Web 2.0 Leadership for Students

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Part 4 – Web 2.0 Leadership – In this four part series, I cover tagging, review building a PLN with an iGoogle page, notes on wiki editing, and end up with Leadership notes. This is taken from a blog post for my ninth graders. Really this is leadership and their future – more than Web 2.0 but part of it.

Web 2.0 Leadership
Finally, for my students I have a word for you.

1. Handouts are going Out.

   This is a tough, competitive world going through tough times right now.

   No one is going to “hand” you anything. The handouts that are already being given out are rapidly going away and will continue to.

2. You need to be able to collaborate globally.

   There are skills that you need to have that most adults, yes, most educators don't understand right now but you are in this project because your teacher (and teachers if you are from another school) see and understand that global collaboration is an essential part of your future.

   And global collaboration is about CO-CREATION. This means you have to learn how to create TOGETHER.

3. Teaching You to Collaborate Globally is Hard.

   Most adults aren't teaching this well because they are not doing it well themselves.Many “global collaborations” are just competitions. And while competition is OK in some instances, we have to COOPERATE also.

4. Learn to Focus.

   I want you to be successful leaders in this world. The less supervision you require, the more money you can make. Company CEO's don't have someone looking over their shoulder telling them not to play games on their computer. CEO's are there because they can be trusted to focus on the most important thing!

   When you are given a task. Do it – if you need help ask.

   We leave the chat up to help you but if it is a distraction and time waster, understand – just because you are in Digiteen's chat window doesn't mean you are “working on” Digiteen any more than if I go in the teacher's lounge and play a card game means that I'm working at teaching! Your physical presence on a website means NOTHING unless you are physically doing something meaningful.

5. No One Will Do it for You.

   Your teacher is your coach. The coach doesn't play on the field for their players but teaches players how to play the game. Don't ask your teacher to do for you what you need to know how to do. Ask them to Coach you.

6. More than You Are Now.

   Admit that you don't know it all. If you have a good teacher, he/she will tell you there is a lot he/she DOESN'T know about technology and digital citizenship. If you think you know it all, you're wrong. Open up and learn.

7. Use this Opportunity.

   YOu have the opportunity to make friends with kids all over the world. Learn about them – what interests them – how they are different and like from you.

8. Respect Others.

   Respect others that are different than you. If you read a “funny” name – that is someone's name. Don't make fun of it, even out loud in class. When you do that you are creating teachable moments for your teachers to share with you how we must respect those from other countries. A person's name is sacred to that person and the most important word to them in the world – treat it with respect.

9. Every Teacher is Your Teacher

   We have many teachers who volunteer there time here on Digiteen even when they don't have a class in the project. We also have many experts, college professors, and others. We jump in and share with you and each other all the time. Realize that the teachers run this project and if someone points something out, although they are not your direct teacher they are your “teacher” and can help you learn something. They also have a responsibility to monitor and keep things safe for you.

10. You Get what you Give.

    Mrs. Julie Lindsay and I have done more than 20 global collaborations and we have found one thing. That when a student really puts something into these projects, they get a lot more out of it than they put in. We've had students become part of major books in education, videos, who have won prizes, and teachers who win global and national awards. When we collaborate together we become better.

    Good things happen to those who give. I am a living example of this and believe it with my life and actions.

4 Posts in this Series (Will link them after completed.)
Part 1 – How to Tag Properly
Part 2 – Building your PLN and RSS Feeds.
Part 3 – Editing Wikis and Placing Hyperlinks
Part 4 – Web 2.0 Leadership