Our discussion in class today led to many questions about accessibility. “World Libraries” can make more resources, more available IF you have access to the internet.

The Promise of Digital Libraries in Developing Countries by Ian H. Witten et al., points to a shift from “haves” and “have nots” to “knows” and “knows not”. This information-based society demands that we are connected, that we are informed, that we have the skills to operate in cyberspace and use technological devices. These capacities are becoming requisite to participation in our society.

Here is a related quote I got from our Diigo group. Thanks to Anne-Marie for posting it:

“Opportunities available online have become so important to individual and community development that a 2011 report to the United Nations Human Rights Council by the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression declared Internet access to be a fundamental enabler of human rights.”

http://www.gatesfoundation.org/What-We-Do/Global-Development/Global-Libraries

Our group talked about a lack access to technology as a form of poverty and the Gates Foundation takes it a step farther and makes it an issue of Human Rights. Wow.

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Another area of discussion today was the value of hard-cover books. I have no doubt that four boys would gather around an i-pad the way they are gathered around this book. In reality, they could develop all the reading skills and attitudes they need from digital media.

There are a lot of pros to libraries going digital, on a local and global level, but our group pointed out some potential drawbacks:

-Elementary school libraries have books written for children at their reading level. We would hope that appropriate materials would be available to young readers via a digital library not like the average internet search that locates texts beyond our students abilities.

-We have a connection with books. The physical book. Its illustrations, its pages to turn, its wonder…We liked the idea of incorporating digital media into the library, especially in cases where students need some adaptations (more or less advanced texts). Our libraries would not be exclusively digital.

-We looked at paper resources (yes, books!) that were connected to the internet. (The books themselves created in such a way that direct, student-friendly links are connected to the text.) Videos, websites, games…all connected to the book in front of you. We thought books of this nature were useful though we wondered about their web links eventually disappearing.

-We know not all students are connected and some have limited access to the internet (maybe just at school) and we think these students should be able to borrow books from their library.

We understand that we will move from browsing shelves to browsing files but for now we see libraries having both digital and hard-copies available to our students/families.

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How do “World Digital Libraries” connect to our Inquiry about creating communication links with our students/parents through websites and blogs? We aren’t exactly sure.

Some potential connections:
-add a link to world digital libraries on our sites (ex. International Children’s Digital Library)
-we can inform students/parents about The World Digital Library and how it can be used as a resource for research

Overall, the goal of our inquiry is to foster communication and connectedness. Digital Libraries would do the same, no?

There is hope for change despite our reluctance, despite the challenges, despite not always knowing where to start…

Cultural change is changing social connections, how we do things, policies and guiding constructs, maybe even power distribution.

Here is an example of a cultural change that could happen in my professional practice: Our school’s view shifts from technology not just being an add on but as essential in our educational practices. –>All members of our school community will be a part of this shift, we will create it and negotiate it as we go. The use of technology will become integral to the way we do things and it will adapt through the people who use it. The school community will undergo “cultural change”.

Cultural change through my inquiry:

If you think of classrooms as who is on the INSIDE vs. who is on the OUTSIDE, I think parents very quickly would view themselves as outside.  The culture of my school is very collegial, open and very friendly. Parents are in and out of our school and classrooms at all times of day. (At least the ones who can be around.) These parents champion the efforts of teachers, support students and participate in the school’s day-to-day workings. What about those who are still on the “outside”? They cannot be present, make contact, see for themselves what going on on the “inside”.

My inquiry, that of creating a class website/blog, can shift that “inside-outside” position of parents. Making our “inside” experiences visible via the internet can open up lines of communication to those on the “outside”. As far as my inquiry goes, I haven’t decided to which extent the parent-teacher or student-teacher dialogue will actually happen on the site. I like the idea of leaving a reply though I feel some coaching about how to use this function appropriately would be in order. (For example, if a parent had a concern, they should email me rather than post in the blog.)

So, on a limited basis, if my website was to simply share information I still think it would effect positive change. It might be a place to start. My over-arching goal would be: bringing those on the “outside” to the “inside”, creating a culture of open communication and sharing.

Cultural change at my school:

“21st Century Learning” is coming at us whether we like it or not. I can see some teachers being thrilled, while others will be desperately full of dread. As far as I see it, here is what can’t happen: teachers working in solitary rather than solidarity. –>My District needs to support teachers beyond sending us new devices without any instruction/ways of implementing their use. –>My school needs to band together and those who feel competent with technology need to give a hand to those who do not; we need to learn together. –>My classroom needs to become a laboratory where my students and I are trying new things–with technology. If everyone involved in education actually participates in the “change” and the support for “change” is there, it will happen. If not, there will be a number of educators who can adapt on their own and the rest?? The technologically-able will influence the others but change in this way would be gradual and not nearly as powerful as if everyone worked together.

Big Ideas:

The idea of a unity to a composite unity…we are connected and constantly interacting with our environment/eachother. (Humberto Maturana/Autopoesis)

We initiate and sustain connections in order to survive (Structural Coupling)

We are linked through language (Linguistic Cognitive Domain)

What is Inquiry?

I went through Grad school at SFU not too long ago and the vast majority of our work was inquiry-based. It was highly practical and had a lasting influence on my teaching practices. I couldn’t locate an image of SFU’s Inquiry Process so I borrowed this Stripling Model of Inquiry from the Library of Congress site:

If our intentions this week are to pursue an inquiry into how we can shift school culture through technology then I suppose I’m on the right track. Or am I? My mind right now:

I do know that the Inquiry Process begins with a question, a wondering…

My Question so far: How can I use a class blog/website to communicate with parents to improve their involvement and appreciation for what we are doing at school?

(Rough) Hypothesis: I can imagine parents deriving both amusement and understanding from the communication I can provide via a website. I expect that they will have fewer questions and therefore, will have less need to ask me and other parents about what’s happening at school. I know that parents have requested more information from me about what we’re doing in class and an open site would address this need/desire. I feel that sharing our learning more effectively will allow parents to see all of the wonderful things we are doing at school and thereby enhance their interest/enthusiasm about the offerings of school. I believe, in some cases, parents will be able to better support their child’s learning.

**Will having a class website/blog foster cultural change between parents and school? Will creating a class website/blog improve communication and relationships with those who participate? Yes and yes.**

Now how does all that relate to the Linguistic Cognitive Domain??

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I have been asked to try to understand Humberto Maturana’s theory of language and cognitive science. (Probably why my mind feels like a whirlwind!!) I do not have any background in this and I am slow to understand these complex theories. Here’s what I have understood though I am quite sure I am may be incorrect in these interpretations:

From class: the linguistic cognitive domain relates to creating feelings through the way we communicate, speak (i.e. speaking to parents in a way that either creates/improves relationships or pushes them away)

From Humberto Maturana:

-living organisms are self-sustaining (autopoiesis)
-organisms create their world rather than the world creating them

-we use language as a way to navigate/create the world (ongoing interactions)

-language creates our connections and causes structural changes based on these interactions

-Composite Unity: Individual unities compose a composite (individuals working together)

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I am still trying to make sense of these theories so I have cited Vincent Kenny’s interpretation of “Languaging” and other theory by Humberto Maturara to remind me:

‘”All that takes place in human life is languaging, and all that takes place in languaging is conversations”‘.

“‘These are continuous mutual grooming interactions. We immerse ourselves in structural drift contingent to the conversations in which we participate and which we generate through our structural dynamics'”.

“‘Thus we say that the words were smooth, caressing, hard, sharp, and so on: all words that refer to body touching. Indeed we can kill or elate with words as body experiences. We kill or elate with words because, as co-ordinations of actions, they take place through body interactions that trigger in us body changes in the domain of physiology.'” (1988:p 48).

“-Languaging interactions are powerful perturbations.
-These trigger structural changes.”

http://www.oikos.org/vinclife.htm#sum

As usual I feel like I have more questions after class than I do answers.

I need to focus on one. What topic do I want to pursue for my inquiry?

As I mentioned in my last post, I’m interested in considering the ways I can use technology to connect parents to our class. Whether it be a class website or blog, I think informing parents will help us better work together to support our children/students.

Once again I find myself returning to the copy of Learn magazine that I quoted in my first blog post. Yes, yet another article about technology! (Of three main articles, three are about technology!) I appreciate the practical uses of technology it discusses as well how technology enhances communication and thereby improving the parent-teacher/parent-school relationship. I especially like the idea that conversations can happen at home about our school experiences–because parents will be in the know. If parents are informed about what we are doing at school they can better support our learning. Also, I think parents will feel better. (I know my parents in Primary French Immersion can be anxious at times about their child’s progress…) I think parents would really like having a window into our classroom activities that can be easily accessible at home or work.

Create a class blog. This is one of my goals.

I wonder about how involved and interactive parents are to be on the blog. Would they participate in useful ways (i.e. not just complaining)? Would it be best to it set up so that parents e-mail me rather than just leaving a “reply” directly on the blog?

Also, I have questions about of which type of blog would best suit my needs. WordPress seems good and I am learning how to use it through this course. I have some experience with Blogger too…there are a lot of choices as my group and I discussed today.

Other questions/concerns I have:

Can I put student work and photos online? (Privacy issues around media.)

How could I get students involved on the blog? (Riddles, math problems, questionnaires students can do with their family? Are they authors of the blog too?)

Should the blog become a part of my Language Arts/Science/Socials/Math program? (The parents could view the work in its various stages.)

What goes on the blog and what does not? (I can imagine creating more questions for parents if I posted too much/too little in some situations.)

Overall, I expect that creating more connections with parents will lead to positive changes. Being “transparent” supports student learning in many ways and using technology (a blog) may be just what I was missing…