves are creating online content, inappropriate sharing is also a concern. Regardless of policiesand filters in place at school, students will use these technologies outside of school, so they must be taught to do so responsibly, ethically, and safely. It is easy for students to post the very offensive material they are supposed to be protected from, and if students post threatening material online, this can lead to cyber-bullying and legal consequences.
• The ease of copying material online makes intellectual property issues a concern as well. Discussing the norms and values of academic honesty, copyright, and fair use are critical in helping students understand the law and their responsibilities. Students can even be introduced to alternative copyrights such as the creative commons at creativecommons.org. 
• The concerns are more serious when the students might be the victims of a crime. Some of the risks of inappropriate sharing are fraud and theft, including identity theft. Students need to understand that posting sensitive information about themselves, their family, or their friends can be risky behavior for everyone involved.
• The most grave concern regarding the use of the read/write web by students, and the most serious consequence of inappropriate sharing, is the fear of cyber stalkers or predators. For their own safety students must be taught not to post their names, addresses, phone numbers, personal information, or pictures, particularly sexually suggestive images. Students

should never make plans to physically meet with someone they met online. Such a meeting is the goal of most predators. Ultimately, if you want to understand the benefits and risks of these technologies, consider using them and exploring the yourself. In all likelihood this will be a rewarding learning experience. There will probably be some scary moments when the risks become crystal clear, but with that will come understanding and perspective. It may also be an opportunity for meaningful conversation with students, and an opportunity to provide them with the guidance necessary to use  these technologies effectively, ethically, and safely.

Reference: Wagner, M. D. (in press). An Introduction to the Read/Write Web in Education. Gifted Education Communicator. Summer
2006, Vol. 37, No. 2.

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Kebaikan dan Keburukan PEmbelajaran Berasaskan WEB

Sometimes known as “virtual learning” or “distance education”) a feasible educational option. The idea is that a teacher can reach students in remote locations, which enables students to learn subjects to which they wouldn’t otherwise have access.

Not everyone has embraced this development. Critics charge that it is cold and impersonal, and although there are opportunities for classroom camaraderie (through e-mail and electronic bulletin boards, for example), it doesn’t replicate the experience of a real classroom. Historically, virtual learning has tended to be a little dry, relying mainly on text and graphs to convey information. Advances in computing power and communication networks are changing this, but multimedia-learning experiences remain richer and easier in a traditional classroom setting. What’s more, e-learning almost certainly requires more student initiative than traditional classroom learning. Why? In a virtual classroom, teachers are less likely to notice when students daydream or slack off. It is probably this fact that leads to allegations that e-learning is less effective than traditional classroom learning. Finally, web-based learning requires relatively sophisticated technology and knowledge. This may be beyond the scope of some individuals, though it probably isn’t an issue for a school or organization of any size.

In other aspects, though, e-learning far surpasses its traditional counterpart. One major advantage is that allows anyone, anywhere, to study anything. For example, a small school in rural Oklahoma is unlikely to offer its students a wide variety of language classes; the school is too small for the school district to justify hiring teachers of, say, Russian or Arabic. In a traditional classroom environment, students with an interest in those parts of the world would simply be out of luck. Thanks to web-based learning, however, students have access to relatively obscure subjects. There is, in fact, a huge library of courses and training offered around the globe. Web-based learning has made it possible to study nearly any subject from nearly anywhere in the world.

A second major advantage is that some types of web-based learning allow students to progress at their own pace. This is not true of virtual classrooms that are conducted in real-time. However, many web-based learning packages are offered in modules, which students work through individually, at their own pace. Moreover, an electronic forum enables students to meet with teachers in one-on one sessions. The ability to work through the material at the student’s own pace is a dramatic advantage over traditional teaching methods. The upshot is that web-based learning cannot replace, and will probably never replace, traditional learning. However, it is in some ways far superior, so students who meet certain criteria will find it invaluable. In order to maximize its effectiveness, educators must develop new teaching techniques designed to overcome the limits of e-learning.