I really enjoyed Richardson’s book, Why School? \u00a0His writing style was simple and engaging and he had some really interesting and valid points. \u00a0Our world is becoming increasingly online and this is impacting every aspect of our lives, yet schools have been very slow to adapt and adjust. \u00a0Learning no longer only takes place within the confines of a school where knowledge is delivered by a teacher. \u00a0Real learning happens anywhere, anytime, and with anyone. \u00a0Learning and literacy are changing rapidly in this internet age. \u00a0We need to equip students with the skills they need to navigate this online world. \u00a0We are now consumers AND producers of media (Facebook, blogs, Youtube…) so we need to teach students the skills necessary to participate. \u00a0In particular, students need to be taught to judge the reliability of the information they find. \u00a0But educators should also focus on teaching students how to enter and interact within various online spaces; how to sample and remix content in a meaningful way; and how to experiment with various media as a form of problem solving.<\/p>\n
Here’s an interesting site from New Zealand which lists the top 10 ICT trends for each year: \u00a0http:\/\/www.core-ed.org\/thought-leadership\/ten-trends<\/p>\n
One of the questions asked by CORE is how can we make the most of technology to extend learning? \u00a0How can we create effective online learning experiences that are both personalized and exciting for our students?<\/p>\n
I can get quite excited about all the possibilities but then I remember the reality of my classroom and my school. \u00a0It’s laughable, really. \u00a0I have one ancient classroom computer, my own personal MacBook that I bring in each day, an LCD projector, access to a school iPad “lab” of 10 iPads which are shared amongst 450 students, and extremely unreliable internet access. \u00a0There just doesn’t seem to be enough money for anything in the Vancouver public school system. \u00a0My students are not wealthy but most do have access to a computer at home. \u00a0How do we free up money to make decent technology accessible to EVERY student?<\/p>\n
In the meantime, I will continue to search out new ways to use the technology I do have to provide meaningful educational experiences for my students. \u00a0Going forward with Richardson’s ideas of “new school”, I plan to focus more on discovery-based education and assessing what students can DO with what they know.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I really enjoyed Richardson’s book, Why School? \u00a0His writing style was simple and engaging and he had some really interesting and valid points. \u00a0Our world is becoming increasingly online and this is impacting every aspect of our lives, yet schools … Continue reading