Talk about apples and oranges. I enrolled in two grad classes this spring. Both classes dealt with technology and its role in education. The first class focused upon integrating the Internet into the curriculum, defining the "new literacies" that students need to know and four tools to effectively teach info lit skills. The tools, or models, I learned about were called Internet Workshop, Internet Inquiry, and Internet Project. I also reviewed Webquests. The second class (PLS) focused upon 21st century skills, information literacy, and various tools for implementing meaningful learning experiences (such as blogs, wikis, digital storytelling). While I learned something in both classes, the second one turned out to be more valuable.
Why? Because I think I'll actually use some of the things I learned.
I've taken grad classes in the past where I learned some fantastic ideas. And yet, they weren't quite realistic when it came to implementation. So more often than not, what I learned fell by the wayside. Once the class was done, I stuck a fork in it, rarely looking back.
So, what was the biggest accomplishment of the second grad class? Probably the change in my mindset in terms of using what I've learned. The class ended up being more than just a way to earn continuing education credit. I would be doing my students a disservice if I didn't try some of the tools presented in the PLS class. I would be doing my students a disservice if I didn't start talking to them (and other teachers for that matter) about 21st century skills. I would be doing my fellow teachers a disservice if I didn't suggest learning experiences that include higher order skills and new tech tools such as blogging or wikis.
The last module of the PLS class discussed change. I think most people, especially educators, would agree that change is not always easy or welcomed. However, how many great things have been accomplished because of what one person started? This class has planted a seed in my mind about the possibility of change in my teaching. I'd certainly like to become a 21st century librarian and teacher. I'd like for my students to work a project like I did for this class and think, that was cool. And, more importantly, I'd like students to see the value in what they just accomplished and utilize that learning in other aspects of their education and lives.
As they say, it's been fun, but I'm done. Or, in this case, perhaps I'm just getting started...
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Change- the $64,000 question
How to create sustainable change in education? Educational initiatives, doctrines, directives, curriculum come and go. How do we effectively teach reading? Whole language, phonics, a combination- back to whole language/literature with English integrated. But now the kids can't spell or write a complete sentence properly... One high school in my district was strictly a technical school a few years ago, then they made the switch to a regular, "academic" school, only to switch it back to a technical school last year. The district is moving away from the middle school model (again!) to K-8 buildings.
Education exists in cycles- what's old is new again with a different title or name. Is education spinning its wheels by recycling the same ideas over and over? If it didn't work the first time, why implement it a second time?
Change in education is needed- that much is obvious. Resistance is a part of change. Perhaps I am contributing to the resistance because I'm balking at the idea of reheating the same ideas? I'd rather be on the other side of the fence- cheering on 21st century skills as learning that needs to remain constant for some time.
Education exists in cycles- what's old is new again with a different title or name. Is education spinning its wheels by recycling the same ideas over and over? If it didn't work the first time, why implement it a second time?
Change in education is needed- that much is obvious. Resistance is a part of change. Perhaps I am contributing to the resistance because I'm balking at the idea of reheating the same ideas? I'd rather be on the other side of the fence- cheering on 21st century skills as learning that needs to remain constant for some time.
Friday, April 24, 2009
The 21st century yardstick
I had a discussion with two colleagues today at lunch. One teaches 8th grade science and the other 8th grade math. The science teacher was describing the new "hands-on" program they've implemented this year. The program emphasizes an inquiry approach with several experiments per week. The teacher likes the program, but she's not sure it's working with her students. We ask what the problem is. To summarize her response- how are experiments going to help these students learn science when they can't do the basics? The math teacher then chimed in with the fact that her students can't multiply numbers or add a positive and negative number without a calculator. In fact, they don't know their times tables, which we all had to memorize in what, third or fourth grade?
So, being the devil's advocate, I asked the teachers- but in today's society, do they need to have the times tables memorized? Do they need to know how to spell every word correctly? Do they need dictionary skills? Technology enables them to access tools to handle these seemingly 20th century skills or tasks. In the 21st century, aren't we more interested in process and content?
The teachers responded with YES! Students still need to know the basics. What's the point of developing new types of learning experiences if they cannot read, write or compute on the most basic levels? Although the teachers couldn't cite a single article, study, or hard evidence, they both strongly felt that because students were not memorizing or practicing the basics, something was being lost. Somehow, we benefited from having to know what 12 x 12 equaled. Perhaps it just exercised our brains...
The point of this conversation replay? I agree with them. I'm still trying to wrap my brain around "old school" and "new school." Is one really better than the other? A balance needs to be created- 21st century learning built upon a strong foundation of the "basics." I have a difficult time, in some regard, implementing a 21st century project when the kids can't (or won't) read.
Then, throw assessments into the mix- now we're really pushing it. How are we going to assess what students can do in the 21st century? What is the 21st century yardstick, and will our students measure up?
On a tangent... I've had 8th graders in the library all week conducting a research project about an author of their choice. I explain the print and online resources available. They are required to utilize one print resource. They all run to the computers. Normally, I have students work with print first. However, I let students choose as a way to accommodate the digital native in them. Many of them don't want to use books anyway. The students then locate some online websites and databases. Here's what I don't understand... They don't want to bother with books, they only want to search the web, and yet, they want to print everything out...
So, being the devil's advocate, I asked the teachers- but in today's society, do they need to have the times tables memorized? Do they need to know how to spell every word correctly? Do they need dictionary skills? Technology enables them to access tools to handle these seemingly 20th century skills or tasks. In the 21st century, aren't we more interested in process and content?
The teachers responded with YES! Students still need to know the basics. What's the point of developing new types of learning experiences if they cannot read, write or compute on the most basic levels? Although the teachers couldn't cite a single article, study, or hard evidence, they both strongly felt that because students were not memorizing or practicing the basics, something was being lost. Somehow, we benefited from having to know what 12 x 12 equaled. Perhaps it just exercised our brains...
The point of this conversation replay? I agree with them. I'm still trying to wrap my brain around "old school" and "new school." Is one really better than the other? A balance needs to be created- 21st century learning built upon a strong foundation of the "basics." I have a difficult time, in some regard, implementing a 21st century project when the kids can't (or won't) read.
Then, throw assessments into the mix- now we're really pushing it. How are we going to assess what students can do in the 21st century? What is the 21st century yardstick, and will our students measure up?
On a tangent... I've had 8th graders in the library all week conducting a research project about an author of their choice. I explain the print and online resources available. They are required to utilize one print resource. They all run to the computers. Normally, I have students work with print first. However, I let students choose as a way to accommodate the digital native in them. Many of them don't want to use books anyway. The students then locate some online websites and databases. Here's what I don't understand... They don't want to bother with books, they only want to search the web, and yet, they want to print everything out...
Saturday, April 18, 2009
On Posting
Since I'm just getting started in the blogosphere, I'm taking some time to investigate other blogs and learn "how to" post replies. Apparently, there are conventions to follow and different types of postings. Articles have been written on the different styles of blogging. (See "The 25 Basic Styles of Blogging... And When to Use Them") Who knew?
I'll be honest, blogging is not (yet?) my thing. I suppose it's the exposure- the whole "putting yourself out there" to be read, commented on and scrutinized by anyone and everyone. It's a tad daunting- especially if one fears rejection.
I did manage to locate two interesting blogs and post a comment to each. (Hold the applause.) Both blogs are library-related, of course. The first blog is "Katkin's weBLOG." The author is a teacher-librarian and now coordinator of library services in a Canadian school district. She writes about 21st century learning and how its potential affect on libraries. Her post titled "The filtering conundrum: setting the stage in three acts" caught my attention. (the post is located near the bottom of the blog) The gist is how to implement web 2.0 tools in a world of required filtering.
The second blog, Hey Jude, is authored by Judy O'Connell, an educational consultant and teacher-librarian of St. Joseph's College in Australia. Her blog is chock full of information and musings about being in the information profession. One post, "Read the book AND watch the video" caught my attention. It's a brief discussion about a book titled Skeleton Creek by Patrick Carmen. The book has two narrators- one from the book and one from a video you watch online. What a concept. The video trailer looks decidedly "Blair Witch Project." I just received a few copies of this book, and they're all checked out now. I'll be interested to see what the students have to say about it.
I'll be honest, blogging is not (yet?) my thing. I suppose it's the exposure- the whole "putting yourself out there" to be read, commented on and scrutinized by anyone and everyone. It's a tad daunting- especially if one fears rejection.
I did manage to locate two interesting blogs and post a comment to each. (Hold the applause.) Both blogs are library-related, of course. The first blog is "Katkin's weBLOG." The author is a teacher-librarian and now coordinator of library services in a Canadian school district. She writes about 21st century learning and how its potential affect on libraries. Her post titled "The filtering conundrum: setting the stage in three acts" caught my attention. (the post is located near the bottom of the blog) The gist is how to implement web 2.0 tools in a world of required filtering.
The second blog, Hey Jude, is authored by Judy O'Connell, an educational consultant and teacher-librarian of St. Joseph's College in Australia. Her blog is chock full of information and musings about being in the information profession. One post, "Read the book AND watch the video" caught my attention. It's a brief discussion about a book titled Skeleton Creek by Patrick Carmen. The book has two narrators- one from the book and one from a video you watch online. What a concept. The video trailer looks decidedly "Blair Witch Project." I just received a few copies of this book, and they're all checked out now. I'll be interested to see what the students have to say about it.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Students today
I read a post this week from the Encyclopedia Britannica blog. Several experts in the field of ed tech posted their thoughts about the use of educational technology. Michael Wesch is a professor at Kansas State University. He and some of his students created a video called "A Vision of Students Today." As if the video didn't give me enough to think about...
His post contained some observations and thoughts about how engaged students are with education today. One comment in particular stands out- "The room is nothing less than a state of the art information dump, a physical manifestation of the all too pervasive yet narrow and naïve assumption that to learn is simply to acquire information, built for teachers to effectively carry out the relatively simple task of conveying information."
Unless changes are made, is this where libraries could be headed? I've heard rumblings of books no longer being useful, shelves of books being replaced by computer kiosks, and librarians being replaced by paraprofessionals/aides/Google etc. (Ok, the unfortunate reality is that some librarians are being replaced due to funding cuts.) Libraries and librarians need to ensure that they are fully involved and leading the charge into the world and classroom of 21st century learning...
His post contained some observations and thoughts about how engaged students are with education today. One comment in particular stands out- "The room is nothing less than a state of the art information dump, a physical manifestation of the all too pervasive yet narrow and naïve assumption that to learn is simply to acquire information, built for teachers to effectively carry out the relatively simple task of conveying information."
Unless changes are made, is this where libraries could be headed? I've heard rumblings of books no longer being useful, shelves of books being replaced by computer kiosks, and librarians being replaced by paraprofessionals/aides/Google etc. (Ok, the unfortunate reality is that some librarians are being replaced due to funding cuts.) Libraries and librarians need to ensure that they are fully involved and leading the charge into the world and classroom of 21st century learning...
Intro post
Greetings!
As a requirement for a graduate class, I am creating this blog. Here you will find comments, musings, questions, links and anythings else I can think of that relates to the library and 21st century learning.
In terms of library, we're talking school libraries- specifically middle school. In terms of 21st century learning, we're talking about skills related to being effective users of information and web 2.0 tools.
Hopefully, this blog will evolve into something beyond the fulfillment of a class assignment. Check back often and see how we grow!
~J
As a requirement for a graduate class, I am creating this blog. Here you will find comments, musings, questions, links and anythings else I can think of that relates to the library and 21st century learning.
In terms of library, we're talking school libraries- specifically middle school. In terms of 21st century learning, we're talking about skills related to being effective users of information and web 2.0 tools.
Hopefully, this blog will evolve into something beyond the fulfillment of a class assignment. Check back often and see how we grow!
~J
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)