Virtual+Chevruta

Collaboration in education has, up to now, meant group work. To for students to collaborate on something in the educational realm they were stuck working in groups in the classroom or getting together after school. Educators have always put a great deal of emphasis on group learning and have realized its importance. For our students to learn from each other is an enlightening experience. The article Havruta states that: "If you tried to prepare by yourself, you'd be fooling yourself because you'd be limited by your own abilities." From our earliest yeshivot to todays classroom, teachers know how important group collaboration can be.

In the upcoming age of Web 2.0 we are finding a new way for our students to collaborate, in their own world. Our students are on the cutting edge of technology and they see new trends before their older counterparts can catch up. Considering that our students find comfort in their own communities online and spend a great deal of time interacting with those communities, it should be that we present ways for our students to interact with other students in meaningful ways online. "They are also aware that they have the power to be not just absorbers of knowledge, but creators and transmitters." JESNA. We must give them the space in Web2.0 to express their opinions. Just as we tout after-school activities for "keeping kids out of trouble", we need to work hard to make safe spaces online to keep out kids away from the dark corners of the internet.