Week 10 Readings

"Authentic Learning for the 21st Century"

This overview introduces the reader to how the Internet can help students and teachers create authentic learning in the classroom. The internet provides any number of options for the classroom, but the authors pointed out that the most important are communication, visualization, and simulation. This is because learning is a social and cognitive construct and the Internet helps us achieve both.
When authentic learning is taking place, student and teachers are engaging in real-life problem solving. The solution isn't easy to find because it is an ill-defined problem and it takes time to investigate the issues and the problems. Therefore, the Internet can help students utilize inquiry based learning because there is a mountain of information for students to access. The authors point out that, "expert thinking is the ability to identify and solve problems to which there is no routine solution." This is certainly where I hope I can help my students because if I can get them to realize that there is no one correct answer, I've lead them in a direction many hadn't considered.

Jonassen "Visualizing with Technologies"

Computers and the Internet provide the perfect tools for us to interpret and represent visual ideas. There are any number of options that teachers can use in the classroom but there are a few specific ones that the authors included, like Geographic Information Systems and digital cameras.
Why would teachers include visualization software and hardware? This is where I learned so much about why it is important to use computers in the classroom. The authors explained the importance of vision and how it is the most complex sensory system we have as humans. Vision helps us make sense of what is around us shows us how to make meaning out of it.
That is is why expressive visuals are extremely important and I will try to incorporate them as much as possible. If we use vision on a daily basis for our own sense of understanding, imagine how much more important it is for students who are in a formal learning setting. Obviously it will help students make sense of what they are seeing in the book, the white board, and the classroom itself. But expressive visuals will also help them convey their own meaning of what they've learned through the digital camera, Power Point, or video.

Week 9 Readings

New Times Demand New Ways of Learning

The goal for all of us, but especially our students, is to learn how to think critically and strategically. What is this, exactly? The author argues that students must be able to ask the hard questions and then find ways to answer the question.
One way to gauge if this kind of learning is occurring is give assessments that have meaning for the learner. Another way is to make students responsible for their own learning by creating engaged learning settings. Yet another option is to use group collaboration so that students can work with each others' strengths.
The most important factor, however, is that there is "generative learning and instruction." Students and teachers must co-construct learning so that they create a shared understanding of the hard questions and answers they are pursuing.

Readings Week 8, Webcast and Jonassen

"What are kids learning in a Virtual World?" A virtual what?
I've heard of the virtual world, including references to Sim City and Second Life, but I thought it was for people who used it as an alternative to their real life. The webcast opened my eyes to how extensive students are using the virtual world for their entertainment. I was particularly intrigued by the importance of an "avatar." Apparently your entire identity can be encapsulated in a 2D picture. (Okay, it is more than just a picture, you can personalize it and turn it in to a visual depiction of your personality.) They also spent a great deal of time talking about the ethics of the virtual world. It was a consideration of questions that I hadn't even considered. From the basic question of "will you act like yourself on line or like someone else?" to "can you use media to accurately depict the lost boys of Sudan?" The panelists answered yes to both questions.
What was the difference between the podcast and the webcast? One, I really enjoyed the webcast because unlike the podcast, I could hear the participants and see their facial expressions. Two, I thought the webcast considered a whole new realm of technology that I hadn't considered. Jonassen asked if we really can learn from merely watching something, and I know I can say at least for myself, yes. Maybe it is because I see it as multitasking. I am watching for body language clues, listening to the conversation, and writing notes about what interested me.

Week 7 Readings, Podcast and Jonassen

I am a big fan of books on CD, so I thought I would be able to turn on the podcast of "How Digital Media is Changing Kids and Learning," and really be able to focus on the content of the forum. However, I never found myself completely devoted to the speakers, instead I was frequently distracted by the change in volume, the feedback that drowned out the speakers, and the lack of a focal point. The degree of technical difficulties kept me from really paying attention to the content of the podcast but I did recognize a lot of the terms we have been talking about; tools of assessment, critical feedback, participatory culture and the use of games. But I was most interested to listen to what Howard Gardner had to say.
Gardner is, of course, the author of "Multiple Intelligences," which is a key component to my teaching. In Jonassen's book, Gardner is quoted as saying "How are you smart?" The idea that podcasting is the ideal tool for verbal learners is obvious. Just because I had a bad experience doesn't mean I would discount podcasting for those students who learn best by listening. It would be an incredibly effective tool for students who missed some lecture, or who want to deliver their report orally. Either way, it was no coincidence that Gardner was one of the participants. It was great to hear some of his ideas on Digital Learning and to think about how podcasts can be a part of students' learning.