<P> Changes such as this, along with the changes in the ways that 21st century learners communicate, have impacted the ways that classroom computers are utilized . Currently, teachers are tapping into the enhanced abilities of current classroom computer technology by utilizing various Web 2.0 tools to enhance their instruction . Such tools are also being used to extend classroom communication outside of the campus through online collaborative tools . Centered primarily on collaboration and sharing, Web 2.0 computer applications encourage student self - expression; interaction with peers, and opportunity for authentic learning experiences Through the implementation and integration of Web 2.0 computer technologies into the classroom setting, authentic and meaningful learning experiences are now able to occur in ways that have been previously unimaginable . Currently, the learning that is taking place is not simply about typical concepts or facts as laid out in school curricula . Instead, it is about the process of building connections As a result, the awareness of the importance and the value of communication is becoming instilled into children . Today, with a single laptop, Webcam, projector, and an Internet connection, a teacher can broadcast and begin collaboration with any other classroom . As groups of learners coalesce around shared passions online, they experience something that is difficult to replicate in physical space . </P> <P> Classroom computer access to Web 2.0 applications such as online learning communities and interactive educational tools offer a more dynamic learning experience, with direct benefits to students . Web 2.0 technologies that are being utilized within the classroom have made it possible for essential learning to be introduced to students during their elementary levels of education and to be refined through their middle, high school and collegiate experiences . As classroom computer technology is being used for different types of communication--for presentation, for class interaction, and for collaboration, students are required to be readers and writers, editors and publishers; and must be willing to collaborate and co-create with others, working closely together to learn even more in the process . Web 2.0 Interaction involves not only sharing ideas or information with someone else, but also receiving feedback . The collaboration engages groups of people in not only sending and receiving feedback but working together for creating, building, and editing, These skills are a necessity for students' futures as they grow and enter the workplace . </P> <P> The goal of using such computer applications is to increase peer - to - peer interactions through digital means, in order to replicate real - life 21st century communication skills . One such technology that has gained significant recognition within K - 12 education is the Weblog . Weblogs, or blogs, are frequently accessed on classroom computers due to their positive effects upon students . These online journals are primarily used to support communication in the form of presentation, and they provide a useful tool for class interaction . Weblogs allow students to present their own findings and discoveries to an authentic audience . Receiving feedback about course work not just from your teacher but from your peers, or possibly from the outside world, can be very empowering to students . In their eyes, having the ability to publish their writing on a blog suddenly transforms them into authors and publishers . Blogs make students are of careful and conscientious writing . Students are no longer writing for an audience of one . Instead, their words face an audience of their peers as well as countless others whose primary goal is not only to read, but also to provide commentary, feedback and even to critique and criticize their words . By using classroom computers for such means, students become increasingly more cautious and aware of their grammar, spelling and word - choice knowing that they are the authors of a published piece of writing that will reach a wide audience . </P> <P> Similarly, Wikis are commonly accessed on classroom computers due to their positive impacts . The collaborative environment that wikis facilitate can teach students much about how to work with others, how to create community, and how to operate in a world where the creation of knowledge and information is increasingly becoming a group effort . The implementations and uses of wikis range from the development of group - based writing projects, to collaborative note taking, to brainstorming . Teachers can set up wikis for groups of students, giving them the opportunity to all join in on equal footing to give feedback, to make suggestions and changes, and to jot down ideas . With a wiki, everyone is an author of the wiki at the same time . Additionally, Wikis afford students the opportunity to express themselves using multiple modalities . Therefore, children who struggle to express themselves through the written word, are now at ease due to ability to insert music, graphics, video, and photos into their writing . With the help of this technology, students who struggle with language are now able to create multimodal compositions, allowing them to communicate meanings that were once inaccessible or not fully expressed through their printed word . These ongoing collaborative efforts also reinforce the notion of careful, contentious writing . Students' words are no longer for an audience of one, but instead for an audience of countless individuals . The awareness of this global reach reminds students to be cautious with grammar, word choice and style as they know that others will be expanding upon their written ideas . </P>

What is the use of computers in schools