Connectivism

George Siemens (2004) developed a theory on an approach to learning that he called Connectivism. "Including technology and connection making as learning begins to move learning theories into a digital age." Siemens points out that using technology and making connections are linked. Combining connectivism and constructivist methods in the classroom offers students an opportunity to gain 21st century skills, he sees trends including:

• Many learners will have many different jobs spanning a variety of fields over their lifetime

• Learning now occurs in a variety of ways through communities of practice, personal networks, and through completion of work-related tasks

• Learning is a continual process, lasting for a lifetime

• Technology is altering (rewiring) our brains. The tools we use define and shape our thinking

• The organization and individual are both learning organisms

• Many of the processes previously handled by learning theories (especially in cognitive information processing) can now be off-loaded to, or supported by, technology

• Know-how and know-what are being supplemented with know-where (the understanding of where to find knowledge needed).

--excerpt from Web 2.0 New Tools, New Schools by Solomon & Schrum (2007)

Characteristics of School Culture Ready to Change

David Jakes, a school district technology coordinator during a conference keynote address described the following characteristics of a school culture that are required for an innovation to become seamless and transparent:

1. There must be a high degree of organizational readiness for the innovation.

2. The innovation must have multiple entry points for a spectrum of usership; each of these entry points must support effective use by teachers and students.

3. The innovation must clearly address an instructional need, with benefits for both teachers and students.

4. The innovation must add value to an instructional practice.

5. There must be visible and tangible results indicating that the innovation improves student learning.

6. The technology has been taken out of the technology or innovation.

7. the teacher has become a confident, active, and visible user; use becomes seamless and tranparent.

--excerpt from the book Web 2.0, New Tools New Schools (Solomon & Schrum, 2007)

Reporting to Parents

Interesting to note that the K-5 teachers meet last week to discuss the report cards. In this discussion there was the overwhelming assumption that what we are doing, have been doing, will be doing is assessing student growth and development as a set of acquired skills.

The group NEVER contemplated the idea of reporting to parents skills that represent new sets of skills. At one point I even asked a group if they were going to add ITL (Information Technology Literacy) skills into their report card. I was told flat out NO.

If we are to lead in a new direction, these are the forums for these discussions.

Classroom Comparison

The following was pulled from the website www.21stcenturyschools.com

A Comparison Chart - which one describes your classroom or school?

20th Century Classrooms vs. 21st Century Classrooms

1. Time-Based Vs Outcome-based

2. Focus on memorization of discrete facts vs. Focus on what students KNOW, CAN DO

and ARE LIKE after all the details are forgotten

3. Lessons focus on lower level of Bloom's Taxonomy--knowledge, comprehension and

application vs. Learning is designed on upper levels of Bloom's--synthesis, analysis and evaluation

4. Textbook-driven vs. Research-driven

5. Learners work in isolation-- classroom within 4 walls vs. Learners work collaboratively with classmates and

others around the world--the global classroom

6. Teacher-centered: Teacher is center of attention and provider of information vs. Student-centered: teacher is facilitator/coach

7. Little or no student freedom vs. Great deal of student freedom

8. "Discipline problems"--educators do not trust students and vice versa. No student motivation. vs. No "discipline problems".--students and teacher have mutually respectful relationship as co-learners; Students are motivated.

9. Fragmented curriculum vs. Integrated and interdisciplinary curriculum

10. Grades averaged vs. Grades are based on what was learned

11. Low Expectations vs High Expectations--"If it isn't good, it isn't done" We expect, and ensure, that all students succeed in learning

at high levels. Some may go higher--we get out of their

way to let them do that.

12. Teacher is judge. No one else sees student work vs Self, peer and other assessments. Public audience,

authentic assessments.

13. Curriculum/School is irrelevant and meaningless to the student vs. Curriculum is connected to students' interests, experiences

talents and the real world

14. Print is the primary vehicle of learning and assessment vs. Performances, projects, and multiple forms of media are used

for learning and assessment

15. Diversity in students is ignored vs. Curriculum and instruction address student diversity

16. Literacy is the 3 R's--Reading, writing and math vs. Multiple literacies of the 21st century--aligned to living and

working in a globalized new millennium.

How to bring schools out of the 20th Century

How do we ensure that an entire generation of kids does not fail to make the grade…Are we shooting to low?

-- Our kids need to know more about the world, not more useless facts about the world
-- We need to put a premium on creative thinking, innovative thought and seeing patterns through chaos.
--We need to become better consumers of new sources of information
--Our kids need to have good people skills.
--Being skilled as communicators and teams members with people from different cultures.

Focus on depth over breadth: Few would argue that learning the causes of the Civil War is important, but memorizing the battles seems absurd.

This is a summary of an article from Time Magazine, Sunday Dec 10, 2006

21st Century Skills in Wisconsin

As Wisconsin is part of a consortium of states working on 21st Century Skills, the DPI has taken a position on specific skills. Please see:

http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/route21/images/stories/states/wi2pagerwebsite.pdf

Visual Explanation

Did You Know 2.0 and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGCJ46vyR9o- If you are looking at some basic background to what we are dealing with as digital immigrants this 8 minute video on "You Tube" is a good one. There are numerous other sites on You Tube both in and out of education that are very good, quick visuals. The second was done I believe at Kansas State about how our students view today's classrooms.

Technology Standards for Teachers

1. Technology Operations and Concepts: demonstrating a sound understanding of technology operations and concepts.

2. Planning and designing learning environments and experiences: Teachers can plan and design effective learning environments and experiences supported by technology.

3. Teaching, Learning and the Curriculum: Teachers implement curriculum plans that include methods and strategies for applying technology to maximize student learning.

4. Assessment and Evaluation: Teachers apply technology to facilitate a variety of effective assessment and evaluation strategies.

5. Productivity and Professional practice: Teachers use technology to enhance their productivity and professional practice.

6. Social, ethical, Legal and Human Issues: Teachers understand the social, ethical, legal and human issues surrounding the use of technology in PK-12 schools and apply that understanding in practice.

These are the ISTE (NETS) performance indicators. They are not intended to represent "21st Century Skills". I would hope they could be embraced as a measure of success when we reflect upon acceptable practice.

Motivating Classrooms

We have talked about student motivation numerous times and I found the following in a book titled, The Motivation Breakthrough by Richard Lavoie. Thought it may spark some thought.

Characteristics of Motivating Class

• Relevance: The content of the class should be, in some way, related to the child's life and daily experiences. New information should build upon previous knowledge and there should be an observable, meaningful connection to the real world. Students need to feel that schoolwork is valuable and important.
• Control: Students need to feel that they have some degree of control and influence over the learning activities. Children respond well to being allowed to make decisions and choices. These activities do not require the teacher to surrender her position of authority; they merely give the students a sense of independence and autonomy
• Balance of support and challenge: The effective, motivating teacher continually strives to balance support and challenge. If the teacher assigns challenging work but fails to provide the support and structure that the child requires to be successful at the task, the child will not be motivated. Conversely, if the educator provides tremendous support for the child but the curriculum is not sufficiently challenging, the child will not be motivated. This interaction between support and challenge should shade every classroom decision made by the teacher
• Social Interaction: As much as possible, classroom activities should feature some degree of interaction between or among students. Learning pairs, small-group work, interactive classroom discussions provide students with an opportunity to interact and work toward common goals. This is motivating and energizing for many students.
• Safety and Security: Children simply cannot learn if they feel unsafe, threatened, or insecure. The classroom environment must be tolerant, accepting, welcoming and secure. One of the primary roles of the teacher is to protect the physical and emotional well-being of the students. Motivation cannot exist in an environment where children feel or fear embarrassment, humiliation, or isolation.

Maybe some ideas or thoughts to share with teachers.

Website for more information on 21st Century Skills

Keep in mind that this is a site for CDW-G but it does provide you with a great overview and information on this topic.

http://www.the21stcenturyclassroom.com/

Welcome to Blogger

I am very happy to be both setting up this blog for your use as well as creating a place where we can all contribute and develop knowledge together. I hope this experience is a good one for you.