Module 4 Blog Responses

In Module 4, I responded to:
Bradley Gogan
Christine Rand
Bianca Lochner
Lauren Dart
Christine Moore

Networks and More Networks!

These are some blog posts I noted this week that were related to networking, technology, mentorship, etc.


Tuition Free Universities:
http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/2011/04/tuition-free-university-level-studies.html


Self Help for Technology:
http://cyber-kap.blogspot.com/2011/04/top-10-self-help-sites-for-technology.html


Advice to New Teachers:
http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2011/04/advice-to-new-graduates-that-will-be.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+freetech4teachers%2FcGEY+%28Free+Technology+for+Teachers%29

Module 4 Blog

My MindMap

After doing this map, I realized that a lot of what I do is intuitive.  I don't realize everything I use.

Years ago, I taught for the Navy onboard deployed naval vessels.  Until that time, I never gave thought to my network and PLN was not a concept used!  Once I started teaching solo, away from colleagues, I learned how important PLNs are.  At the time, I had email as the way to connect to colleagues.  Today, I use a variety of tools to connect within my network.

My network has changed the way I learn.  I am more apt to try new technologies especially since I know that many in my network are working with technologies.  I have also started to use PLN recommendations for trying new technologies.  My knowledge base on overall, non-technical topics, however, has grown the most.  Because of the networks I have created, I have found relevant and time worthy professional development opportunities.  I find that with these opportunities, I am stepping outside my comfort zone more.

I tinker.  That means I use a lot of different tools until I find what works best for me.  I am easily agitated when someone goofs a technology they are using to teach something.  I think for any technology to be effective and useful, the presenter/teacher needs to be comfortable with the technology.  If they aren’t, the whole experience is painful.  Power Point and narrated PPTs are hideous in my opinion.  I learn nothing from these.  Seeing the same information published in a video from Voice Thread or similar is superior in my opinion.  I learn more even though it is the same information.  Videos, podcasts, and vodcasts are the top technologies in what I find useful.  Blogging is a low-tech tool that I also find useful when I am learning new information.  I find these super helpful, especially when they link out.

When I have questions or need resources, I have two starters.  The first is Google.  The second is my PLN.  I really can’t say why I choose Google as my search engine.  I just do because it rarely disappoints.  I can also switch to Google Scholar with one click.  This saves time because I am not stopping and then starting a new search.  In the last couple of years, I have spent time cultivating my PLN.  This is also a philosophy I preach to my students.  The more people you know, the more you know. 

Because I tinker and explore, I think that I have found real gems both virtually and in real life.  I think the key is to be open to exploring and playing around with new technologies.  More important, I think it’s important to network and make connections with people we may never know.

I am a huge fan of Clay Shirky and his thoughts on networks:

This is a new find from Steven Johnson on how connections are what really make those AH HA! moments.

This is a cool TED link on collaboration:

http://www.ted.com/themes/the_rise_of_collaboration.html

Module 3 Responses

This week, I responded to:
Christine Rand
Christine Moore
Wanda Ardoin-Bailey

Module 3 Blog

Rheingold’s TED talk makes sense.  I agree with him that society has always taken collective action to move society ahead.  Humans have a nature that encourages them to reach out to others to make connections.  Rheingold makes this point in his illustration of bring down the dinosaur for food.  Working together betters society.  The Prisoner’s Dilemma, as Rheingold illustrates, is a twist on the idea that humans work together.  Yes, humans can work together; however, inevitably, humans will choose their own safety over that of another.

Seth Godin offers a different perspective with his idea on change and tribes:

Working together for a common cause creates change.  Collaboration integrated with constructivism, then, shows links on one person’s learning/experience to another’s.  Driscoll (2005) noted, “constructivist theory rests on the assumption that knowledge is constructed by learners as they attempt to make sense of their experiences” (p. 387).  My knowledge is different from your knowledge because of my own experiences.  Linking this to Godin and Rheingold, it is evident that collaboration is a part of survival.  However, collaboration must be thoughtful and reinforce the good of the group (think back to Rheingold’s example of the dinosaur and Godin’s thoughts on how things are consumed).  Rheingold’s perspective offers how a group survives because the group shares a common goal.  Godin, on the other hand, offers a perspective that a goal makes a tribe that will support a goal.  The link between the two is really constructivism and collaboration.  Constructivist look to gain and build knowledge based on experience (experience of hunting the dinosaur, experience of a shared interests).  Collaboration occurs when we seek out those that have the common goals we have.  We then take these interests (Godin) to be successful (Rheingold).  The great thing about both Rheingold and Godin make the important point that you can seek to enhance your experience with those that have that experience.  Knowledge acquisition, then, is seeking connections through collaboration.

The research study I reviewed is an overview of the last twenty years of research related to the application of technologies used for collaboration (Resta & Laferrièr, 2007).  The authors state that in order to understand the wide interest in technology and collaboration, the history of these technologies must be understood.  Resta and Laferrièr, (2007) wrote,  “The recent interest in technology-supported collaborative learning in higher education represents a confluence of trends: the development of new tools to support collaboration, the emergence of constructivist-based approaches to teaching and learning, and the need to create more powerful and engaging learning environments” (p. 65).  Interestingly (even though this is in the five year requirement), much of what is discussed here is already out of date.  The collaboration that extends out of constructivism and technology have occurred and moved to new labels.  This article, though, is important in that it shows the beginnings and the possibilities of how beginning change.

References

Driscoll, M. P. (2005).  Psychology for learning instruction (3^rd ED).  Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.

Godin, S. (2009).  Seth Godin Explains Why You Need a Tribe [video file].  Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6vpBDFoMqc

Resta, P. and Laferrièr, T. (2007).  Technology in Support of Collaborative Learning.  Educational psychology review, 19. 65-83.  DOI 10.1007/s10648-007-9042-7

Rheingold, H. (2008, February). Howard Rheingold on collaboration [Video file]. Retrieved from
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/howard_rheingold_on_collaboration.html

Module 2 Blog Responses

This week, I responded to:
Bradley Gogan
Christine Rand

Module 2 Blog

Kapp recently posted on his blog a response to the –isms of educational theory.  What is compelling about Kapp’s blog is that he invites us into an ongoing discussion.  How better to learn and see the nuances of a theory than to watch the discourse between important thinkers?

Kapp links back to Kerr.  The basic thought they are sharing is that each new –ism (theory) is a new idea.  But, the idea is not a STAND ALONE idea.  It is dependent on something else. Technically, then, learning theories (behaviorism, cogntivism, constructivism, et al)  are linked.  Yes, each has its own focus – behavior, thought process, constructing meaning.  Consider an example:  I am learning a foreign language.  Rote memorization and repetition allows me to learn the sounds of the language.  Repeating in class to my instructor, I gain feedback on my work.  I then move into a Second Life café environment to chat with a fellow learner to improve my vocabulary and pronunciation.  Each step in this process takes on a different learning theory.  They are all working together to help me form an understanding of the concept.

Kapp (2007) noted, “The issue many forget is that “learning” is not one thing…it is a multi-layered word that tends to get treated as if it were just one thing…and it’s not. It is multi-facetted and that is why developing new models for “learning” is so difficult…there are too many levels for one school of thought or one model to do it all.”  This summarizes it all doesn’t it?!  It’s not just one method we try in the classroom but a variety of methods to ensure students are learning the concept.

Consider this basic overview from Siemens:

It seems that the focus of 21^st Century learning is not the focus on *how* the concept is taught but rather how the student gains that concept.  These are very different.  Teaching cannot be based on one theory.  Rather, several theories must be built upon to find methods to engage students.  Perhaps if students were vessels for us to pour knowledge into, we would be able to focus on one –ism.  Students are not though.  They are all different!  That means that the classroom needs to be a place where their modes of learning are engaged.

Here is an example from a Canadian teacher on how he is revolutionizing his classroom and stepping away from –isms:

http://stumpteacher.blogspot.com/2011/03/class-update-number-2-its-about.html

References

Kapp, K. (2007, January 2). Out and about: Discussion on educational schools of thought [Web log post]. Retrieved fromhttp://www.kaplaneduneering.com/kappnotes/index.php/2007/01/out-and-about-discussion-on-educational/

Kerr, B. (2007, January 1). _isms as filter, not blinker [Web log post]. Retrieved fromhttp://billkerr2.blogspot.com/2007/01/isms-as-filter-not-blinker.html