learning discoveries and reflections

And so the journey with Web 2.0 comes to an end.  But not really, for it is really the beginning.  Teaching will be different as a result of doing Web 2.0.  Particularly for the students coming in with laptops.  This year that has been only one form of reluctant users.  Next year all but one year group will have laptops.
The challenge will be to follow a middle path.  That is to embrace the technology and allow teaching strategies to evolve in a way that engages and enhances education but not to the exclusion of tried and true teaching and learning strategies.
Some possible new tools include: iGoogle, Blogs, google docs, flicker,
Some tools to be further explored: Delicious, Scoolte, Wikis, itunes, pod casts and vodcasts, mindmiester, RSS feeds
Some that may not be for me and my classroom at this point are: Glogster, Bubble.us, facebook and nings, second life
I thought Andrew Churchs writings were fantastic, particularly his Bloom's digital taxonomy.
I am also more aware, but not sure how to overcome, many of the ethical issues involved with ICT in the classroom.
Overall a positive experience despite untold technical and another difficulties.  20hours is a vast underestimate of the time required even to engage with the material in a superficial level.  You could spend a year with Web 2.0 @4-5 hours per week.
A steep learning curve has been negotiated over the past term, with many successes and some failures.  It would have been good to start with the iLearn video clip because in many ways it put it e learning and Web 2.0 into context very well.
My major concerns at the end of the course are:
How do we ensure that these wonderful tools are used in ways that enhance on-task learning and do not reult in students engaging in more off-task behavious?
What do we do when the technology fails eg: internet is down, collaborative documants are slow to repsond so that we don't land up with frustrated students and staff?
How do we find the time to find or develop relevant resources / scaffolds etc and revise or modify programs in our already busy and overfull teaching day?
Can we ensure that good, engaging "old" ways are still preserved and utilised?
When the curriculum is so full with content how do we ensure that we have the time, space and energy to develop the skills and higher order thinking required with many of the strategies?
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NB School should read: Bethany College Hurstville (not Kogarah)