New Culture of Connection
Web 2.0 – a difficult term to define- is basically a new environment (new generation of internet services and devices) featuring a highly connected, digitally networked community, where the dynamic, interactive information exchange is across the vast geographical expanse. Blogs, Wikis, and social networking software enrich our web experience. The latest news alerts and ideas from numerous individuals are communicated via RSS feeds and aggregators. Multimedia tools like podcsats and vodcasts are becoming very popular. In short Web 2.0 is becoming one of the most influential technologies in the history of publishing- free of control and ownership!
Unfortunately curriculum is still dominated by units, lessons, assignments to a large extent. I see the realities of teaching and learning in the 21st century – it is still not about the process, but about the product. So, one has to wait for the right kind of environment to emerge – an environment where learning experiences can take shape, one characterized by “a culture of connection” – for this process of teaching and learning to change-as mentioned by one of the presenters.
Creating and sharing a movie or a podcast or blog post is important. But it is the connections we make around those write-ups, the discussions and interactions that surround them from the community where the most powerful learning takes place. It’s where the “meta” stuff happens, and that will be the true potential!
The following were the K12 Online 2007 conferences I viewed, listened to and reviewed.
Strand: Classroom 2.0
“Initiating and Sustaining Conversations: Assessment and Evaluation in the Age of Networked Learning” by Konrad Glogowski
Konrad’s doctoral dissertation focuses on building online communities of learners to facilitate the development of literacy skills at the senior elementary level. He also teaches Language Arts to grades 7 and 8 at a K-8 school just outside Toronto, Canada. He has been documenting his research and classroom experiences on his blog of proximal development since February 2005.
This presentation addressed some of the challenges associated with assessment and evaluation in Web 2.0 classrooms. Specifically, it focused on how to develop strategies and tools that engage students in the assessment and evaluation process, and help them stay in control of their learning and their progress. Strong emphasis was placed on developing assessment and evaluation procedures and habits that not only complement but also foster the interactive and learner-centric environments afforded by the interactive tools of the read/write web. The presenter shared strategies to assess and evaluate student work on blogs, wikis, and discussion forums. Main points being:
“In a predominantly blogging classroom – things have to be different. It is the educator’s responsibility to ensure that students are given opportunities to grow as individuals, and are not treated as mere pupils who passively receive information. As a result, the traditional approach to teaching and learning, to assessment and evaluation, has to be modified. It is a difficult process for both the students and the teacher. It is a process in which the classroom becomes more of a studio where learners engage with concepts that they find interesting and personally relevant. It becomes a place where they are given opportunities to create their own networks and become experts in their chosen fields.
In order to create that classroom, however, educators need to continue to tweak the classroom practice. The students need a different, more conversational, expressive, and individualized kind of support. They also need to be gradually eased into their new roles of independent researchers.”
Assessment & evaluation will be done through conversations that guide and engage, and by taking advantage of intrinsic motivation. When a person is engaged in what he/she is doing, the first 3 crucial aspects are:
Goals are clear. Feedback is immediate. And there is a balance between opportunity and capacity.
I went through the PowerPoint slides too. This was one of the sessions I came out more educated and I feel that with more time and energy the new form of assessment is possible.
Strand: New Tools
Learn to Blog: Blog to Learn presented by Anne Davis
Anne Davis’ presentation is for educators who are new to the world of blogging and also for current, practicing bloggers using New Tools in a safe and teacher-controlled environment. First she introduces how to use Blogmeister to students and teachers- Blogmeister is where Anne Davis shares all her information for all who are interested in learning to blog (and blogging to learn). Second she examines a slideshare show as an overview of the components of blogging with a focus on Blogmeister, as a way to develop literacies. Her goal is to use blogs to engage students in thinking and blogging about their learning and what it means to them. This process has evolved over the years and she feels that she has been much more successful using Blogmeister. Building a community of thoughtful classroom bloggers is an art that takes planning and effort. She encourages her audience to take the time to check out the following three components in her presentation (WebQuest: Blogging: It’s Elementary!,SlideShareShow: Learn to Blog, and BlogMeister Class Blog: Blog to Learn) before creating a personal blog!
Her wiki page has details at:http://blogmeister.pbwiki.com/
My way of using blogs as an instrument of student learning in a teacher controlled environment will be by making use of my district’s Blackboard with uilt-in blog/wiki features. I will start with upper elementary students to introduce and familiarize the concepts and how they can start using it.
Strand: Professional Learning Networks
“Expanding Horizons – Engaging the Adult Members of your Community (Teachers, Administrators, and Parents) through the Use of Personal/Professional Learning Networks” – by Vinnie Vrotny
Vinnie Vrotny is the Director of Academic Technology at North Shore Country Day School, located north of Chicago, IL works with “students” from kindergarten through twelfth grade, and also with adult members of the school community. His session took participants on a journey consisting of four segments, which are:
1. Creating your own Personal Learning Network (PLN),
2. Motivating Faculty to expand their PLNs;
3. Mentoring Administrators about the value of PLNs, and
4. Engaging Parents to construct PLNs.
He started first by showing how to create a Ning account to follow the K12Online conference with comments at http://plnk12online.ning.com, and then a Twitter account by going to http://www.twitter.com, log in using that account, and then how to find out who to “follow” or who you are being “followed by.” Using Twitter and Ning communities, participants were encouraged to share what has been successful within their own learning networks so that all may benefit even after the K12 conference.
His presentation was based on 5 different sub topics:
a). His own personal growth and learning experience as a professional- overcoming the barriers of time and energy by gradually reading and learning form other professionals in the field, and finally becoming an active participant in communicating globally
b). His collaboration with his teachers on the campus- what works and what does not as far as the strategies to utilize the tools to empower and engage
c).How administrators can use the tools to communicate with parents, using different levels of integration and providing leadership
d).Why parents need to be included in the conversation- they have a greater influence on the children, and they need lifelong opportunities to learn to keep up with the new trends, and to properly understand them. Also they need to be empowered on issues like Internet safety, global collaboration, and information abundance.
e). How the communication/conversation can be extended beyond the scope of K12 Online conference
In my opinion, today’s students will be very thrilled to see the switch from the traditional to the new communication and connection; many teachers, especially the late adopters, will be hesitant as they did at first when the laptops arrived, and the bulidings got wired. I feel with “time and energy” in place everything will come in place – for some it may take longr than others, just like any other new idea!
