Digital Literacy for Primary Teachers by Savage Moira & Anthony Barnett

Author:Savage, Moira & Anthony Barnett
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781909682634
Publisher: National Book Network International
Published: 2015-04-06T04:00:00+00:00

6

Collaboration, communication and networking

Introduction

The theme of collaboration, communication and networking is central to considerations of effective pedagogy. However, as is typically the case with new inventions and innovative ideas, developments in digital technologies raise questions about the value and use of new media within the school curriculum. For example, you are likely to be concerned with issues of e-safety (Byron, 2008), and the emergence of a cut-and-paste culture (McKenzie, 2008) has also received extended attention. On the other side of the fence several authors have commented on how children are currently required to leave the real world behind as they unplug or power down on entering school only to plug back in again at the end of the school day. Despite the range of misgivings and apprehensions, the educational potential of social media and new technology is just so great that the inevitable tide of transformation is upon us once more. The value of new media and new technology is also recognised in the national curriculum for computing at Key Stage 2 where direct reference is made to pupils being taught to collaborate and share online. Pupils need to be taught to:

understand computer networks including the internet; how they can provide multiple services, such as the world-wide web; and the opportunities they offer for communication and collaboration.

(NC, 2013, p 189)

It’s now common knowledge that Web 2.0, the internet characterised by participation, where users of the internet are producers as well as consumers, provides multiple opportunities for collaborative learning such as blogging, wikis and podcasting. Primary school children are also able to publish their work via school websites and, when suitably managed, may have their photos and videos uploaded to websites such as Flickr and YouTube or TeacherTube. There are numerous social media applications that have as yet under-realised potential within primary education.

This chapter introduces and discusses various forms of new media for collaboration, communication and networking with a particular focus on blogs, wikis, podcasts and virtual worlds. It also highlights a sample from the range of social media which will act as a starting point if you want to explore this burgeoning area more fully.

Critical questions

Review your understanding and experience of social media. Which social media do you use regularly? What are the positive and negatives features? If you don’t use social media consider what impact this might have on your teaching.

The national curriculum highlights the opportunities for communicating and collaborating afforded by computer networks such as the internet. Starting with your own experience, make a list of opportunities for communication and collaboration within a primary school context. Consider the advantages, disadvantages and associated risks. NB Chapter 9 focuses on the broader context of e-safety.

Blogs and blogging

As one of the forms taken by Web 2.0 blogging and the blogosphere are now pervasive features of the world we live in. There are simply millions of blogs and millions upon millions of posts are being uploaded as a continuous stream to these blogs. But what exactly is a blog? In the early

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