Developing Literacy in MST

The Thornburg Center blog quotes Chris Dede, who In a 1997 statement to the Public Communication of Science and Technology Panel says,

The most dangerous experiment we can conduct with our children is to keep schooling the same at a time when every other aspect of our society is dramatically changing.

Although this was penned in 1997, it perhaps rings more true today than ever, considering the prevalence of the idea of Web 2.0. The tools available to classroom teachers are more powerful than ever before, and without any doubt, more and more educators will begin to take advantage of these tools, providing great long-term benefits to their students.

One unfortunate aspect of the Web 2.0 concept that exists is its availability, or the lack thereof. As a prospective urban teacher, how can I be excited about the use of Web 2.0 in my classroom when my district’s resources are a mere fraction of surrounding districts? Will Web 2.0 simply widen the literacy gap between students in high-needs districts and those who are not?