Comments on: Refining the idea and creating understanding http://dharter.edublogs.org/2008/02/14/98/ Thoughts on education, technology, and learning. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 08:42:27 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 hourly 1 By: dharter http://dharter.edublogs.org/2008/02/14/98/comment-page-1/#comment-86 dharter Tue, 26 Feb 2008 07:18:58 +0000 http://dharter.edublogs.org/2008/02/14/98/#comment-86 Charlie, I love that idea...now I am just trying to work out a way to make it happen at a team meeting without offending the teachers (don't mean to imply that their test being too content based and not thinking based means that they are not good teachers). Very cool. I think it could work. Jenny, I love the sharing too. It constantly amazes me that I now collaborate better than I ever did only it's with a world-wide team! Interestingly, a lot of the tools that we espouse AREN'T being used by kids, yet. We often assume that digital natives means expertise, but in fact, it doesn't mean they know how to use all these tools. The learn quickly though! And they will need to know how to adapt, unlearn and relearn constantly. It would be best if we teachers learned to do that as well. Thanks for your continued support!!! Charlie,
I love that idea…now I am just trying to work out a way to make it happen at a team meeting without offending the teachers (don’t mean to imply that their test being too content based and not thinking based means that they are not good teachers). Very cool. I think it could work.

Jenny,
I love the sharing too. It constantly amazes me that I now collaborate better than I ever did only it’s with a world-wide team! Interestingly, a lot of the tools that we espouse AREN’T being used by kids, yet. We often assume that digital natives means expertise, but in fact, it doesn’t mean they know how to use all these tools. The learn quickly though! And they will need to know how to adapt, unlearn and relearn constantly. It would be best if we teachers learned to do that as well. Thanks for your continued support!!!

]]> By: Jenny Luca http://dharter.edublogs.org/2008/02/14/98/comment-page-1/#comment-82 Jenny Luca Sun, 17 Feb 2008 00:20:53 +0000 http://dharter.edublogs.org/2008/02/14/98/#comment-82 Hi Dennis and Justin, I think the document you created on Google Docs is excellent. It"s clarified for me the approach I need to be taking with the staff at my school as to why they need to be adopting the ICT skills I've been assaulting them with. We're getting a really good take-up with Wiki adoption, but I realise I need to couch my selling of this and other tools in these three questions to framework the importance of trying out new things that are going to underpin how our students communicate in the world of today and the future. Can I use the document in my school? Thanks for all of your hard work - it's what I love about the network - people willing to share their ideas and not work in isolation. Hi Dennis and Justin,
I think the document you created on Google Docs is excellent. It”s clarified for me the approach I need to be taking with the staff at my school as to why they need to be adopting the ICT skills I’ve been assaulting them with. We’re getting a really good take-up with Wiki adoption, but I realise I need to couch my selling of this and other tools in these three questions to framework the importance of trying out new things that are going to underpin how our students communicate in the world of today and the future. Can I use the document in my school? Thanks for all of your hard work – it’s what I love about the network – people willing to share their ideas and not work in isolation.

]]> By: Charlie A. Roy http://dharter.edublogs.org/2008/02/14/98/comment-page-1/#comment-80 Charlie A. Roy Sat, 16 Feb 2008 06:45:55 +0000 http://dharter.edublogs.org/2008/02/14/98/#comment-80 It just came to me. I wonder if one powerful way to demonstrate to teachers that education's current focus on teaching must shift to be learner centered with 21st century skills could be proved with the following exercise. Ask a teacher to bring to a faculty meeting a copy of their latest test or assessment. Take the questions and google the answers and use the web to find everything you need. It would probably take only a few minutes. If someone by just using the web for a few minutes could answer the questions I believe it would demonstrate quite clearly to teachers that their role as the sacred giver of content has been eclipsed. Maybe it would work. Maybe not. It just came to me. I wonder if one powerful way to demonstrate to teachers that education’s current focus on teaching must shift to be learner centered with 21st century skills could be proved with the following exercise. Ask a teacher to bring to a faculty meeting a copy of their latest test or assessment. Take the questions and google the answers and use the web to find everything you need. It would probably take only a few minutes. If someone by just using the web for a few minutes could answer the questions I believe it would demonstrate quite clearly to teachers that their role as the sacred giver of content has been eclipsed.

Maybe it would work. Maybe not.

]]> By: dharter http://dharter.edublogs.org/2008/02/14/98/comment-page-1/#comment-78 dharter Fri, 15 Feb 2008 05:04:14 +0000 http://dharter.edublogs.org/2008/02/14/98/#comment-78 Charlie, Thanks! Ultimately we are trying to get students to a place where they are prepared for their futures (which we can't predict). Focusing on the thinking that they'll need for this allows us to do this. The big part of getting teachers on board with these web 2.0 tools is to first convince them that there is educational benefit. Initially, that involves showing them how kids will learn the subject matter better with these tools (whether it's collaborating on knowledge building with a wiki or whether it's discussion literature with a blog). But ultimately, and more importantly, teachers will have to be convinced that the needs of the students are greater than only subject matter learning. That these 21st Century Skills that we describe are in fact the true educational goals that will provide students with opportunities to succeed. Effective communication, collaboration, and use of information have always been valued in schools, but seemed to have always taken a back seat to content knowledge. This same knowledge is mostly available at the click of a mouse now, so how do we shift teacher understanding to the now greater value of these skills? Charlie,
Thanks! Ultimately we are trying to get students to a place where they are prepared for their futures (which we can’t predict). Focusing on the thinking that they’ll need for this allows us to do this.

The big part of getting teachers on board with these web 2.0 tools is to first convince them that there is educational benefit. Initially, that involves showing them how kids will learn the subject matter better with these tools (whether it’s collaborating on knowledge building with a wiki or whether it’s discussion literature with a blog).

But ultimately, and more importantly, teachers will have to be convinced that the needs of the students are greater than only subject matter learning. That these 21st Century Skills that we describe are in fact the true educational goals that will provide students with opportunities to succeed. Effective communication, collaboration, and use of information have always been valued in schools, but seemed to have always taken a back seat to content knowledge.

This same knowledge is mostly available at the click of a mouse now, so how do we shift teacher understanding to the now greater value of these skills?

]]> By: Charlie A. Roy http://dharter.edublogs.org/2008/02/14/98/comment-page-1/#comment-77 Charlie A. Roy Fri, 15 Feb 2008 04:37:14 +0000 http://dharter.edublogs.org/2008/02/14/98/#comment-77 I am a secondary school administrator from the states and i think you've hit the nail on the head. I have a building full of excellent teachers who are intimidated by technology. We are pushing and pushing for them to use blogs, wikis, and the world wide web to add depth, perspective, and richness to their teaching strategy. Essentially we are shifting from teacher centered education to student and learning focused education. Technology helps make that shift. Your guidelines are great. I am a secondary school administrator from the states and i think you’ve hit the nail on the head. I have a building full of excellent teachers who are intimidated by technology. We are pushing and pushing for them to use blogs, wikis, and the world wide web to add depth, perspective, and richness to their teaching strategy. Essentially we are shifting from teacher centered education to student and learning focused education. Technology helps make that shift. Your guidelines are great.

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