for some specific info on creating a "paperless classroom" in English, check out this link sent to me by fellow teacher Amanda Wilson - http://buckenglish.wordpress.com/2009/03/08/paperless-tiger/
In it, the author discusses some of the ways she uses wikis and rss feeds with students. I think this is a great idea, but I have some concerns regarding unmotivated students who use technology for play and distraction rather than to actively enhance their learning- honours students would go for this but I'm more skeptical of less eager students doing so.
From a teacher perspective, I think we need to have time- lots of it- to gain experience and confidence in using these methods. As an 'oldster' I'm not sure I have the commitment necessary to change my methods of teaching and grading so drastically at the same time as I am teaching and grading! I am taken in by the Web 2.0 "publishing" opportunity aspects (such as using this blog!), and using something like Google docs (which I have not yet done) or Moodle, signing into wiki spaces (did that - once!) - all of these take time to explore, set up, manage, etc. there needs to be significant Pro-D time available for developing skills in these technologies - otherwise it is just one more stressor in already stressed teaching lives.
It may be that our best hope for such radical change is with our newer teachers who are already comfortable and experienced with these new methods of communication. You can teach an old dog new tricks (ie: "never to late to learn something new" - my motto in life), but old dogs are far more likely to revert to past behaviours!
