The PBS video was interesting. One of the themes was power of play. Teaching from a P.E. background I absolutely believe in this idea. However, the video only showed all of the fancy classes and hands on learning with problem solving skills. I would be interested to find out about the other classes taught there, like English Science and Math. How do they incorporate these classes into this setting? I guess I want the full picture. I would also be interested in graduation rates and achievements.
They say that the need to memorize is a 20th century skill. The need to navigate through a buzz of confusion and to figure how to trust the info that you find, then the world is yours. These two statements are true to the ever changing world we live in. Are we literate if we can not navigate digitally? In 2020 they say you might not be.
Teaching styles need to be evolving with the world around education. The basic model of public schooling shuts the door on technology. It is like an alternate universe from our real life. Technology is the future and it is growing by the minute.
On a personal note, I would have thrived in a school like the ones they showed. I have a Masters in Multimedia and carried a 4.0 in that major. I am a hands on learner. That degree is now a hobby and I use those skills for fun in school and also to head projects like the yearbook and all multimedia for our programs/graduation/assemblies.
Dee, I may be Patriots fan, but we do have something in common!
ReplyDeleteThat is the knowledge that we need to stop teaching students to be information memorizers and begin to teach them to be information searchers, analyzers, synthesizers, critiquers, and creators.
With 316,753,838,080 gigabytes of information out there (http://www.connectedinternet.co.uk/2011/02/18/researchers-work-information-world-alot/) we should be teaching the skills mentioned above, not memorizing the 50 states and the 23 helping verbs.
I see very few teachers using technology to their advantage. 2011-12 will bring my school district a new superintendent. And yes, he has a blog! I should subscribe now! I hope that he pushes technology so that our district can become a model of how technology is used to help students learn.
Yours,
Aaron
I agree that the paradigm shift that is the biggest is the need to change from trying to carry around with us all of the information we can carry to learning to access the information swirling around us, assess and evaluate that information, and most importantly use that information to benefit ourselves and those we care about.
ReplyDeleteIf knowledge is power and today we carry with us the sum total of all human knowledge in our pockets, how many of use feel more powerful?
I would guess that few feel empowered by the information and knowledge they have and the reason is because we have failed to learn or to teach how to use it.