Tips, Tools and Technology for Educators

Schooling Vs. Learning

Last week, #edchatters agreed that the first question that must be answered in educational reform is, What is the purpose or mission for education today? This week, #edchatters grappled with this question. Currently, I see a tug of war occurring between two notions - the notion of schooling vs. the notion learning.

As one teacher @Kim insists, “I don’t want my students to be good at ‘school’, I want my students to be great at ‘learning’.”

I’m eager to hear more opinions on the difference between the two. For me, schooling summons images of standardized tests, busy work, rows of desks, conformity, A’s and F’s, whereas learning is something different entirely. Learning is organic, authentic, relevant, personal, and empowering.

What is the mission of education today?

The mission of education seems like it should be fairly obvious – to educate. But to what extent? While there is not yet an agreed upon goal of education, #edchatters shared their visions and hopes for what they believe the mission of education should be. Below is a wordle summarizing their contributions.

When I think of the mission of education as it is currently being rewritten, I see a large focus on creating college and career ready individuals. I think it should be more than this.

The mission of education should be to empower students to become passionate, self-directed, lifelong learners armed with the critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, and collaboration skills needed to change and indeed save the world. Students must be prepared to be digital, networked, and global citizens. Students should have opportunities to create and contribute, not simply consume knowledge. Education should help students to become the best of themselves, not to do or to get.

Put Your Two Cents In It!

Please share your thoughts on the questions below. Thank you for your comments!

1. In your opinion, how do the notions of schooling and learning compare?
2. What does “learning” mean to you?
3. What would you add to the purpose or mission of education today?

Free Educational Resources | Interactive Whiteboard Games and Lessons by Learning Today

“Teach kids for their futures not our past.”

These are my reflections and biggest takeaways from #ISTE10, #ebc10, and @angelamaiers. If every teacher, educator, advisor, administrator and parent could hear, understand and apply these quotes and ideas, education will truly transform; and we just might be able to save the world while we are at it!

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“Kids are no longer on the web but OF the web.”

Our students are no longer just reading content on the web (web 1.0) or interacting with content on the web (web 2.0); they are creating the web as they hope it to be (web 3.0). Today kids can and should contribute their own content and refork the work of others’. In the new web 3.0 users are no longer on the web but OF the web, building a community and working together to filter through and find meaning in information.

We need to begin to incorporate numerous forms of literacy development in our curriculum, spending less time on print literacy and moving toward digital literacy and ultimately a networked literacy. Jeff Utecht of the Thinking Stick defines networked literacy below:

“You get out of the web what you put into the web.”

With this digital community and virtual canvas in mind we read differently, listen differently; we write differently, research differently, etc. It’s a new kind of information fluency. In a recent YouTube video entitled Infowhelmed The 21^st Century Fluency project reports that our current digital output would translate into books stacked so high they could stretch the distance from Earth to Pluto thirteen times! It would be enough paper to deforest the planet twelve times. And it is growing… more rapidly than ever.

We are in a constant state of information curation and we cannot do it alone. Our students need to know how to use their networks to collect, sort, aggregate, and share information - to get their message across. “We need a contribution mentality not a completion mentality.” A new curriculum is necessary to help our students manage to effectively and efficiently navigate in this infowhelmed space and produce, not simply consume content.

“Teach learners TO BE not simply TO DO or TO KNOW.”

21^st century teaching and learning is not about cool new tech tools or having a Smartboard in every classroom. The power of 21^st century teaching and learning is in the collaboration, the creation. “This is a PEOPLE revolution, not a technology revolution.” Students are no longer writing for their teachers - for a grade, but for an international audience – for conversation. Students are no longer reading about life in Africa; they are skyping with South African classrooms. The flat classroom list goes on and on.

As outlined by Angela Maiers, kids need to be taught to be incredible infosumers, synthesizers, question askers, translators, and contributors. Students should know how to make sense of all this information and to refork it in a way that makes sense to people. Students no longer need quick answers; they have Google in their pocket! They need to be incredible question askers and translators. “The world’s language is not a five paragraph essay. It comes in the form of images, music, art, and heartfelt emotion.” We must teach kids how to be worthy of being listened to.

Further Reading

• A review of Angela Maiers’s opening keynote at the Iowa 1 to 1 Institute as well as access to her slideshare on fluency 3.0.

• Including patterns for networked learning, personal learning environments, tasks, organizational forms, resources, toolsets and sample student activities

• If you are thinking, this is all fine and dandy but how am I supposed to get around my school filters and win over administrators and parents on the wonders of the read, write, and social web? – start here.

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Free Educational Resources | Interactive Whiteboard Games and Lessons by Learning Today

With all the great resources, websites, articles and other helpful information for educators, it may sometimes be hard to keep track of all these items. Thankfully, e-books have recently been popularized as a way to give educators these educational tools and tips they want and need to help students learn. The best part about these books is that they can be read online, downloaded, printed or just saved for later. What better a way to integrate technology into the classroom than to start by doing it yourself. Here are a few e-books that will be sure to help integrate technology into the classroom and prepare students for the future.

The Beginner's Guide to 21st Century Teaching and Learning – For most teachers, there are always questions on what to do with certain tools, how to incorporate them into a lesson or what new and unique ways they can use to teach a certain topic. This e-book is perfect for both new and experienced teachers. It will help you understand the importance of technology and how it can simply be applied into the classroom. From websites for learning, to new twists on traditional lessons, this e-book can truly help bring any teacher into the 21^st century.

Podcasts Made Simple – Audio and video podcasts are excellent tools to bring into a classroom. For those students who enjoy hearing and/or seeing information, they can be a good learning tool. Some teachers may be hesitant behind a camera or microphone if they are not completely sure how to operate this type of equipment. Some people fail to see is that podcasting is a simple task that can be done with little equipment. It can also be a way to connect and share with educators and other professionals around the world. This e-book will give you information on what to do, what you’ll need and how to share and learn from others!

Professional Learning Networks – Many teachers are used to sharing and learning from other educators at their school and in their local districts. With the power of the Internet and technology, teachers can build their professional learning networks to expand beyond their immediate area. It has never been easier to connect with someone who does the same thing as you in a completely different country, halfway around the world! You will also learn about the sites you can use to connect with these people, as well as other groups and forums you can join to educate yourself and others!

Free Educational Resources | Interactive Whiteboard Games and Lessons by Learning Today