Web 2.0 in Education

The Jonassen Triangles (Jonassen, Rohrer-Murphy, 1999) beautifully relates relationships of technology, society, teaching and learning in this image model. 

Transformation (learning) is a result of action (Production) from subject through object. Learning by producing. Tools and signs (symbols) are the fulcrum on which the production provides leverage facilitating production from subject to object (think of a tool as a band-saw in shop class, or the result of research like a term paper). The brilliance of this model is that it sets this line in relation to both to the economy and society. It assumes that distribution can only be accomplished through a Division of Labor which can only be produced by a response to the demand of Consumption. 

The reality of free publishing has brought Distribution to nearly zero cost - freeing it from the relationship to monetary exchange. The Division of Labor continues through every person writing and sending their own publishing. The Exchange currency is no longer money, but is time and ideas. (Shirky, 2008).

What are the Rules and Customs of conversation and sharing? The older generations have strict boundaries of private talk and public talk. Older folks grew up in a society where our communication mores were like a library - organized and in their proper places.  Our children are conversing more than ever with texting, blogs, tweets and social nets comments. (Shirky, 2008) Such is the proliferation of the shallow and mundane - more like the public noise of Grand Central Station. And, regardless that the product is cheap to make and usually trivial, consumption is through the roof! 

Which relationships has changed the most? Communication to Exchange Currency and Community Rules and Customs. And this is changing our lives. And so it should be changing our schools and will do so if we let the change come through the doors of our schools. Already, our schools are nearly obsolete to the needs of tomorrow - to not let the new societies in our schools will push it further into irrelevance. Let the texting, blogging, social networking begin, school boards!

Sources:

     Jonassen, D.H., Rohrer-Murphy, L (1999). Activity theory as a framework for designing constructivist learning environments.  Educational Technology Research and Development,47,(pp. 61-79).   

     Shirky, C.,(2008) Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing Without Organizations, New York. The Penguin Press.