New Tools, New Schools: Starting the Conversation about Web 2.0

This was a panel discussion at the 2007 NECC Conference in Atlanta. The panel was amazing: Will Richardson, David Warlick, Gwen Solomon, Timothy Magner and Lynne Schrum.
We all know that schools need to change. The world is changing at a remarkable rate and schools are not keeping pace. This panel talked about how to start a dialogue with teachers, administrators, policy-makers and community members about how to achieve this change.
Tim showed a great poster (available at school2-0.org) which paints a visual picture of what schools of the future should look like. This is a great discussion starter for conversations about if, how and why schools should change. I particularly liked the idea that web 2.0 tools can break down the artificial distinction between home learning and school learning.
They then opened up the floor for educators to share examples of how web 2.0 was transforming education in their schools and communities.
Gary Brown from the Catholic Education Office in Paramatta got the biggest cheer of the day when he announced that his system had made a decision that they would not block any websites whatsoever. His team understands that educating staff and students about web 2.0 sites is essential for a 21st century education. For this reason, all senior administrators are required to blog as part of their professional development.
Gwen and Lynne specifically asked for case studies and examples of how technology can improve student outcomes. If you have examples: contact Gwen_and_lynne_book_2@yahoo.com