"Students have no attention span." "All they do is play video games and listen to their iPods." "They spend too much time on the Internet." "They don't know how to socialize without Facebook." "They can't even hold a conversation; they sit next to each other and text." "They don't know how to research, all they do is Google their question." "Technology is fine, but kids still need to know how to..."
Any of these quotes sound familiar? Have you uttered some of them yourself?
The following video was produced by the MacArthur Foundation and features John Seely Brown, Nichole Pinkard, Diana Rhoten, Mimi Ito, Katie Salen, and Henry Jenkins--six of today's leading voices in technology in education reform. I have chosen it to get you to think about the conceptions you have regarding kids and their use of technology.
After watching the video, share your thoughts about its message (new insight, disagreements, etc). If you have your own thoughts, run with them. For those who would like a bit more guidance, here are some questions for you to consider: Are kids who have grown up digital motivated by the same things that drove us to learn? Can technology provide the elements of autonomy, mastery, and purpose that Pink identifies as keys to motivation? How has the digital age changed the learner? The learning? Our role as educators?
Below is a Scribd widget that gives you the latest John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Reports on Digital Media and Learning. In addition to sharing some valuable information, this widget can be seen as another example of how technology has made sharing information more efficient for everyone. (I guess that's why they call it the Information Age.)
I like the title "Reframe Your Thinking" because I believe that is exactly what we need to do. Many teachers get defensive when they are asked to increase their use of technology because they think it implies that what they are doing now isn't effective. I think that we are being asked to think about ways technology can make what we teach more meaningful, more relevant, and provide a lasting impact on our students. We are still teaching the same things, but doing it in a way that means more to kids. This is a valid request in this technologically advanced world. The problem I have is that we don't have access to the technology we need to make this work. I won't rant about the poor state of our school's technology, but suffice it to say I rarely have access to working computers, let alone any other tools. The school administrator who said "We use the technology when we need it and put it away when we don't!" was making a wonderful point, but what about those of us who don't have it to use at all? I really want to make my classroom look like these examples, but I can't figure out how to do it without the tools. Does anyone know of grants or other avenues I might explore to at least get a set of computers for my own classroom?
ReplyDeleteYou make a very good point MaryEllen, we as educators do need to be sure we are being proactive and trying out the best. And this isn't as easy as it sounds. You first need the tools. Without the tools you aren't being resistant, you are being held out by circumstances beyond your control.
DeleteBut, we need to be careful here. I think teachers need to rally and call upon their administrators and school board to look closely at the gaps between technology and the new tools to teaching we risk losing out on. We are trapped unless we have access to technology and money is a huge issue.
Does our district have someone who looks for grants we can apply to our circumstances to help us out?
We also need to be careful that we aren't just using technology to use technology. We need to make sure the technology fits into what we are teaching/learning about. We want our students to be able to see how it all fits together - and when it doesn't fit, then we use something else that will help students learn.
DeleteI would add that many of our colleagues are resistant to this approach and need due to lack of professional development. I'm in a situation where there are SmartBoards in every classroom but few teachers who have been effectively taught how to use this tool in a meaningful way to extend learning. Teachers won't embrace technology unless they have both the knowledge of how to use it (professional development) and the access to hardware that not only exists but is maintained with a fully functional tech department.
DeleteThis is a multidimensional problem which is compounded by the need for money from the community to pay not only for this training and hardware but also the community needs to be educated as to the effectiveness of the approach in hard economic times.
The problem and solutions are both complex but I don't see any long term solution without all stakeholders being educated as to the problem, listened to for their points of view, and somehow included in a viable solution.
I don't have the answers but defining the problem is part of the solution...so what are your thoughts?
Cheryl 822 makes a great point. It is important that technology be used when technology needs to be used. Recently, tech use in the classroom has become the craze...many teachers are not using it as effectively as they could. I see teachers in my district use it to just replace paper and pencil. This may be a baby step for some, but it is not tech integration. Educators need to work together and learn with students to use the right tools for the job every time...even if it is paper and pencil and not a device.
DeleteAll the above comments are good ones.
DeleteI feel very fortunately to work in a Supervisory Union that has funded technology well. We may not have provided enough professional development for the use of the technology that we own but we certainly have done sufficient work in this area. Our bandwidth is a problem that we are actively working on but I believe that this a problem that will be resolved as the state as a whole gets better connectivity.
My biggest concern is that we are using technology many times in very low order thinking ways. We are tech dense but our students are using the technology to surf the internet, do basic word processing or to perhaps put together a Powerpoint presentation.
What I would love to see is teachers who are using technology for higher order thinking, collaboration, problem solving and project-based learning.
What this will take is for teachers to really look at the curriculums. They will need to find ways to insert this kind of learning. However, it will come at a cost. Usually this kind of deeper learning takes more class time so something in the curriculum needs to be taken out. I believe in the end more depth of learning is worth the loss of some content.
If our world is turning into a digital and technological world, then why can't education be geared in this way. Who says we have to stay with the traditional school that has been set up decades? The old way does not work. In fact most people do not learn in the teacher lecture environment. There has been a lot of research on this, yet we still teach our students this way. I think it is time to change how we educate our children. Technology has become part of lives inside and outside of school. If we need to get the attention of our students then why not teach them in a way they enjoy. Why not use their ipods, Facebook or any other technology device to educate them. They can read books, articles on their computers, ipods, ipads etc... Classes can be taught using these as well. Have the students participate in this medium. This way we will save time and energy from constantly asking our students to put away these devices.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your thought of why can't education be geared in this way," however, I think that you need to be very careful because as you also stated "most people do not learn in the teacher lecture environment" which means that some do. I think that we need to have a very eclectic approach to teaching and being mentors and facilitators of learning.
DeleteAlong with changing our schools we also need to change our teachers, which cannot happen without training; training that can happen within our school day for those that cannot afford to take time during summer or other vacations. Other industries can train their employees in this way, so why not education?
I love the idea of technology in schools, I just think that we need to be cautious of what kids can and cannot have access to, especially social media. When you teach middle school, you have a mixed bag of who is eligible for an account and who isn't. Even though some parents may ok the use of social media sites, the federal government says " In 1998 Congress passed the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), which took effect in 2000. (15 U.S.C. 6501) www.ftc.gov/ogc/coppa1.htm
COPPA covers web sites that are developed expressly for children. But it also covers any online service which has knowledge that it collects information from children. This includes sites that allow children to use interactive communication tools."
So much to think about. I love the idea that my students and children have the world at their fingertips, literally, but I am also frightened by this concept. With knowledge comes responsibility and I think that we as teachers and parents need to remind, remind, and remind some more of this awesome responsibility.
I plan to have my students use their devices so much and track their use and grade it , so they will either use it appropriately or leave them home.
DeleteNancy, I agree that to change teachers we need accessible professional development especially in advance to school wide implementation. I have tried to stay in-tune with educational trends (instruction and assessments) while wishing my school would provide more professional development. Mostly I have listened to teachers that are already doing the things I want to be doing and accessing information through them. So, I just had this aha moment - How I go about professional development is rather Dan Pink like, I am self directed to challenge myself to become a better teacher and make a contribution to student learning which is our main purpose.
DeleteI also agree with the need to be cautious with social media. Our school opened up access to Facebook this year for educational purposes, but of course it also increased social issues among our students regarding miss use of social media such as cyberharassment and cyberbullying during school hours. Responsible use of technology is a constant battle.
The Civic Potential of Video games-wow!
ReplyDeleteI really think that we need access to so much more in schools.
There is so much out there. I for one just need assistance in finding it and rating it. This reading gave a lot of examples of which games foster what skills- I had never thought about them in that light. Platforms and games that help our students to be introduced to government, economics, with a game backdrop should be a central part of what we do. We have used Game Mechanic in the classroom, but the world is so open I just need help sorting out what is relevant and will work.
You alude to a HUGE topic, having access to and knowing which things to follow and use. These are two branches but closely connected.
DeleteFirst we need access, which includes the hardware in the classroom capable of allowing the use of the potential out there. Second, some sort of process were we can be kept abreast of the best current usage and new innovative learning tools that are out there.
I have downloaded a few google apps on my home net book that I bring to school if I think I will have trouble accessing these tools on school computers. It is sad that we are blocked from innovation at schools and students need to show us how to use tools. But it is good that students can show us things that we can share with others.
DeleteI agree with Irene. We are asked to be more 21st Century ready and many of the sites that could be helpful to us are blocked. And some schools don't block sites that other schools do block. Some students have more advantages than others so this could make it hard for them to network with others.
DeleteAs educators of 21st Century Learners we really need to embrace and encourage our students' productive use of technology. The challenge is always ensuring that they are, in fact, using it for the task at hand, rather than just to avoid it, but training is a huge part of that process. If we aren't taking advantage of the rewards technology has to offer all of us, we are doing our students a great disservice and setting them behind the rest right from the start. The world becomes more and more "flat" as advances in technology provide so many opportunities for us. We need to encourage and mentor our students as they capitalize on that.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree with the idea of training! I read your post after I wrote mine. Such similar thinking.
DeleteWhat I would like to see is during our scheduled computer time is having the classroom and computer teachers both work with the students to help them learn how to make a blog, videos they can upload and find educationally appropriate sites that will teach students how to design buildings if they are interested in it, or any other area that the children would like to learn more about. Instead of the teacher doing the talking and students sitting in their seats listening, have them more involved.
DeleteI enjoyed watching this short clip. It brought out many excellent ideas of kids in general, like the fact that kids want to measured and constantly beat their own scores or their friends' scores. I really liked the quote "if I ain't learning, it ain't fun." From my own experience, I couldn't agree more with the idea that kids want to be measured and they want to see how much they improve. This clip even evoked a conversation in my family about sports, and how even though we aren't supposed to take score, the kids do and they always want to know the score or if they have improved!
ReplyDeleteI am on a short circuit of thinking right now.
ReplyDeleteThere are huge changes technology has brought about for the modern educator. My short circuit is that I am feeling it fully. I am having a difficult time navigating around this courses website. I lost my own blog until Nancy Daniels commented on it and I followed the trail back to my blog (thanks Nancy, perfect timing). So I am feeling fried and short circuited by simple things at the moment.
As far as the content, I also feel the term "short circuit" as applicable. I am very concerned about the skills I need to teach and the skills kids are coming into the classroom with. There seems to be a terribly big gap between what I think they should know to succeed beyond high school and the skills they have when they enter my classroom. Students don't use technology well. They use it as a crutch rather than a tool. They use a search engine to do a search and use the first "answer" they read rather than consider "is this what I really wanted? how does this apply?"
So, I agree with the ideas expressed in the video, there are a whole lot of things about the 21 Century learner that has merit. I also see there exists a large gap using technology appropriately as a tool in the classroom to help them succeed. I also worry about what is being allowed to fall off the radar in the revolution to use more technology in the classroom. It comes down to critical thinking, teaching it, holding high expectations for its application, then the technology becomes a wonderful tool and not a replacement for thinking.
I need to be able to navigate this site as well as understand its potential uses. So, I am testing my own critical thinking skills right now and trying not to be short circuited.
I do sympathize with you-totally. I get 'short circuited' constantly. I'll try to find something and I'll look up and two hours are gone- I have nothing but a migraine and I still need the lesson plan finished for the next day.
Delete'Someone' may be able to figure out how to do everything using Google and YouTube- but that someone isn't me.
Technology changes so rapidly that I often feel like I'll always be ten steps behind.
I completely agree about the cognitive dissonance that can occur trying to use technology in new ways or simply trying to learn a new skill in unfamiliar territory. I took this course online partly for the experience of trying to navigate this more self-directed learning and I find I too am going off on tangents, learning a lot in the process, but not feeling as though anything is "complete" or even presented well. I have been thinking a lot about the habits of learning I have had to use and I am uncertain that I would have learned them in a purely "flipped" classroom. In fact, I think the teacher's role has not truly changed from the elementary model of facilitating constructivist learning, but that role requires time, training, collaboration, and resources to present the next idea or ask the next question to help students progress in their mastery. Technology as a way to expand the resources and number of "teachers" at the right time is intriguing. The educational culture that says all students should arrive at the same level of mastery at the same time has never been appropriate. (Jamie Vollmer's "Schools Can't Do it Alone" is an excellent exposition of this idea if you are interested), but the habits of mind are essential no matter what your level of mastery. If you are not familiar with collecting and organizing your thoughts or considering audience, then no amount technology will make that happen for you. Reading the "Future of Learning Institutions in the Digital Age" made me wonder how the younger students practice these habits of learning if they are not physically in a community of learners at least some of the time and are capable of these skills absent the technology as well. I have to say I am not sure how much will actually change in the day to day school life of at least elementary students unless there is a radical shift in the testing culture and willingness of communities to spend money on resources that will require experimentation and will not always be "pretty" as we all learn together. Of utmost concern is that the communities that can most afford it in their schools are often the schools with a higher percentage of students who have access to technology outside of school as well.
DeleteAndrew -
DeleteOne woman in the video said it best, "we have laptops so we can put them away when they are not the best tool for learning." Too often in this rush to become digital districts/schools/pedagogy throw out everything and forget that not all situations call for tech and tech does not increase student learning in all situations.
Another sort of fallacy you touched upon is one the video also mentioned, the second woman to speak and appear - students are not born digital natives. People have written books on this topic saying yes they are, teachers are impressed and defer to students they see "using technology" and seemingly knowing what to do. THEY DON'T ALWAYS! As I'm sure we can all attest, looking like you know what you're doing, or looking busy and productive on a computer is not hard...Youth DO NOT know all there is to using these tech tools. Teachers should not step back and let students do all the driving, we are CO-pilots, CO-learners, and CO-collaborators. Let's fill in the gaps where they don't know and let the students lead where we don't. It could be a brilliant teaming up.
EXCELLENT insights Erikka. I was thinking along the exact same lines and couldn't have said it better!
DeleteMy thoughts are varied on the use of technology in schools. First I support it as I have seen the excitement with my students as they use various tech tools. I've had students produce creative projects using technology. Also, I've found that some students with fairly significant behavior problems seem to be able to have success when using technology.
ReplyDeleteHowever there are drawbacks with everything. I think teachers need more training in order to use technology effectively in their classrooms. Also, we have run into problems with students using sites that weren't appropriate, and using technology to bully others. I think these situations need to be dealt with as they arise.
In conclusion I think students can use technology to further their learning and thinking.
Andrew—thank you for your very thoughtful post. I agree with a lot of what you said. I wish I could say this to your face because I am afraid that what will follow is a criticism of you but it is not.
ReplyDeletePerhaps the “crutch” use of technology on the part of students has to do with teachers saying “go to the Internet and find information on blah blah blah…” The teacher is not teaching the student anything about how to do a search (or research for that matter), how to identify a good site, copyright issues, etc.
Or the teacher mistakenly thinks that:
- it was taught in another grade. But let’s remember just because it was taught in elementary school it still needs to be taught again for the more expanded needs of the upper grades.
-because the students appear uninterested that they already know how to do a search, not to bully, be appropriate on the Internet, etc.
Teachers need to be teaching. It doesn’t matter if it is with paper, pencil, and paper resources or a laptop and Internet connection. Do we really think that all these tools will be around 10 years from now? The state of the world will be different -for better or worse- and we need to be teaching students to think and create with the objects at hand- be it a MacGyver-ism using a rubber band and paper clip or an object of technology.
The video clip mentions curious, questioning, creating. That should be the focus of what we do and technology is secondary. Not every kid has an ipad, cell phone, or computer. Not every kid has access to these things after school hours. Teach them to think and figure stuff out and they will be able to do it for a lifetime.
Gail -
DeleteWhat I was going to post as my own reflection is really relevant to what you had in your response to Andrew. We as teachers not only need to learn how to effectively find, use, and teach about technology, but we need to stop assuming that our students know so much more than us. Yes, many of them seem to have been born with a computer/iPad/smart phone, etc. in their hand, but I find that many of them don't know much beyond the games, sites, and social media that they use frequently.
As a Library Media Specialist, I worked with many classes last year (various grades and subject areas) when their classroom teachers were getting ready to have them start research projects. One of the first questions I ask them is, "When you need to research a topic, how many of you start by doing a Google search?" and generally most, if not all of the hands go up. When I ask them how many of them then use something else, the answers are generally either "no" or something like "Bing." They don't know about databases. When I ask how many of them use one or all of the 1st 3 - 5 articles that show up from their search, again most or all hands go up, and few say they go beyond those. I then proceed to show the students databases and other research tools that we have available to them through our website and demonstrate how to use them while they follow along on their computers, using their own search topics. Some students are amazed and pleased at what they find, others tell me they will still use Google because "it's easier" or "familiar" or similar reason.I also teach copyright and fair use to various grades and classes, as well as introduce them to Easybib.com.
I have been frequently surprised at the lack of knowledge and understanding of how to complete an effective search, or even how to save a document in a few cases. I want to use this class so that I can expand my knowledge and effectiveness, and hope that classroom teachers in my building will see me as another teacher who can collaborate with them to help all of our students succeed. Until our students have an introduction to some of these things, they can not practice and gain mastery.
I am really hooked on autonomy, mastery and power....I want to instill the love of learning in my kids....exploration of technology and the power of collaboration.
ReplyDeleteMy son has a position with a world wide organization. He often is assigned projects where he works from home and every few weeks actually meets others working on the same project. Collaboration occurs through on line documents, emails and cell phones.
Essential is access to technology, without this our efforts are fruitless at best.
It is impossible to imagine what learning will look like in 10 years but I am on board with this process. I am excited for our next class.
I am not a teacher but a staff member of a school. I am however a mom with teenage sons and what a responsibility it is to have children who are on their computers many hours a day for homework and games and socialization.The phone never rings with calls for them, they plan most activities with friends using their technology.What about the amount of time using technology, is it still considered something that needs to be limited? I think it should be, but whats appropriate. My sons are all for technology and they are excellent resources for me when I have a computer question. One son spends time doing tutorials on java programming just because he wants to learn more on how to program so that he can write gaming programs for his use and to then share them with others.
ReplyDeleteOne area I know needs to be addressed with the students is plagiarism. Explaining what it is, not to do it AND teach students how to check up on their classmates when they are doing a project as a team, to be sure no one is doing the wrong thing,because if their name is on it, they are taking responsibility for all content,even the part their buddy did. (good or bad, plagiarized or not)
Linda - Your school's Library Media Specialist (LMS) should be able to provide instruction and resources for students and teachers on all of this. During the past year (my first as an LMS) I taught many classes on all of this. The part about checking up on their classmates when doing a team project didn't really occur to me though - I have been focusing on individual responsibility - but it is an excellent point! I plan to definitely include that in my classes next year. They really are all responsible to each other when doing group work. Thanks!
DeleteI believe the digital age has changed the learner because there is such a vast amount of information available at ones fingertips today that learning has changed from reading a couple of books about a subject to having everything you ever wanted to know and more about a subject. Learning has changed where one needs to make more of an effort to make sure that the information you have is credible and then one needs to make decisions about how to condense that information to gain the learning you need.
ReplyDeleteOur role as educators has changed where we need to be facilitators and learn right along with the students as it is very difficult to keep up with our subject matter as it is constantly changing. Technology allows us to have information readily available at a moments notice and allows us to present to a larger audience beyond our classroom setting. There is more to think about with confidentially, online privacy and protection of student work, copyright laws, and students plagiarizing work from the Internet. I liked the point in the video that was made that we must make sure as educators that the technology we use is the proper tool for the learning. Sometimes we need to put it away and continue to learn in our traditional ways and that 21st Century teaching is not just about the use of technology there needs to be a balance between formal learning and the use of technology to enhance learning.
I really like the message of this video. Students do need to be prepared for the 21st century work force. They also need to be prepared to participate in society. Students need skills for creativity and social engagement as well as job skills. Teachers need to provide the access to these skills as well as the academics. This is not really something I have thought about, but it makes sense. We teach health, hygiene, cooking, and other life skills, so why not the technology skills to fit into the 21st century society?
ReplyDeleteI liked the message too. One of the best things about teaching these skills, I think, is that they weave into whatever we are teaching so seamlessly and our students already know so much. I worry some about trying to be sure that they understand how to be safe wielders of technology.
DeleteMy girlfriend has a three year old and she wields an I-Phone like she was born with it in her hand. She has already taught herself how to use the camera, make videos, and she is reading letters and starting to identify words now. All this pretty much on her own initiative.
This leads to another concern of mine- the gap in access between some students. How are we going to try and level the playing field for students who are not starting out with all of these skills and tools? I know it is an old question, but is the gap getting bigger and bigger?
Tess,
DeleteYour statement about the 3 year old is very true. Some of us, many remember "Pink in the Rink" in-service day Essex High School and the two year old on the IPhone. We were so shocked about her being able to use it and how fast she could adapt to it. Years later, I now have a 5 and 1 year old. The five year old is a so fast with the IPad and the 1 year is "watching" her sister and looking and changing pictures on my IPhone. Amazing!
I agree with many about liking the "refreshingness" of this video. I know that we, as educators need to reframe our teaching in this new day and age, in order to prepare students for the future world and/or job fields, yet it is more than that. Mimi Ito, one of the individuals in the video, stated that we need to teach students to reflect, create and produce and not just remember information, because to be frank the information is always there thanks to the various tools in order to get to the internet.
ReplyDeleteWe as educators, need to be open to change, like the young people of today, we need to adapt to the changes and be more flexible on our outlook for this new applications.
We talked about good sources, .com vs .org and .edu and the differences in information from professors and students. we talked about key words (Big Ideas) to put in search bar. I think English and Social Studies teachers generally do a good job showing students how to do research, so I only mention a fe trick for Driver Ed students. Maybe it is the librarians that are teaching these skills., but most seem to be able to search for information. I mostly require students to find and share and their interpretation can be done orally.
ReplyDeleteWith Project Based Learning, the kids can and will teach themselves the technology to solve a task. We teachers have to have the experience to help them get started and coach them along. We are the go to people for the kids and we need the technological knowledge base. Additionally, we need to have the resources at school to meet their demands.
ReplyDeleteAs a mother of a 13 year old who absolutely does NOT do well with the lecture model of teaching, I get so excited to see the road that educators are going down. It's amazing the difference that technology can make for those students who have a difficult time staying focused in class, or who get completely overwhelmed with pencil and paper work. Giving that same student a chance to expand his/her thinking through the use of technology can get amazing results. I love the idea of the "Flipped Classroom" (not sure if I've got this right, Matt) where Matt gives students a chance to access a lesson from their computers at home. They can work at their own pace, stopping and going back to watch it again, as many times as needed until they "get it". How many 13 year olds do you know that are going to say they don't understand something, more than once, in front of their peers? The lessons, of course, support what the teacher is currently doing in the classroom...creating a balance. Add the component of communicating with teachers, privately, through email, etc... regarding questions, thoughts and feedback. Teachers can then have a variety of lessons at a variety of skill levels, available to all learners.
ReplyDeleteYou've got it right, Sam. If anyone is interested in this, we can delve further into it. Just let me know.
DeleteI would love to learn more about the flipped classroom. I have many parents who are unsure of how to do some of the math since it is taught and done so differently than 20-30 years ago. It sound like it would be helpful for both the students and parents. Can you tell me a little more about it?
DeleteThere has always been emerging technology that has changed the way instruction is delivered in schools. (think portable typewriters, calculators as well as audiovisual – slide projectors, to digital video streaming). I think it is also important that students learn the three “r’s”. What is exciting to me is how web 2.0 tools have enabled us to learn, share and create new content in a more efficient and collaborative way. As our student’s experiences of gathering and sharing information become more personalized and mobile, it is vitally important that there is the infrastructure in place to ensure equity for all students. This includes not only the physical environment, but also that staff has taken advantage of professional development opportunities to increase their comfort level to meet the needs of their students. My 2 year old granddaughter is very comfortable navigating her parent’s ipad to find what she wants. I am wondering what type of learning environment she will experience when she enters public education in 3 years.
ReplyDeleteAs a primary teacher we cannot lose sight of the role of technology and other tools in terms purpose. We have to be cognizant of the role all learning tools play and their place in education at any level. I liken it to the four levels of inquiry in terms of considering its implication in the classroom. I have a responsibility to model and expose students to a variety of effective tools as well as the areas in which different tools will be best utilized when considering purpose, audience and intent. As students practice, observe, evaluate and distinguish between tools and their effectiveness it then becomes my role as a facilitator to scaffold their choice making. Autonomy in this instance means that students then need opportunities to self select a tool to best communicate their purpose and findings. Herein lies a means for intrinsic motivation, opportunities to reflect throughout the learning process using accumulated knowledge from Student Notebooks and a mastery of skills.
ReplyDeleteThe gaming aspect really fascinates me! This year I got to see first hand how gaming motivates students in the classroom by using the math skills practice based site sumdog.com. The students went crazy! All they wanted to do was be on the site! This of course has pros and cons to me. The video discussed the disposition of a gamer. I saw this with my students- as the students wanted to know the bottom line, wanted to be measured and if they weren't learning it wasn't fun! This website offers students an opportunity to practice basic skills while participating in a variety of games. The student also creates a character and then earns points while playing to buy things for their character. Students move through stages that are named with animals, which seemed to be a real motivator- "Mrs. Konrad I'm finally a flamingo!
ReplyDeleteInitially I thought this site was amazing. The students were engaged and learning. Then issues began to arise. Smart students figured out how to skip levels or how to only practice the easier skills. This led to great class discussions about the use of the site and establishing rules. It also led to our team getting a subscription so that we could have more access to what each students was practicing, create reports, monitor progress and manage what students were practicing.
A few weeks in I found myself really annoyed with the passion and energy that students were putting toward sumdog. All they talked about was sumdog. All they wanted to do was sumdog. I even threaten to pull the plug. I found myself feeling like "What is my role as the teacher in this!" I think this is an important factor to our changing classroom that I need to consider. How do I find the balance? How do I connect real life and make it as motivating as the game?
I totally agree Jennifer. There is a balance in the classroom that needs to be facilitated. Certainly, digital tools such as Sumdog can be very engaging. However, just like video games they have the potential to monopolize a student's attention. I am also concerned about digital tools further removing our students away from the outside world. Environmental issues will become some of the biggest challenges the next generation faces. I hope they have the connection to the environment necessary for thoughtful change.
DeleteI agree with you, Jennifer. Our middle schoolers became a little TOO savvy about using and abusing sumdog/mangahigh/etc. I would get floored when I saw a high-achieving student practicing multiplication facts over and over again simply to get a high score! It became too easy to say "yes" when students asked to go on these sites; in the back of our minds were we justifying the time with thoughts of, "Sure, they're learning, and they're 'doing' math, right?"
DeleteAre these skill-based sites any different than worksheets except that they are more stimulating to the senses and attention-draining? Is this an example of using technology for the sake of using technology?
I responded to these posts in reverse order so am coming to this late. The advantage is that I get to read and think about everyone's thinking. I was particularly interested in what Gail said in response to Andrew regarding teaching kids how to do research using technology. I so agree that we as teachers need to be teaching students how to think, analyze and be critical thinkers, readers and speakers. Over and over I am thinking about teaching the students how to THINK, ANALYZE AND BE CRITICAL READERS. That is our job and it was a tall order before technology. It's even harder now for people like me who are still learning how to use it. In the end I think this task of teaching kids to think and analyze is made easier by technology. I really love the idea of pairing the technology teacher (which thankfully we now have) with our teaching... particularly for doing research.
ReplyDeleteTechnology has changed the way students learn today because of the speed to which they have access to and the amount of information to which they have access. Answers are just a click away. And just like they have access to instant answers outside of the classroom, they want to have instant access to the answers IN the classroom. This shift has left many teachers struggling to engage students, and possibly left more students seeming to be ADD or troubled learners when in fact, we as educators may not be teaching to their style. Many teaching titles/research say that teachers teach how THEY learned...add that to the MEGA shift in access and we've got a learning/teaching divide like never before. Luckily, some teachers are still life long learners and rise and thrill to this challenge. Others step back and stick with the same status quo, a major disservice to their students and our future.
ReplyDeleteWe need to question how we were taught so we do not always teach in the same way. there was a longer post created on my android, but neither myself nor my 14 yr old daughter could figure out how to send it. we arrived at the publish button but no farther
ReplyDeleteI would agree with the presentation and the future of education in the 21st century. However, I also believe that technology must be also used to assist and facilitate students to connect with the outside world. Not the virtual world, the environment in which they inhabit. Digital devices can sometimes insulate students and adults from their environment. Awareness of one's place within our natural world must be appreciated for the future of our planet.
ReplyDeleteMark -
DeleteI agree with your thoughts here! "Outside world vs. virtual world" "insulator vs. facilitator" and so forth. Great points.
I'm pleased to see this video and these leading voices addressing what "21st Century Skills" really means, especially when said that it is not to be reduced to workforce and technology skills but it is about being able to use tools AND developing skills and talents for creativity, civic engagement, etc.
ReplyDeleteWe can't really answer the question "What is there to learn?" for the 21st Century Learner. We can hardly any longer answer "what" but only address "how" we can prepare learners because the 21st Century world is evolving so rapidly.
In schools, we are still assessing if a student knows (often by memory), for example, how to spell or how to format a business letter or what the difference between a simile and metaphor is. We want to think, "Well, it's important that a student knows how to find mean, median, mode and range (________ insert any concept here)." NOPE. It's important to teach students how to to ask the right kind of question, find valid resources that explain this information, and then explore interesting and innovating ways this concept is being used authentically and thus how they can do something meaningful with the information themselves.
As a relatively young teacher, I come from a generation raised on the infancy of 21st Century Learning. I can't remember not having a computer in my home and I had the internet available to me since grade school. I feel as though I am one of the first generations to now become a teacher who was also a student of technology from a very young age. I can't relate to what it is like to NOT have technology in the school and classroom. Yet, interestingly enough, I long for conditions to slow down, to go back to a time when there wasn't something new and different at every turn and every moment. I would welcome the idea that "we can put [technology] away when it's actually not the best tool for them to be learning with" (Katie Sulen).
The 21st Century Learner has a "love of embracing change" and yet schools and teachers are resistant to change - this is grossly disharmonious and puts our students at a grave disadvantage! We have an obligation to foster their "questioning disposition" although this leaves me to wonder, how do you teach students to question meaningfully and with a desire to continually learn and know more?
So what is the teacher's role now? This video said it so well. Our role is to help students achieve balance and to mitigate full immersion; to provide access; to foster reflection; and to facilitate as our students remake the content by becoming creators and producers. Our role is NOT to disseminate information and dole out tasks, then ask our students to regurgitate that information back to us.
I truly enjoyed reading your reflective response, Briana. It was heart felt and touched on much of what I am feeling about the 21st Century learner. I struggle with the same question around teaching students to even want to question meaningfully and having a desire for learning. More and more often, I am finding that my approach to teaching is not what content do I have to teach today but how will I engage the students in a problem based challenge that drives them to want to learn. Once students thirst for knowledge is quenched a the way that is right for them, maybe they can slow down to investigate deeper.
DeleteI like when we use technology to take pictures of old fashioned poster and marker creations. Mixing the old and new can give us the best balance for learning.
ReplyDeleteREFRAME YOUR THINKING
ReplyDeleteI like the concept of using technology to teach content when it is the best tool for kids to be learning with and “putting it away” when it is not the best tool for them to be learning with.
My job as an effective educator is to know the difference and, when technology is the best tool, to have the requisite skills to teach and reinforce the applications that are the best fit for the kind of content students are learning. For example, I fully embrace the use of computer applications for the purpose of developing writing skills in French because helping students to edit their written pieces is so much more effective and efficient with the use of the computer. Students can submit their writing to me in a document and I can give them immediate feedback about how to correct and edit their pieces with respect to GUM. etc.Research is another great use of technology in the classroom. Unlike when I was in high school, there is a world of knowledge literally at our fingertips (so yes, the way we learn has definitely changed); it is up to me to know the best research methods and teach them to students in a way that allows them to access the most current and relevant information available. I cannot just hand them a computer and assume that, since they spend hours on facebook and playing games, they know how to conduct effective research. On the other hand, the use of manipulatives, for example, is such a great learning tool in the language classroom that I don’t want to “throw the baby out with the bathwater” just so I can say I am using technology with my students.
My goal in this course is to learn about the applications that are a superior fit with the content my students are learning and become skilled at using these appications with students, when appropriate. When I was considering taking this course I asked some of my advanced students if they thought my learning how to bring more technology into the French classroom would benefit them. They said, if I can teach them French in ways that embed computer applications which they can use beyond my classroom, such as in a college setting, I should go for it. For me, it’s all about having as many best practices in my toolbox as possible and constantly using a variety of effective strategies and methods to keep the learning experience fresh and engaging for students.
Here is a great example...Learn from History....The internal combustible Engine!
ReplyDeleteThis was a device that was created by Edward Butler in 1884 that used a magneto, coil, spray jet carburetor, and spark plug. The development went on and still continues to go on until today. What have we learned? This device was used in excess for a long time and help create a problem known as global warming. After a period of time, people began to understand the excess of this tool and how it should take a place in our society.
Innovation created this tool. Excess is destroying this tool. Innovation will create the next version of this tool or replace it altogether.
The computer is the same thing. It has its possibilities and it successes. I like the point made in the video...students are not born producing media, they are consumers of media. It takes individuals that understand how to coordinate with formal learning. I know that the information is out there because the internet has opened it up to the world. Can we hold student accountable for knowledge that is out there that they never were subject to in school? Particle Physics is out there...what do you know about it? Be an innovator of physics! Formal knowledge has its place. Balance of tools in the classroom has its place. I say..."Use it when needed, put it away when you don't. Teach other tools so students are diverse thinkers and users." Our students will one day be someone else's teacher.
Thanks for your example. Yes, it is so challenging to find a good balance between our use of technology and of other tools.
DeleteKids use of technology is often viewed as an add on to their educational program rather than an integral part of their learning. In our school, computer applications is a unified arts class not necessarily integrated with each and every subject but separate. Tim Bernes, inventor, pioneer of the internet created a structure and organization in the internet that connects the world wide community to share ideas in a way that has never happened before in history. Technology is a means by which kids can learn by sharing and interacting. The internet is a revolutionary invention that will change the world from top down dissemination of knowledge to sharing/interactive learning. Robert Darnton describes this as the 4th great information age, the other three being the invention of writing, from scrolls to codex, the invention of the printing press and now the internet. Perhaps you saw the tribute to Tim Bernes, pioneer of the internet during the opening ceremonies of the Summer Olympics. We are not just preparing kids for careers using computers in schools, but we are preparing them for their future lives as adults. Technology is how they will socialize, participate as citizens and become lifelong learners. Access to technology levels the playing field for kids of poverty and kids with resources all over our world. Kids can learn from one and other and from others in a way that has never been available before. The question about whether we teach kids using technology needs be whether we are teaching kids how to learn using technology.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate the McArthur foundation research papers (heady reading though!). The thinking for their project helps to clarify why this learning is important for the adults teaching our students. This thinking is why our teachers need to spend more time learning to use new technologies is more important than ever. The big questions about how we teach students to use technology in the digital age are challenged in the McArthur project. The research projet attempts to frame those aspects of the virtual school that are examples of what future learning institutions might look like. Many of the principles challenge traditional school models. Matt, you asked if "kids who have grown up digital motivated by the same things that drove us to learn?." After reading about future learning institutions principles, I would have to say "no.' Kids who have grown up with technology and the traditional learning structures of a school will move themselves to a different type of learning model. The article called this a participatory learning model. Already, students using technology in the daily lives, depend on collective authority rather than teacher as content expert, collaboration and self learning using social networks, gaming and the internet. Our schools can support their growth by facilitating discussions about social networking ethics, judgement about sources, working around problems and finding solutions. Some students may benefit from learning from the traditional teaching and learning models but ultimately the world that they live in has changed. Students need to learn to participate in their learning given the world that we are preparing them for. This means that teachers need to change their thinking about technology as a learning tool.
In this video, I heard a few ideas I had not considered before. Digital learning is not a way to abandon formal learning, but a way to band it with technology. Thank goodness, it considers it is one of the tools to foster creativity. A teacher said one reason for wireless is so that it can be "put away". Even though we want all students to have a working knowledge of these tools, not every student will use them equally. They have to find a learning style that is comfortable for them to be successful learners.
ReplyDeleteEven though I am viewing this video late in our coursework, I think it speaks to me on a very personal level. I am not tech. savvy but see the great potential for the use of a variety of technology tools in the classroom. But sometimes I can't see the potential because I'm not very tech. savvy and I don't know what tools exist. Hence, my need to take this course every summer until I retire!
ReplyDeleteI need time to play with technology on my own, with colleagues and with students. I need to specifically teach what responsibility, respectfulness and collaboration look like using new media. I need to help students move from "consuming media to producing media" effectively and in collaborative and thoughtful ways. Although I may sometimes appear to others as "technology resistent", I am just technology ignorant and a beginning practitioner.
Right after watching the first video, I watched "I am the Future" asking teachers the question "Can you teach me what I will need for my future?" It was a great way to challenge a veteran teacher like me to reflect upon how I teach these 21st century skills. The skills touched upon were: using technology, communicating effectively, understanding the impact of information, participating in the information era and a global economy, collaboration, exploring creativity and telling a story. I have attempted to do all of those things for the past thirty-three years but the tools are different and the world is much bigger today.
I was struck by Mimi Ito's remark at the end of the MacArthur video about the value in combining students' informal and formal learning- not abandoning either, but getting them to work together in a much more co-ordinated way. I might have missed mention by any of the contributors to the video about the high motivation value of tapping into students' "informal" learning, which often to them is their most important learning. I have been doing a series of "personal learning projects" with young kids who pursue topics of their own choosing and are interviewed on video as a means of sharing their learning. They are so thrilled at taking charge of what they will learn! I think that any way we can allow students to use what they are excited about outside of school in combination with what what we want them to learn in school is the way to go- digital or not.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/08/siri-take-this-down-will-voice-control-shape-our-writing/259624/#.UCW4DGBuad8.facebook
ReplyDeleteThis is an article dated August 1 2012 posing the idea that voice technology may become the way we "write" in the future. This strand of the blog seems a good place to share. I hope folks find it and read the whole article- though the idea of voice technology replacing physical writing composition seems radical and scary, I can see that might be the way we are going- teachers in my schools barely have time to teach handwriting or even keyboarding anymore! I am a person who carries around a lined notebook to write in, and who stubbornly send as much handwritten communication as I can manage, and I think the world will lose much if we develop in this way- but I can imagine it happening.
Here are some quotes from the article to give you a sense of it:
"So it seems as though our voices may some day displace our keyboards and mice as the primary means through which we manipulate our computing devices. But while to command by voice is one thing, to write by voice is another, and the question remains whether -- or how - this shift in technology will shape the words we 'pen.' "
"Two important points emerge from these snippets from the history of reflection on writing technologies. First, writing technologies do not by themselves appear to compel us to write or think in one way or another. It seems at least possible to express the same general thoughts with a pen, typewriter, or word processor.
Second, and at the same time, these technologies do have some influence on our writing and thinking. Writing technologies appear to incline certain styles, disincline others, lean authors toward more or less reflectivity, and supply both conveniences and inconveniences. As Nietzsche said, 'Our writing instruments contribute to our thoughts.' "
"...an important effect of computerized dictation technologies is that they could lead people to become more skillful speakers, and thus more thoughtful participants in meaningful discussions. If writers of the future are composing text almost exclusively through computerized dictation, then they may become more thoughtful and nuanced speakers in the process. That is, the effect of dictation technologies may not be just on our writing, but that they may train us to be better verbal communicators, not just with our machines but with our fellow humans too. "
I have been slowly realizing how differently kids use technology compared to me. Other than email and Facebook, I primarily use it for work place and academics. My own children as perfect examples and our students use technology for the aims of being creative and for social engagement. Middle schoolers are a bit young for the civic engagement piece, but I am not blind to the fact that college aged students are very involved in civic matters and access technology to promote, side with, and educate others about causes important to them. The video gives me pause to consider whether or not I offer enough opportunities for my students to use technology for these three reasons as a means toward learning. Projects, assignments, and instruction delivered through the use of technology in my classes mostly focuses on work place skills (word procession, research, and spreadsheets) and offers very little chance for students to explore and then demonstrate new learning by being creative. I need to allow them to be less scripted and use their digital social skills to access information. At teacher, I need to give students a bit more freedom to learn in manners different than I can imagine. They have skills and digital knowledge about technology that is beyond me. Once again, I am reminded to let the students lead. They will take us out of the traditional work place set of skills. I can stand to learn from them.
ReplyDeleteMizuko Ito's remark that "kids are learning in all the environments they participate in - just not necessarily what adults want them to be learning" struck a cord for me. Somehow it feels important to embrace the wonder of this digital age. This course has given me a deeper appreciation of the digital world. It is vast - immense and I am only experiencing the tiniest portion of it. I have had a lot of fun exploring one link which leads me to another link etc., etc. I love seeing videos of a person expressing their thoughts about so many topics and then having access to multiple additional related videos.
ReplyDeleteHer comment about conceiving of "public education as a broader environment - not just a classroom" is also well taken. All learning has never just taken place in a classroom but now with digital media so readily accessible it takes on an even more expansive meaning.
As I wend my way through this google course, I have found a greater appreciation for those who are growing up in this digital age. And feel more of an understanding of what a draw the digital world can be. I have found it easy to get lost in the exploration of other people's thoughts and thus find myself responding at such a late moment to this blog. It seems easy to take in and not , for me at least, to create my own ideas.
I have always enjoyed new technology. I did however struggle with letting some of it into the classroom at first. I have been busted on a few occasions for calling out a student for texting in class only to realize that they are uploading a picture of their project to their email or searching Google for a word or concept that they don't know or understand. I believe that foremost we need to help students to understand what responsible and exceptional use of technology is. After they understand this they will be better prepared to stay focused and use these 21 century tools as tools not simply as toys.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was really interesting to think about taking kids from being consumers of digital media to the producers. There is a big difference from consuming to producing. While consuming media helps to make it more intuitive to use the tool to create, it doesn't necessarily ensure that kids will take that step. We need to provide the context, training, and support to enable them to take what they are surrounded with all the time and harness it and not just be passive consumers anymore. I want my students to see how they can impact the way others think about things through technology tools and digital media. It is a powerful level playing field, as long as kids have access.
ReplyDelete