Beth’s Thoughts on Technology in the Classroom
I did not have an opportunity to attend NECC this year. I did support the DEN in SL’s session, watched a good deal online and followed posts on twitter and plurk. Though I learned some new things and been given ideas to ponder it just is not the same. I am a proponent of distance learning and love that I could ‘attend’ after a fashion, I do not think anything beats the face to face interaction. Learning and inspiration are contagious and being physically present can’t be beat.
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I enjoy helping educators discover Second Life. This summer I again have this wonderful opportunity. I will be assisting some staff at Westfield State College explore this environment for collaboration, instruction and learning. I also look forward to the educators who take inspiration from NECC and time off in the summer to explore Second Life. I highly recommend educators join the DEN in SL to find the support they need to really give Second Life a try. I love learning and connecting – the more we share, the more we learn and grow.
I hope to see you in Second Life.
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I have 5 more working days of school left this year. I keep thinking that June 23 will be my first day to relax.
In my dreams!!!!
I accepted the opportunity to share second life with some college educators.
We are developing curriculum for 3 new Information and technology literacy class and I will support that effort.
I need to develop materials for next falls professional development sessions.
I plan to continue my research and writing on the history of education, informal learning and technology.
Not to mention being a mom. This means lots of driving to friends, the beach and skating rink. I will also be taking my kids to camp (church, soccer and skating).
As I live on Cape Cod I shall play host to lots of family, thats one of the best parts of my summer.
Lets just say I won’t be a couch potato. But it will be relaxing as these are my choice and done on my time. A very important difference.
I hope all you educators and parents have a great relaxing and rewarding summer break.
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I am writing down some of the random thoughts swirling around in my head. I hope to get back to them and take a closer look.
Thought 1:
We keep seeking change in education and complain that it stays the same, but I do not think learning changes. Learning still takes place within the learner, the learner must interact with content to build meaning and understanding for themselves. Schools were designed to provide the greatest number of people an opportunity to interact with content in the most efficient and economical manner. What has changed is how we access and manipulate content. We have so many more tools available to help communicate, collaborate, create and share. The learning experiences and environments we can provide our students these can change.
Thought 2:
How do we document in-formal learning to receive credit that can be applied to such things as professional development credit? Some times I feel I earn ‘attendance credit’ for go to PD sessions, what about ‘learning credit’. Can our students document their learning outside of class for school credit? How do we emphasis that school is only a part of our education?
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Continuing From Part 1
Franklin continues in his proposal for the education of youth that they should study;
Arithmetick, Accounts, and some of the first Principles of Geometry and Astronomy.
In this test driven society we are certainly emphasis Math, since it is easy to test. In my neck of the woods we are leaving out ‘accounts’. We no longer teach business math, it is not viewed as college prep. Honestly I would love a good class on basic accounting and financial planning. If we as a society were a bit more knowledgeable in this area then maybe more of us would have saving accounts, retirement plans and mortgages we can actually afford.
The English Language might be taught by Grammar; in which some of our best Writers, as Tillotson, Addison, Pope, Algernoon Sidney, Cato’s Letters, &c. should be Classicks; the Stiles principally to be cultivated. being clear and the concise. Reading should also be taught, and pronouncing, properly, distinctly, emphatically; not with an even Tone, which under-does, nor theatrical, which over-dose Nature.
I had to look up Algernon Sidney; his writings apparently influenced our founding fathers. What are the classics today? Do we look for writing styles, or morals taught? We can greatly influence how our children think but what we have them read and discuss. I do think it is important to include some of the works that influenced the past development of our society, as well as, choosing some that will lead us to our future development. I do believe that we must remember and learn from the past so we can repeat the good and avoid the bad.
To form their Stiles, they should be put on Writing Letters to each other, making Abstracts of what they read; or writing the Same things in their own Words; telling or writing stories lately read, in their own Expressions. All to be revis’d and corrected by the Tutor, who should give his Reasons, explain the Force and Import of Words, &c.
In my mind this is email, blogs and wikis – not only the tutor/teacher but the peers can be involved in the revision and critique of thoughts, writing styles, and use of supporting evidence. In Franklin’s time many of his contemporaries wrote back and forth to each other discussing the news, readings and philosophical thoughts of the day. They challenged each other’s thinking and application of the ideas to contemporary situations. Just as many of us blog, twitter and plurk to help us sort out and develop our thinking today, so to did their network support and encourage each others learning and growth.
Once upon a time we also taught our students the difference between a formal, casual and business letter. Should we not be teaching them the difference between IM, email, and traditional letter writing. There are different formalities, conventions and purposes for each media. Each requires its own style, etiquette and expectations. Should we not teach the appropriate use of each for social and professional networking, communication and collaboration?
To form their Pronunciation, they may be put on making Declamations, repeating speeches, delivering Orations, &c.. The Tutor assisting at the Rehearsals, teaching, advising and correcting their accent, &c.
As our students create content and participate in online, collaborative communication they will practice and develop these skills. In the younger grades we often have students read aloud for fluency and expression. Recording the reading allows a student to hear their work and learn to correct themselves with a teacher guidance. As student create audio for multimedia content they will have greater access to to speaking then in a traditional classroom. Including video conferencing and interview students will have greater opportunity to enhance their public speaking skills.
To be continued…
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I attended the New Media Literacies Conference at MIT. During the day they reported on the development of Teaching Strategies and the Learning Library which was rolled out the same day. The learning library is a place for people collect and share media and create challenges (activities). I am only just beginning to explore these tools.
As always I found the conversation before and after the sessions rich and deep. My thinking is always stretch at such events. I have not really had time to process the day but am just sharing some short bits from the day. To see some of the tweets about the day please check out #nml09. The following are some excerpts from the rambling notes I took during the day.
The characteristics of a Participatory culture
1.With relatively low barriers to artistic expression and civic engagement
2.With strong support for creating and sharing one’s creations with others
3.With some type of informal mentorship whereby what is known by the most experienced is
passed along to novices
4.Where members believe that their contributions matter
5.Where members feel some degree of social connection with one another (at the least they
care what other people think about what they have created).
Not every member must contribute, but all must believe they are free to contribute when ready and that what they contribute will be appropriately valued
_____
A clip of Clay Shirky was shown he was commenting that even a four year old knows “A screen that ships with out a mouse ships broken”
____
The 4C’s of participating design.
connections
creating
collaborate
circulate
___
Henry Jenkins spoke at the end of the day
He commented that we should not be talking so much about the digital divide but the participatory gap -
He suggests we should stay away from the term web 2.0, learning 2.0 ….. need to focus on participatory culture – it is not about the tools but what you do with the tools
Schools spend a lot of money on sports, it is said because sports teach leadership, planning, team work, sportsmanship. The is true for World of Warcraft. Yet people say it not worth pursuing. A guild leader is not much different the Student council president.
my thought – no school would object to a chess club but I would think many would object to a WoW club
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I must admit that I do not like the term “21st Century” anything; learning, skills, literacy. Learning and thinking have not really changed, the tools may have, but not the process. I have been reading Benjamin Franklin’s Proposals Relating to the Education of Youth in Pensilvania, Philadelphia, 1749. This document laid the ground work for the Academy of Philadelphia later to become the University of Pennsylvania. As I was reading I was looking at Franklin’s proposal for study and thinking how it relates to now. I highly recommend taking the time to read the entire pamphlet particularly the introduction.
In his introduction he describes how the Academy should be established. He includes specifics about the need for diet, and exercise as these are essential for maintaining the body and facilitating learning. These ideas seemed like a surprise to many when reading Brain Rules, by John Medina. The more things change the more they stay the same. However, I wish to focus on the more academic section of the proposal.
Franklin writes:
As to their Studies, it would be well if they could be taught every Thing that is useful, and every Thing that is ornamental: But Art is long, and their Time is short. It is therefore propos’d that they learn those Things that are likely to be most useful and most ornamental. Regard being had to the several Professions for which they are intended.
All should be taught to write with a fair Hand, and swift, as that is useful to All. And with it may be learnt something of Drawing, by Imitation of Prints, and some of the first Principles of Perspective.
“Art is long, and their Time is short” Often I hear educators complain we have so much more to teach now then ‘back then.’ I find it comforting that Ben Franklin also thought there was too much to learn. What we do have that Mr. Franklin did not is easy access to all and I do mean ALL information. It is still essential that we establish a core set of knowledge that forms the foundation of our education but equally important is to teach how to find and evaluate information – two skills also deemed necessary in the Proposal.
He said all should be taught to write with a fair and swift hand. You need to communicate quickly, succinctly and legibly. Today this would include penmanship and keyboarding, in this day and age we have added a skill to the mix. Franklin deemed drawing an essential skill so much so that it was the second study on his list. He believed that drawing is a “Universal Language, understood by all Nations.” A figure, today we would say a graphic, added to words can convey more information then just words alone. This has been commonly understood for centuries, supported again with current research in learning as well.
Communication was the essences of these first areas of study. Writing and Art are essential to communication but not just drawing. Today we also need to learn about color composition and lay out. These are as important as the ability to find and use digital images. The tools by which we can communicate today allow us to easily integrate text and graphics, therefore these are skills that must be part of our educational foundation.
End part 1
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