Using Tech to Create Knowledge--Constructivism and Connectivism

The question from this weeks outline, "How can we use these tools, connect with others to "create" knowledge?" completely sums up my ambivalence regarding the use of technology and at what level of intensity. Websites like Moodle, Glogster, Wordle, Diigo, PBWiki, Lulu and Classchatter are just a few possible tech tools to utilize.

To begin to answer my own hesitations and questions I have regarding technology in the classroom I am going to start small, using a few things I have already picked up from this class. I would never have found out about these on my own without working together to "uncover, discover, communicate and find information."

I am currently enrolled in a graduate course titled "Teaching Secondary Literature." One of our larger projects is to create a unit using Young Adult Literature. The unit needs to be 15 lessons long in total over any length of time. Having checked out other student blogs and exploring some of their links I'm excited by what I've discovered and the ease of which I might be able to incorporate some of these tools into my classroom.

While I don't know really what I will be doing for my unit yet (detail-wise) I could easily see how for the text "The Great Gatsby" I might have students work in groups of two and adopt a character. For a culminating project, they would need to utilize Glogster to create a poster on their character to present to the class. This activity would also provide a focus for the students as they read a text that is typically seen as 'not interesting, relate able, and boring.'

This type of activity utilizes both constructivism ideals (students constructing their own knowledge) and connectivism (students using technology to construct their own knowledge). In this sense (and I might say limited) then I could possible see how bringing technology into the classroom effectively and, more importantly, powerfully.