One more reading....

http://news.com.com/Web+2.0+Big+app+on+campus/2100-1032_3-6199687.html
Web 2.0: Big app on campus
Universities are using Web 2.0-style tools to tap into a generation's lust for celebrity as they revamp learning and recruiting. By Candace Lombardi

I came across this article through my bloglines actually. It was interesting to see how the higher institutes of leaning are using new technologies with students. The article discussed a variety of uses of the "social tools" offered by web 2.0 such as blogs, wikis, etc. Apparently many universities are using the tools before students come to campus to introduce professors and even room mates. New students can establish relationships and have a smoother transition once they arrive on campus. It also mentioned the Blackboard site that we are becoming familiar with at Lesley and in my mind makes sense in the "going green" age we are living in. In the classrooms at universities, blogs are replacing journals. Lombardi reminds the reader that everyone LOVES to see their work published and these tools allow for that! One concern that I often fall back on when discussing technology is the student-teacher relationship. The article made an excellent point in stating that students can view the lecture, notes, etc. online prior to class allowing for more open discussion rather than passive learning. The issue of student honesty came up and Lombardi states that many of these sites use sign ins so teachers can record who did what on projects, etc. I really enjoyed the article and seeing how my students will use the tools learned in middle school at the university level.