Community Connections
Here is where I will share resources that allow interaction with Online Learning colleagues in the field.
Adrienne Gear
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I have attended a few of Adrienne's reading and writing workshops and I'm always impressed with her enthusiasm and knowledge. I learn something new every time I am in her presence. Check out her blog and website for more information on what she is up to!
Stephen Downes
Tony Bates
Nick Rate
A Vision of Students Today
My comments on the above linked video: I can relate to these
students in the video, as I was one of those students only a few short years
ago. I brought my laptop to class and I was not always using it to type notes.
Some of my university classes were extremely boring (Mary’s class was the most
exciting and engaging!!!) I think using technology in class forces the students
to pay attention and be more engaged in what is being taught as they constantly
have to complete a learning activity or task. I wonder how these students would
describe the ideal learning environment?
I think it's important to incorporate the technologies students are already using and often have in our classes already! I think there is a happy medium (blended model) that will soon become the norm in teaching and learning. I don’t think there is a concern of what could be lost when moving forward. Teaching isn’t the same as it was 100 years ago, it shifted over time and that is what we are seeing happen now. We have to make room for advancing education or we will continue to fall behind in this fast paced world.
I think it's important to incorporate the technologies students are already using and often have in our classes already! I think there is a happy medium (blended model) that will soon become the norm in teaching and learning. I don’t think there is a concern of what could be lost when moving forward. Teaching isn’t the same as it was 100 years ago, it shifted over time and that is what we are seeing happen now. We have to make room for advancing education or we will continue to fall behind in this fast paced world.
The Machine is Us/ing Us
My comments on the above linked video: Well that was an interesting video. I actually had to watch it twice. The first thing that popped into my head while watching this video is that the world is literally at our fingertips! We can ask “the machine” questions and get instant answers. Does this mean that eventually teachers won’t be needed? Students have a much faster way of getting a response to their questions and they don’t have to wait for ten minutes with their hand in the air.
Ken Robinson - Schools Kill Creativity
My comments on the above linked video: This was a very engaging presentation. The most intriguing line he said was, “if you’re not prepared to be wrong…you will not come up with anything original”. How can we encourage students that it’s okay to say the “wrong” answer and learning is all about trial and error? It’s okay to be wrong because we learn from it.
The other aspect of the presentation that made me stop and think was “we are educating for a future we don’t know about”. It really is rather mind boggling to think we don’t know what our students today will need to know for tomorrow. I think this is especially true in the realm of online learning as it is just now starting to make leaps and bounds. How can we be sure we are giving our online students the knowledge, skills and attitudes for tomorrow’s world?
I think as educators we can ignite and protect our student’s “sparks” by giving them plenty of opportunities to explore their passions and show them that it is their individual talents and passions that make them unique and add to the diversity of the people in this world. I am constantly telling my students that everyone has different strengths and weaknesses and we just need to accept and support one another. By providing options and a safe environment for exploration we can allow our students to feel the freedom to explore their passions.
The other aspect of the presentation that made me stop and think was “we are educating for a future we don’t know about”. It really is rather mind boggling to think we don’t know what our students today will need to know for tomorrow. I think this is especially true in the realm of online learning as it is just now starting to make leaps and bounds. How can we be sure we are giving our online students the knowledge, skills and attitudes for tomorrow’s world?
I think as educators we can ignite and protect our student’s “sparks” by giving them plenty of opportunities to explore their passions and show them that it is their individual talents and passions that make them unique and add to the diversity of the people in this world. I am constantly telling my students that everyone has different strengths and weaknesses and we just need to accept and support one another. By providing options and a safe environment for exploration we can allow our students to feel the freedom to explore their passions.