It always comes down to theory vs practice for me; I am so excited by the possibilites of Web 2.0 in teaching and learning, from K to college, for finding information, collaborating and creating exciting projects, but how does a school transition to this new world? I would love to have students work together on multimedia projects, sharing the planing, writing, editing, and visual tasks, but how to assess, how to make certain everyone contribures and what to do about students without their own resources are just a few problems that jump out. But maybe all it takes is one teacher and one small pilot project...
I think that most educators feel that they are covered by "fair use" because they operate in an educational, not a commercial, enviroment. We can make sure that sources are always cited (any visual in a PowerPoint, for example, or any background music) and that students learn about Creative Commons. Hopefully once they learn how to protect their own creations, they will be less likely to steal (borrow without attibution) the creative works of others. Or will the 'cut and paste' mentality be such a part of their digital experiences that it will not be seen as wrong? I do not know.
It's up to all of us to insure that our students lose that "cut and paste" mentality. We must insist on citing sources and giving credit where possible. All of us have a responsibility to act as role models - and our department especially has to spread the word. At this point, we just need to model and point teachers in the direction of technology options where possible. At your level, Terri has finished the program and would be a great ally for you to team up with.
ReplyDeleteJoan