Web 2.0 in the Classroom: Student Practices, Teacher Perspectives
Abstract: This paper reports the findings from a multi-case study of Web 2.0 technologies integrated in two 8th grade technology elective classrooms in the Midwest. After reviewing literature suggesting (1) students online practices outside of school are significantly social, meaningful, and markedly different than opportunities afforded in school, (2) teacher attitudes and perspectives toward technology matter, and (3) socio-constructivist theories on learning can guide the interplay between technologies and high-level learning, the study investigated student practices and teacher perspectives after participating in a curriculum rich in Web 2.0 technologies. The combination of the curriculum’s tools, research-design cycle, and socio-constructivist framework proved successful in terms of high-level learning, satisfaction, and feelings of value by teachers and students. This study concludes educators augmenting instruction to simulate social media practices used by adolescents, within similar frameworks, may facilitate complex learning.