Journal 2

"Breathing Fire into Web 2.0" By Justin Hardman and David Carpenter

In this article Hardman and Carpenter suggest that many of today's schools are not as up-to-date as their students concerning technology. They stress the importance of introducing Web 2.0 in the classroom through the use of wikis, forums and blogs to build "virtual learning communities". However, the Hong Kong International School (HKIS) is a step ahead of us. They have already created an all-in-one Web-based system called myDragonNet. This new system includes all of the resources we already use in the classroom to post information (like WebCT) as well as e-mail but it also incorporates three more aspects: 1) classroom and group management 2) curriculum development and 3) electronic portfolios. Justin Hardman (coauthor of this article) was put in charge of developing this system.
He began by researching the needs of students, teachers and administrators and the major concept was that "all functions should be integrated". The program ended up taking on many of the same characteristics of Web 2.0 and this created a move to support Web 2.0 capabilities. Hardman suggests that "schools should seek to work within and exploit this power of interacting online". He also claims that since myDragonNet reflects many of the real world issues, he is better preparing his students for the future. The program is now in solid shape after two years of development. The power of the system lies in it's connections and communication between the faculty and students. The system also includes a photo gallery (images and videos), "sticky notes", space for extra-curricular activities and updates "live" information. Standards and benchmarks are also easily accessible. Other core components include a messaging system, resource library, calender and user profile. It also provides a space for storing and showcasing work for students and teachers in the electronic portfolio section. The authors also stress that the program does leave room for improvement.

1. What aspect of myDragonNet do I think is really cool? I really see the value of electronic portfolios now. I think they are an amazing resource. I also really like the expansion of communication between students and teachers that the program provides.
2. How could this type of program benefit my classroom? The benefits are numerous but probably the most valuable is the communication aspect. It suggested in the article that the program could also improve communication with the parents. This would really help everyone to get onboard in the learning process. I think sometimes the parents need to be reminded of their role in educating their child as well.