A lot of powerful teaching tools are seen in chapter 5 of Schrum and Levin (2009). What stood out most in this chapter was the “One School Leader’s Story” section discussing the lesson from international school teacher, Clay Burell. Burell taught world history to ninth graders in Singapore and he had his students contribute to a “wiki textbook” that they co-created. What a powerful and endearing learning experience for students! Not only are they learning how to research, evaluate sources, and engage in a variety of media tools, they are creating and comparing knowledge in ways Marzano would be truly proud. In developing 21st-centtury skills, it is important that we help students develop the skills to navigate large amounts of information quickly and how to share it appropriately, Burell’s lesson accomplishes this. Students, naturally, develop this expertise on their own as they manage smart phones, computers, media, marketing, peers, and all the other influences that engulf the formative years. Empowering students to meaningfully and safely navigate information on the web is a particularly important skill to develop because the information on the web is vast and sometimes disturbing. We can control this within in our schools but eventually students will be independent and will need this important skill. Teachers who use social media to host online discussions with students also help to develop these important skills. Tools like Edmodo are very structured and controlled and teachers can oversee online student discussions around academic and rigorous topics. Not only is it important to help students discover how computers can enrich education, it is important they experience this now because this will be a big part of students’ post-secondary educational experience. In my own Ed.D. program at Rutgers, I am using no less than 4 different sites (Sakai, eCollege, Thinkfinity, and Wiki) to interact with my professors, my classmates, and the educational world to discuss, problem solve, network, and learn together (undergraduates are doing this as well). This is a powerful experience and one that we need to prepare students for.
Schrum, L. & Levin, B.B. (2009).
Leading 21st Century Schools: Harnessing Technology for Engagement
And achievement. Corwin Press, Thousand Oaks: CA.
Tyler- I think the point about guiding students in a skill that they will eventually need to navigate independently is so critical. Teachers who fear the infusion of technology can be seen as hindering students' future success. This is helpful to realize in other context other than technology, right? Don't we guide students in the reading process so they can eventually learn to read independently as well as the math process in order for them to gain independence? This works for technology as well. Especially with tech and the scary, potentially unsafe world of the internet. It is imperative that teachers provide a framework for students so that they can navigate safely.
ReplyDeleteTyler:
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your blog post. Anytime we can incorporate technology, we are definitely helping our students. I agree with you that we need to prepare our students. In my district, there are ample restrictions on what the students can access online. This has its benefits and its drawbacks. For example, my students are currently writing editorials, and one student decided to write an editorial on how using Facebook in moderation can benefit students. I thought this was a great topic (especially since he had “in moderation” in there). However, when I took my class to do research one day, he was unable to access any research at school, as any site with Facebook references was filtered or blocked. We are emphasizing to students the importance and relevance of technology, yet at the same time, hindering or limiting their use of technology. You wrote, “In developing 21st-centtury skills, it is important that we help students develop the skills to navigate large amounts of information quickly and how to share it appropriately.” I think this concept is key. We can’t simply turn impressionable students loose when there is so much information out there. We need to first teach them how to navigate the web to benefit them, teach them Cybersafety, and help them to be responsible and informed users of technology.
Great post!
Kate
I enjoy your thought about the course reading and implementation of technology here. I always think about how powerful a wiki open to many different thoughts, viewpoints, and perspectives can help provide information in a whole new way. It is truly fascinating. Like Wikipedia, for example, holds a lot of knowledge power. It can be updated and elaborated upon by anyone. Those out there willing to share their experiences and factual information can really provide a framework for ultimate knowledge power. Now, if only those people who help out and leave the less knowledgeable posters behind!
ReplyDeleteTyler: I think you bring up some important points about helping students navigate oceans of information safely. I can also sympathize with the response by kdwyer. In addition to the high level of filtering in our district, there is a standing policy that forbids (the word is not used lightly) students to use Wikipedia as a resource. I find that this policy is extremely limiting to the students. I actually encourage them to use the site to begin to understand and gain some background about a topic or a person. It is a great source to help student launch into subtopics. It is organized and can help them begin to organize their thinking and make decisions about where to look next and for what. I think we do a disservice to our students when we do not trust them to use a site like Wikipedia. They can understand (at least by fifth grade) that they may need to fact check with other sources. It is interesting to note here that I have encouraged students to fact check several of their library books on various topics. Often the books provide misinformation. I think that many of the older professionals assume that the library books go through more rigorous vetting than Wikipedia. This is just plain wrong. Many of the books in our library (keep in mind it is for fifth and sixth graders) are outdated and lack depth....we still have books that consider Pluto a planet and nothing else.
ReplyDeleteBeing in this class has given me a sense of the positive influence we can have as educators and administrators in helping kids navigate the quantity and the quality of information that is available to them today. Your blog post is a great example of that spirit. Showing students how these tools can be creative and educational can help them to unleash the potential of their minds and have an influence over their on-line behavior after school hours.
ReplyDeleteThe example of the wiki textbook is a great way to have begun this post, since anything that can be authored by the students will be instructive and memorable. Then, if they do find themselves in college courses which use wikis, as Rutgers does, they will feel comfortable and better able to simply focus on the content. Exposing them to as many digital tools as possible during K-12 is fundamental to shaping life-long learners. It's heartening to see an administrator such as yourself taking a leadership position and learning as much as you can to improve the quality of education at your school.