As 2006 drew to a close, educators worldwide reflected on the technological advancements that shaped teaching and learning. For many in North America, the winter break provided a much-needed pause for rejuvenation and a chance to look back on the year’s progress in education. Among the most notable trends was the increasing impact of the read/write web—a collection of tools and platforms that empower users to create, collaborate, and share content online.
In this reflection, five key trends emerged that significantly influenced the educational landscape in 2006. From innovative blogging platforms to collaborative wikis, these tools brought new possibilities for teachers and students alike. Here’s an expanded look at these developments:
1. The Rise of Educational Blogging
Platforms: Edublogs.org and Learnerblogs.org
While blogging in education was not new in 2006, it was a year of tremendous growth and refinement for this medium. James Farmer’s Edublogs.org, launched in 2005, became a cornerstone for teachers seeking safe, functional blogging tools tailored to education. Unlike traditional platforms, Edublogs allowed educators to upload various file types, set permission levels, and maintain control over content without the risk of inappropriate links.
Key Milestone: In June 2006, Steve Hargadon launched SupportBlogging.com, a resource hub for educators exploring blogging as a tool for engagement and collaboration. This marked a shift toward blogs as versatile teaching aids, inspiring educators to integrate blogging into their classrooms for reflective writing, project updates, and interactive discussions.
2. Simplified Podcasting for Educators
Platform: Podomatic.com
Podcasting, which began gaining traction in 2004, became more accessible to teachers and students in 2006, thanks to Podomatic. Early podcasting efforts often involved technical complexities that deterred many educators. With Podomatic, these barriers were largely eliminated. Teachers could create podcasts by simply uploading audio files or recording directly through the platform, which automatically handled hosting and distribution.
Impact: Podcasts opened up opportunities for students to develop communication skills, create audio projects, and engage in creative storytelling. Educators embraced the medium for sharing lessons, conducting interviews, and providing supplemental resources.
3. Collaborative Learning with Wikis
Platform: Wikispaces.com
Wikis have long been a powerful tool for collaboration, but their educational potential began to shine in 2006 when Wikispaces.com offered free, ad-free accounts specifically for teachers. By the end of the year, thousands of educators had adopted wikis to facilitate student collaboration, build shared knowledge bases, and create multimedia-rich resources.
Key Initiative: Recognizing the enthusiasm of the education community, Wikispaces launched a campaign to give away 100,000 free wikis to teachers, underscoring the platform’s commitment to supporting collaborative learning.
4. Google’s Expanding Role in Education
Products: Google for Educators, Google Docs, Google Reader, and more
Google emerged as a major player in education in 2006, launching the Google for Educators initiative and introducing tools that revolutionized classroom workflows. Highlights included:
- Google Docs: Enabled real-time collaboration on documents, making group projects and peer editing seamless.
- Google Reader: Simplified staying up-to-date with blogs, news, and other content through RSS feeds.
Google also continued to enhance existing tools like Picasa and Google Earth, which became staples in classrooms for projects and visual learning. This growing suite of free, user-friendly tools empowered educators to incorporate technology into their teaching with ease.
5. The Deleting Online Predators Act (DOPA): Averted Disaster
In 2006, a significant legislative challenge emerged with the introduction of the Deleting Online Predators Act (DOPA). This bill sought to protect students by restricting access to social networking sites, potentially stifling the use of tools like blogs, wikis, and podcasts in schools. Despite passing the U.S. House of Representatives, the bill stalled in the Senate, thanks in part to advocacy groups like SaveYourSpace.org.
Outcome: The failure of DOPA preserved educators’ ability to leverage the read/write web for innovative teaching, ensuring that students could continue to benefit from these tools in a controlled and purposeful way.
Looking Ahead to 2007
The advancements of 2006 laid a solid foundation for the future of the read/write web in education. As we moved into 2007, educators were poised to explore new technologies, refine their approaches, and further integrate digital tools into their classrooms. These innovations promised not only to transform teaching methods but also to foster creativity, collaboration, and engagement among students.