Networked Classrooms

I truly believe networked classrooms are the future of education.  I have enjoyed learning some many different ways that I can connect my students to the entire world via a single computer.  Networked classrooms can provide students with the authentic and meaningful learning experiences that they all crave and engage themselves in.  I agree that for the transition to networked classrooms to be effective that you must start off small and smooth out wrinkles as you come to them.  I have followed this advice myself in my own classroom, I have started off small with an Edmodo site that I have been trying to integrate into my classroom.  I think the most interesting part is the students are truly learning right along with me, it is new territory for us all and they enjoy seeing me make mistakes (a little too much), but it lets them see that I don't get discouraged and we just keep trying.  Using these networking tools has opened a new level of discussions in my classroom, the students are now coming to me wanting to know if I can post certain discussions or surveys to the Edmodo for them to work on.  I see several students using the site from home and this is exciting to me as a teacher.  I can only imagine their enthusiam when we start using Skype and letting them create blogs in the future!  Students in today's world need us to teach them the ins and outs of these powerful collaborative tools so they can prepare themselves for our technology driven world.  I believe students who recieve this networked instruction and exposure in the classroom will have a huge advantage over students who do not--they will be better prepared in seeking out and utilizing technology to learn, be able to see things from multiple perspectives, and have an overall better understanding of their world and what it has to offer.  I cannot imagine what educational technology is going to look like in the future, but I sure am eager to find out!