Clarification

Hi all! Happy almost February!

Can we clarify places that we'd like to go for our next meeting? If I have the basic idea correct, our primary purpose is to create a symbiotic structure between the University and RF Schools...but after that large idea was posed, I find myself a little fuzzy on the details. From the meeting, I heard/remembered one purpose being to create a structure that gives an 'honors' or more in-depth experience to student teachers at the secondary level. I also remembered something where we were identifying a common purpose - and I remember advocating for creativity, or at least for a common goal that would unite rather than further fragment our conception of what education is...but I don't remember why it was important to identify that concept. Perhaps it was something to do with the conference that was mentioned? Another purpose I heard/remembered as an opportunity was a tie where technology is encouraged by University Student/RF Teacher interaction. I frankly don't recall other 'large spokes'. Were there others that were discussed?

Fully putting energy in all of these directions makes it difficult to make headway in any one area. Is it possible for us to prioritize? If we can agree on what the discussion is to center on, we have a greater likelihood of moving forward, or at least being prepared to discuss ideas that support that central idea.

Thoughts?

21st century learners

Thanks Scott for your thoughtful comments and links. I definitely feel there is a wide gap in out of school and in school literacies and students today are reading, writing and composing in new ways. This might be a great place to blend a focus for our partnership on creativity with critical thinking and new literacies. I look forward to sharing our ideas and have prepared a presentation that underscores the need for seriously considering this kind of professional development for students, teachers and teacher educators. We are all in this together!

More from Frontline Digital Nation

Sorry Blogger didn't allow me to embed two video clips from the Frontline episode. Here is Bauerlein's remarks.

On Digital Natives and Digital Immigrants

The discussion around digital natives and digital immigrants is certainly one that has gotten a lot of buzz and certainly sold many books for Prensky and others in his camp. Although I do agree that the students we serve in classrooms today have had access to digital technology since birth, I don't believe it doesn't prepare them to be better multi-taskers or more prepared to work with technology.

An Educational Physchology Professor, Daniel Willingham at University of Virginia, shared a very valuable explanation of multitasking for a cognitive scientist point of view.



I do believe that students are more comfortable "playing" with technology. Consider that you've just purchased a new electronic device and wanted to start figuring this darn thing out. I'd argue, more "digital immigrants" will find the manual and start reading. On the other hand, "digital natives" open the packaging and start pressing buttons. They start working on something until they figure it out. This is off course in "informal" learning settings. In "formal" learning settings, I'd argue that students rely on the teacher to provide them with the steps to work with technology.

We like to think of conventional wisdom is that these students are younger and in that respect more capable of working with technology. But you can not through away the years of research on learning and cognition. If something is unfamiliar to students, lets say a blog, students will need some guidance to learn how this thing works.

For those of you that are PBS watchers, Frontline produced a piece titled Digital Nation. Digital Nation was on PBS on February 2, 2010. If you have 90 minutes or more, it is an interesting and, I believe, balanced look at how technology is changing our world. Listed below are two opposing viewpoints that I thought were interesting to chew over.

Henry Jenkins, professor at University of Southern California, advocates the use of technology in schools and asserts that schools must adapt and accommodate to changing students. You'll also Prensky highlighted frequently in the video.



Mark Bauerlein, professor at Emory University and the author of The Dumbest Generation, argues that technology is working against the critical thinking skills that students have. Tempering the convenience technology has with the skills students need.

Thoughts on Technlogy

Hello!

I love the idea of technology as a focus. I just finished reading a book by Marc Prensky - "Teaching Digital Natives" (2010). It's a really interesting book that explores why and how technology needs to play a role in schools. Prensky also makes the point that personalization of learning is essential - a necessity. The following quote summarizes his thoughts on schools, technology, and lack of personalization. Food for thought! 

"There is a huge paradox for educators: the place where the biggest educational changes have come is not our schools; it is everywhere else but our schools."