Several teachers have asked me about the upcoming writing contest, so below I am sharing a few thoughts about it, and a link to the district's information page:

MCSD information page with contest dates, guidelines, the writing prompt, and PRIZES

Informational meeting planned

MCSD Technology Writing Contest
Guidelines Meeting/Discussion

When:  Monday, October 5th, 4:00pm – 5:00pm
Where:  MCSD Instructional Technology Academy, Lab 2

Come learn about this year’s writing contest topic and guidelines.  This is a great opportunity for all MCSD students - winners will receive netbooks!

My commnents:

Do remember this is a contest about writing. I think the prompt is terrific. It asks your students to contemplate or imagine how the various Web 2.0 tools can impact or shape the classroom of the future. Your students are technology natives, and it is an integral part of their lives. Their task is to write about how the various tools they use daily might be used in a classroom setting. How might these tools improve teaching and learning. This can be their opportunity to teach us "Technology Immigrants" a thing or two.

Of course I realize many of these resources are presently blocked in the district, but they are not blocked in most homes. This is not a writing piece about what is presently being done in classrooms with Web 2.0; it is asking what might be done in the future. Let your student use this writing contest as a vehicle for explaining why our district needs to allow access to these tools. Let them use it as a forum to explain their needs in this area, and perhaps convince those in seats of responsibility of these needs.

Your students do not have to be proficient with every Web 2.0 tool listed. But they will be familiar with a few, and I suspect, with a little motivation, they can and will gladly share with us how these tools can be used in some effective way in the classrooms of the future.

Some examples of Web 2.0 tools are:

• Blogger

• Wordpress

• Myspace

• Facebook

• Twitter

• Youtube

• Del.icio.us

• Digg

• TeacherTube

• Flickr

• PBWorks

• Picasa Web

• Google Docs

• Wikispaces

• Google Earth

• Google SketchUp

• MobyPicture

• SlideShare

Important dates - See flyer for more details

• October 21, 2009: Deadline to email "The Writing Contest" essays

• November 12, 2009: Awards Ceremony in the Evening for "The Writing Contest" at the Columbus Museum in the Patrick Theatre