I have a number of personal opinions about learning theory, motivation, and the structure with which schools choose to instruct our children. I buy into many of the concepts of social constructivism, intrinsic motivation, self regulation, and a holistic approach to our students and instruction.
The growth in my personal practice has centred around how to bring these beliefs and understandings into explicit use in my classrooms. I believe technology (specifically the internet and the current iteration of Web 2.0 tools) allows for an unprecedented ability to move students in a new direction. I am focused on engaging students in metacognition, helping make them aware of their own learning process and how it is reliant on the multiple layers of multiple communities they belong to. The "curriculum" has become the secondary piece, a vehicle with which to get at the goal of creating independent learners.
This year I added to my established practice of using wikis, social media, and other 2.0 tools to engage and interact with students, by working to get all PE students up on blogs. The idea of a digital portfolio of student efforts and learning, that can grow with them, and that creates a wider and more authentic audience for their work, was they key concept for the change.
One of the major concerns with any digitally based movement is the concern over accessibility to devices and wireless for all students. Nobody wants to create a scenario where lower socio-economic students are further limited in their opportunities because they don't have the ability to engage with the game changing information on the internet. This grant has allowed Sullivan to build a wireless network for those students with their own devices, as well as restock, improve, and increase our own hardware for those that don't. Laptops, iPads, and Apple TVs have all increased the access of all students to the new tools we are exploring. The result is an environment that not only encourages teachers to rethink their practice but also has the means to support the teachers and students as they wade into a new way of understanding "school".
We have already seen 500+ Active Learning (PE) students start new blogs and begin the process of recording their thoughts and efforts. This allows us to remove the old fashioned summative assessment practices and move forward with more formative feedback. It eliminates the times and space constraints of a school schedule and facilities, allowing students to create their reflections when it best suits them and the teacher to likewise respond in a more patient and thoughtful manner when they have the time to read and reflect themselves. It creates the opportunity for more permanent and organic student work that is also available for their peers and parents perusal. This builds upon our desire for a removal of the teacher as the omni-powerful assessors, and refocuses the purpose of school work on the students ownership and responsibility to their community. It allows each student to function as a More Knowledgeable Other for their peers, and likewise grow their own understandings through the shared experience of others.
Our next goal is to make the very technology that has provided our chance for change invisible. When students no longer see the blog as assignment at all, but rather incorporate the technology skills and the process of social reflection into their internal understanding of personal learning, then we will have begun to truly create self directed, socially aware, growth minded, life long learners. For that we will need to continue to fund the structure for all of our students to access and engage with each other and the world through technology of all types.
One of the major concerns with any digitally based movement is the concern over accessibility to devices and wireless for all students. Nobody wants to create a scenario where lower socio-economic students are further limited in their opportunities because they don't have the ability to engage with the game changing information on the internet. This grant has allowed Sullivan to build a wireless network for those students with their own devices, as well as restock, improve, and increase our own hardware for those that don't. Laptops, iPads, and Apple TVs have all increased the access of all students to the new tools we are exploring. The result is an environment that not only encourages teachers to rethink their practice but also has the means to support the teachers and students as they wade into a new way of understanding "school".
We have already seen 500+ Active Learning (PE) students start new blogs and begin the process of recording their thoughts and efforts. This allows us to remove the old fashioned summative assessment practices and move forward with more formative feedback. It eliminates the times and space constraints of a school schedule and facilities, allowing students to create their reflections when it best suits them and the teacher to likewise respond in a more patient and thoughtful manner when they have the time to read and reflect themselves. It creates the opportunity for more permanent and organic student work that is also available for their peers and parents perusal. This builds upon our desire for a removal of the teacher as the omni-powerful assessors, and refocuses the purpose of school work on the students ownership and responsibility to their community. It allows each student to function as a More Knowledgeable Other for their peers, and likewise grow their own understandings through the shared experience of others.
Our next goal is to make the very technology that has provided our chance for change invisible. When students no longer see the blog as assignment at all, but rather incorporate the technology skills and the process of social reflection into their internal understanding of personal learning, then we will have begun to truly create self directed, socially aware, growth minded, life long learners. For that we will need to continue to fund the structure for all of our students to access and engage with each other and the world through technology of all types.
