The Wikiness

Sometimes I wish I taught social studies. Especially when I see read-write web innovations like these:

• CommunityWalk: students and teachers can create and research user-produced maps–for virtual and in preparation of real field trips
• Footnote: an open archive of primary documents–some privately held, until now. Sort of a megaplex of historical society files. Too bad it’s not free–but this is a vision of the resources available in a linked-up world. Many pasts become present, presently.
• VoiceThread: “Dearly Asynchronous and Synchronous beloved, we are gathered here around a cultural artifact. Let all of us express our opinions and queries, for we have too long held our peace…” Everyone’s voice matters. Schools can build up knowledge bases around posted subjects. I’m still exploring it (just found it), but it bears qualities of being a “killer app” in web 2.0.