Journal #4

Storytelling in the Web 2.0 Era by Glenn Bull

Bull’s article explains the relative ease to create stories on the web using a variety of tools that are free to the public. He begins by defining Web 2.0 as a term encompassing technological advances and user participation as advancing facilitating this advance. Glenn also discusses some of the tools and their applicability to specific disciplines and learning styles. He also discusses the low cost to educational budgets and the positive impact these web-based tools have on students and achievement.


Question #1: Can the use of Web 2.0 tools diminish students’ writing as a result of relying too much on the technology to tell their story?

Although this can become an issue, I believe this tool can be used as a final project a student can use to either present a story or an essay project. Students, like most movie concept artists, can present their stories or projects on story boards or graphic organizers in the initial stages and progress to a final written product, can tell their story using the Web 2.0 tools. I believe writing must be the foundation to any of these final storytelling projects. The finished product may not have all the writing traditional educators expect, but the preparation stages should be replete with notes, research, and at least a short essay or story.


Question #2: Can these web-based tools help all students?

While these tools appear significantly more interesting and potentially more engaging than traditional teaching pedagogies, it is probably not the one-size-fits-all approach to teaching or reaching all students. I do believe that this is simply another resource educators have at their disposal to help them reach more students. I feel many students will embrace this style of learning and engage content in a more meaningful and interesting manner. As I have mentioned before though, all students MUST have access to this technology in order for these tools to be of any use.