Teaching and Learning by Kim

I wonder what instructional technology can do for classrooms. Will it take away from what is already valued by so many as good instruction? I have written about the value of a hybrid/integrated curriculum and/or learning experience. I see the merging of human/personal networks and digital/online networks as a contributor to better understanding and opportunity. Why not provide all learners with methods of exploring themselves, their thoughts, their possibilities? Potential is only as great as its implementation. Education reform has been a moniker of revolution, but its determination to alienate and exclude makes some feel like it’s just politicized rhetoric. I believe in Transformative Education, which does less to push out and push back. It is meant to harness the power of the collective and inspire change through inclusivity and relational trust.

I wonder what “technology” really means. I wonder what faith we have in ourselves and our students. I wonder what options exist, and I wonder what questions persist. I wonder, and I wonder, and I wonder. And I think that’s okay…but, I wonder…

Essentially…

To me…Yes, e-learning is learning in an “electronic” medium. But it’s more than that. It demands abstract thinking, and really, learners who are “text”-strong succeed better in these environments. Sometimes, it’s “distance” learning, and sometimes, it’s a challenge. It does have an asynchronicity that makes it useful.

But I’ll challenge the term a little more…it’s not just electronic learning, it’s “embedded” learning. It’s “enhanced” learning. It’s not a step away from personal relationships in an effort to EXCLUDE. Instead, it lends itself to learning at different speeds but with different options. It’s ENGAGING, ENLIGHTENING, EMPOWERING! I’m not saying that (just) to be cheeky. It’s what electronic learning is now; it’s an opportunity.

As for the READ WRITE WEB…if you have perused the text, you’ll notice it’s a term Richardson uses (Read/Write Web) and one he includes on his website. Yes, as someone noted, there is also a blog (which looks like a comprehensive website) with its own name and fame called: ReadWriteWeb. One of our colleagues commented about it in a conceptual way, and that, too, is how I (and I believe, Richardson, too) would describe it. The concept is that the “web” is not just a machine, a channel, or a pathway. We are now in an interactive, digital community. It is a “web” of reading & writing, constructing thoughts/meanings, and of EXPRESSION.

In that regard, we cannot view it solely as a “container” of information, but rather, we must think of ourselves and everyone on it as authors, publishers, creators, innovators…From students to professionals, access to a Read/Write web is much different…it’s not just a Reference section. It’s not sci-fi “alive,” but it is a communication domain that allows us to be a literate society at a level much higher than the lame definition given for literacy in most places…”the ability to read and write.” Well, you may have that, but if one is 2.0 literate, one might have even more capacity to impact the world. That’s the reality I see.

As for 21st Century learning (21CL)…that’s how I’ll abbreviate it for short. That question…wow!?! We are almost past the first decade of this century, and we still use that 21CL term as if the Millenium switch just hit. Well, standards are emerging and will continue to evolve for 21CL. When I think of 21CL, I don’t just think of technology. But I do think it has a place and a platform for what 21CL can/will do for education. I like the concept of 21st century “skills” that can drive this nebulous reform movement. To learn in this century, one should have the opportunities to experience…people always say things like, “it’s not what you see or hear, it’s what you do that you remember.” Some of those cliches ring true for me…less and less are those PROFOUND and REMARKABLE statements. They are what we know works. I guess I’m alluding to my thoughts above – b/c 21CL to me includes a read/write web and e-learning components. It has to…there are Kindles and e-books that can/will make textbooks obsolete. It’s not sci-fi to carry a computer ”in the palm of your hand.” So…virtual & digital can make experience…especially if we use these tools to make networks and communities. The civic engagement and social interaction that was lagging PITIFULLY at the end of the 20th century has an opportunity to thrive in this century. That’s my thinking… 

I’ve really worked on being “transparent” with my transparency. I try to make explicit my teacher moves, and I try to “let kids in on the secret” (as some might say). I also try to do that with my colleagues. It might be doing a disservice to others to refrain from sharing what you think/plan/do when they are actually involved in the process. Is stating a goal or giving a rubric that ‘big a deal’ in the big picture of things? Maybe not. But can it influence student outcomes? Maybe. If teaching is to (really) be seen as a balance of art and science, then both art and science have to be respected (not battled against). The beauty of organization should be lauded, huh? The aesthetics of analysis should be the norm…well…

I will be transparent here and say that I don’t know if there will ever be a concrete definition of effective teaching, but I think that it’s okay to say, “I don’t know.” That’s a level of safe, self-disclosure and vulnerability that humanizes a teacher. Being truly transparent means that claiming “I don’t know” should be a phrase in your vocabulary…so, I don’t know much…but I do care to try to find out, learn, dialogue, navigate, and (hopefully) find some type of truth and meaning that is significant and makes a difference…I do know that. 

I was in a podcasting class on Saturday. I guess I need to buy a MAC. Ugh! My problem is that in our building, there (literally) are only two people who use either a MacBook or a Mac (desktop). One is an administrator. One is the technology coordinator (who owns her own and switches back and forth between 10 different devices).

So, do I have to buy my own? Do I have to hunt for grants? I just want to know if going interactive online is restricted by using a PC.

What about our students? What do they use? Will they need to be omnivorous? Okay…so, maybe that’s fine…a reasonable expectation, but where will they learn that? Are they going to continue to take Word Processing for a semester and learn to ‘type’ business letters. Again, I think of this application. A much more modern move…(ALLITERATION!) 

I met a funny, smart kid today at a conference. He publishes a cool site.

During a session at CCIRA, this young person asked his teacher (the session presenter) from the Denver Academy, “May I blurt?” Getting the okay, the student proceeded to share some valuable insights.

So, may I blurt?

I’ve told my students that I am prone to “outbursts” when I’m a student. During my research class tonight, I said, “I’m making personal connections. May I share?” My professor just laughed and said, “Of course…always.” I trust him, but maybe my meaning making wasn’t what all others find important or significant. I was unsure. Could students feel that way (and unlike me or the young boy from DA, not ‘ask to contribute’)? What might that imply?

I talked about the 3-Tier vocabulary and wondered if I’d used (in my session) too much language that wasn’t in a tier/domain that people could “embrace.” As my other professor suggested, there’s a hierarchy of language that tends to marginalize and isolate. Think of the RTI pyramid. So, she told us that we need to think of our communications as having the same considerations. Green = common/shared language; yellow = jargon; red = ideology.

What if Edu-jargon is my vernacular? It’s a part of my language and my understanding. Ugh. I don’t want to alienate anyone or sound pretentious. And “on the job,” I feel like I need to speak efficiently. But I try to use that language with my students/teachers/administrators…if I am consistent, maybe we can all enter into the conversation. But…maybe…

In any case, I am stretching my thinking…but I know that a coaching role has some explicit and implied responsibilities. I told someone today that my mind was “a-flutter or maybe just a-clutter” with new learning. I’ve had students define Critical Thinking as “thinking hard.” Oh. I’m there.