Article from OLDaily CCK09: Does Connectivisim want to change the world?
Ignatia Webs
http://ignatiawebs.blogspot.com/2009/10/cck09-does-connectivism-want-to-change.html
The writer of this article states that there are communities of networks where individuals change messages back. I do agree that there must be an open network of ongoing communication for learning, growing, and creating to take place.
The writer points out distinctions between interpretative social science and critical social science. The purpose of CSS is to empower and liberate individuals so they can feely explore to reach higher levels of achievement. I feel that it is invaluable to fight for the right to openly communicate and express ideas. Are there doors closed and the rights to educational tools limited? I think it depends on the individual and how they view how much empowerment and freedom one should have. I think that when accessing educational tools, it should be with a careful approach. What is the point of prohibiting researchers looking for technological resources to assist them? The researcher has the responsibility to access appropriate resources related to the content they are studying. So the connectivisim theory of social sciences suggests that we are active participants. I do agree that we continually grow and develop through being actively involved in evaluating explanations and forming social relationships. These levels of dimension to the connectivisim theory are complex and challenging for me to understand. It is a new approach to thinking about how we work and evolve through social sciences.
Article from OLDaily Connectivisim Positions
http://www.downes.ca/cgi-bin/page.cgi
I found an article from Stephen Downes related to the Connectivism Theory. So is Connectivism a new learning theory? This article reflected the position others had of George Siemens’ blog and whether Connectivism is a relevant theory. I enjoyed reading the comments from different posts to ascertain what other views of the connectivisim theory are.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Week 8 Things to Do
1.Article from Cool Cat Teacher about the Role of Students in the Classroom
The role of the student is multi-faceted. The student is not only a learner, but a thinker. I found an interesting article at Cool Cat Teacher called "Cheating" http://www.ed421.com/?p=976. The article examines the difference between cheating in school and the nature of how we get our work done. There are many ways to cheat on your work assignments, including using cell phones. There was a study completed on how 35% of students cheat electronically and the ways they use their cell phones to cheat with. These points about cheating are not irrelevant, because more and more pressure is put on standardized testing and students are expected to perform well. With these expectations on standardized tests, is this one reason students feel the need to cheat? Many students are expected to memorize information and details for tests through rote memorization. Rote memorization does have a meaningful purpose, to an extent. It is important for students to memorize information and build their reading comprehension skills. There are ways to remember information other than cheating using a cell phone or through rote memorization. Some of the bloggers and responses from this article mentioned intervention strategies to incorporate into the classroom, so students will not feel they have to memorize every detail. Other ways to assess and measure learning include: open book exams, performance assessments , projects, using multiple testing formats, and creating/playing games.
2. "Teachers and Students Meet in the Middle" Reflection
Teachers and students should have positive communication. I learn a lot from looking at and thinking about the many ways students process information. Learning is an active process and the students should share thoughts and ideas as they learn information. The teacher is a guide and a facilitator, but not a dictator. Students should feel comfortable contributing ideas and asking questions. Without interaction and feedback, learning would be stagnate.
The role of the student is multi-faceted. The student is not only a learner, but a thinker. I found an interesting article at Cool Cat Teacher called "Cheating" http://www.ed421.com/?p=976. The article examines the difference between cheating in school and the nature of how we get our work done. There are many ways to cheat on your work assignments, including using cell phones. There was a study completed on how 35% of students cheat electronically and the ways they use their cell phones to cheat with. These points about cheating are not irrelevant, because more and more pressure is put on standardized testing and students are expected to perform well. With these expectations on standardized tests, is this one reason students feel the need to cheat? Many students are expected to memorize information and details for tests through rote memorization. Rote memorization does have a meaningful purpose, to an extent. It is important for students to memorize information and build their reading comprehension skills. There are ways to remember information other than cheating using a cell phone or through rote memorization. Some of the bloggers and responses from this article mentioned intervention strategies to incorporate into the classroom, so students will not feel they have to memorize every detail. Other ways to assess and measure learning include: open book exams, performance assessments , projects, using multiple testing formats, and creating/playing games.
2. "Teachers and Students Meet in the Middle" Reflection
Teachers and students should have positive communication. I learn a lot from looking at and thinking about the many ways students process information. Learning is an active process and the students should share thoughts and ideas as they learn information. The teacher is a guide and a facilitator, but not a dictator. Students should feel comfortable contributing ideas and asking questions. Without interaction and feedback, learning would be stagnate.
Ch. 11 Kearsley
What makes the design and delivery of an online course successful? Many things must be taken into consideration as you are designing and delivering an online course. First, you must study and look for reasons why other online courses are successful. Searching the web for content, tools, objectives, and other information to include in the course will help in establishing the course. Troubleshooting should be prevalent. For things to run smoothly and have a clear focus many things must be considered including: network costs, network software, providers, network connections, and the nature of the work. Without trials and test runs of how to set-up the course and things to include, then the course will not be successful. I think that constant feedback is vital and open waves of communication between faculty/faculty and faculty/student is essential. Ways to improve or begin a course should be discussed with other staff and compared to other sources. The more feedback available, the better the design and development of the class will be.
Week 8 Things to Write
In a dynamic system that is a course there are many roles of the student. Just as the instructor has many things to facilitate, the student has many tasks to complete. Some of these roles that the student must engage in to be successful are: start with a positive attitude, have a determined effort, be consistent, complete all tasks, add extra information as needed, and complete tasks in a timely manner. The role of the student is ever changing. Each course has different: purposes, workloads, expectations, and timelines.
The function of a "know-it-all" in class does have a purpose in the class. Their purpose is the same as everyone else, to complete all tasks and meet all expectations for the course. It is a good habitat to add extra information and ideas, if necessary. The student that seems to know-it-all has boundaries, just as the other students do.
The "teacher's pet" to me, is a student that continually strives to perform and do their best to please the teacher. Being a teacher's pet is not a negative recognition. Every student should strive for excellency and desire to do their best for the teacher. If the desire and the passion to do well in class, is not there, then some students may not have a desire to do their best. Some students perform well and excel because they enjoy seeing good grades, and accomplishment of tasks. However, if some students are not motivated by seeing accomplishments/good grades, then will they be motivated to learn if they are not motivated to please their teacher?
To deal with "front row/back row" dynamics, collaboration is crucial. If there is an ongoing collaboration between the teacher and students, and students with students, then there will be an even distribution of ideas/participation. Communication between all participants in the class, gives everyone an opportunity to share information/ideas and gain new information/ideas. Some students will participate a little, other students too much, and then some students will not participate enough. So what is the key to positive dynamics and equality for students? The key is to continually collaborate and share ideas/information to grow together throughout the course.
The function of a "know-it-all" in class does have a purpose in the class. Their purpose is the same as everyone else, to complete all tasks and meet all expectations for the course. It is a good habitat to add extra information and ideas, if necessary. The student that seems to know-it-all has boundaries, just as the other students do.
The "teacher's pet" to me, is a student that continually strives to perform and do their best to please the teacher. Being a teacher's pet is not a negative recognition. Every student should strive for excellency and desire to do their best for the teacher. If the desire and the passion to do well in class, is not there, then some students may not have a desire to do their best. Some students perform well and excel because they enjoy seeing good grades, and accomplishment of tasks. However, if some students are not motivated by seeing accomplishments/good grades, then will they be motivated to learn if they are not motivated to please their teacher?
To deal with "front row/back row" dynamics, collaboration is crucial. If there is an ongoing collaboration between the teacher and students, and students with students, then there will be an even distribution of ideas/participation. Communication between all participants in the class, gives everyone an opportunity to share information/ideas and gain new information/ideas. Some students will participate a little, other students too much, and then some students will not participate enough. So what is the key to positive dynamics and equality for students? The key is to continually collaborate and share ideas/information to grow together throughout the course.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Story from Gator- Role of the Teacher
Bridge to Learning- the role of the teacher?
Story from gator
Does the teacher affect the learning climate? Yes, I feel that the teacher drives the learning climate of the classroom. I picked an article from OLDaily, (Personal Learning Environments, Vygotsky), to learn more about the impact of the teacher on the learning environment. The Zone of Proximal Development and other theories by Vygotsky are believed to be more important than ever. “Vygotsky believed that learning shouldn’t follow development, but rather should lead it." I am firm believer that students learn by doing; and for a learner to continually grow they must work beyond their capabilities. The teacher should be challenging the student to really think and encourage students to lead their learning.
Personal Learning Environments or PLEs is the idea that the student creates their own virtual space to facilitate their learning. So how do we allow students to reach the top of their ZPD effectively? The article suggests that standardized testing is a hindrance for students. I do agree with this in one sense. Standardized testing can be a stressful experience for students. I think students need to feel pressure and have different challenges of learning content. But putting students in the position, where they either perform well or poor, on a state test, is hindering them from reaching the highest level within their ZPD. Not all students perform well on standardized tests and may even shut down emotionally. The article suggests an ongoing assessment of students progress is necessary. I think a variety of assessment types should be administered throughout the class to differentiate learning for students.
According to the article, technology is underrepresented in schools today. I do agree and strive to incorporate different types of learning through technology. The Smart Board and document camera have had a huge impact upon the way material is presented to students. The learning climate has changed and using technology more, differentiates the way content is taught.
Story from gator
Does the teacher affect the learning climate? Yes, I feel that the teacher drives the learning climate of the classroom. I picked an article from OLDaily, (Personal Learning Environments, Vygotsky), to learn more about the impact of the teacher on the learning environment. The Zone of Proximal Development and other theories by Vygotsky are believed to be more important than ever. “Vygotsky believed that learning shouldn’t follow development, but rather should lead it." I am firm believer that students learn by doing; and for a learner to continually grow they must work beyond their capabilities. The teacher should be challenging the student to really think and encourage students to lead their learning.
Personal Learning Environments or PLEs is the idea that the student creates their own virtual space to facilitate their learning. So how do we allow students to reach the top of their ZPD effectively? The article suggests that standardized testing is a hindrance for students. I do agree with this in one sense. Standardized testing can be a stressful experience for students. I think students need to feel pressure and have different challenges of learning content. But putting students in the position, where they either perform well or poor, on a state test, is hindering them from reaching the highest level within their ZPD. Not all students perform well on standardized tests and may even shut down emotionally. The article suggests an ongoing assessment of students progress is necessary. I think a variety of assessment types should be administered throughout the class to differentiate learning for students.
According to the article, technology is underrepresented in schools today. I do agree and strive to incorporate different types of learning through technology. The Smart Board and document camera have had a huge impact upon the way material is presented to students. The learning climate has changed and using technology more, differentiates the way content is taught.
Teacher Blog- Role of the teacher
Role of the teacher changing?
Teacher-related blog
The role of the teacher is changing in many ways. At Cool Cat Teacher Blog, I found articles correlated with the focus of a flat classroom. This was interesting information to read, about efforts from educators around the globe towards an open model that promotes authentic assessment, project-based learning, differentiated instruction, authentic research, technology skills, and collaboration on a global basis. There is a need for funding and organizations such as Elluminate, are linking up to make this project possible. There are sites to volunteer at for flat classroom projects. I think that the teacher must adapt to new changes and be flexible as they encounter new information. The teacher must study, research, and be a life-long learner in order to share new ideas and have current information for students to process. The teacher must be enthusiastic and passionate about learning new things, and I truly believe that the students will share/take part in the enthusiasm too.
Role of the teacher changing?
Teacher blog- Internet Safety (Cool Cat Teacher Blog)
I came across some internet safety tips to equip students with as they explore cyberspace. The more safety tips and cautioning that students have as they use the internet, the less students will be at risk. The tips included are:
1) Stop
2) Screenshot
3) Block
4) Tell
5) Share
Emphasizing these online safety tips will better equip students with the essential skills they need guard themselves with, as they potentially face many threats, including cyberbullying.
Teacher-related blog
The role of the teacher is changing in many ways. At Cool Cat Teacher Blog, I found articles correlated with the focus of a flat classroom. This was interesting information to read, about efforts from educators around the globe towards an open model that promotes authentic assessment, project-based learning, differentiated instruction, authentic research, technology skills, and collaboration on a global basis. There is a need for funding and organizations such as Elluminate, are linking up to make this project possible. There are sites to volunteer at for flat classroom projects. I think that the teacher must adapt to new changes and be flexible as they encounter new information. The teacher must study, research, and be a life-long learner in order to share new ideas and have current information for students to process. The teacher must be enthusiastic and passionate about learning new things, and I truly believe that the students will share/take part in the enthusiasm too.
Role of the teacher changing?
Teacher blog- Internet Safety (Cool Cat Teacher Blog)
I came across some internet safety tips to equip students with as they explore cyberspace. The more safety tips and cautioning that students have as they use the internet, the less students will be at risk. The tips included are:
1) Stop
2) Screenshot
3) Block
4) Tell
5) Share
Emphasizing these online safety tips will better equip students with the essential skills they need guard themselves with, as they potentially face many threats, including cyberbullying.
Week 7 Things to Write
Role of the teacher?
The role of the teacher encompasses many aspects of facilitating learning. The teacher supplies tools, shares ideas, encourages learning, and models how to complete tasks. Not only is the teacher a facilitator of learning, but a coach too. The teacher determines the expectations and drives the learning climate of the classroom. If there is a classroom full of diverse learners, the teacher must find a way to foster a way for all students to achieve the daily learning goals. Whether your in a classroom, or online teaching, the role of the teacher does not change. Given that while your teaching classes online, you may not meet students face-to-face, it is still crucial to build a positive relationship.
Relationship between teacher and learner?
There should be a positive relationship between the teacher and learner. Without a positive learning climate, the learner or the teacher cannot communicate effectively. It is the teacher’s responsibility to formulate a way to communicate effectively with all students. Every learner has a different level of learning and the teacher must facilitate learning, so that all levels of learning are reached. The student is often motivated by the expectations and methods of communication from the teacher. I can create a positive learning climate in the classroom in minutes, through positive praise. Also, it is not only important to have positive methods of communication, but realistic goals to. All goals and standards must be clear and understandable so students can meet their goals effectively.
Is the role of the teacher imposed or does it arise within you?
I think that the role of the teacher is a choice and you can choose to impose your methods of teaching upon the learner; or you can choose to motivate the learner from the heart. I think that the learner is motivated from the teacher choosing to find the methods and strategies from within them to motivate and drive learning. It is a choice, for how you choose to teach. The students will always strive to learn and please their teacher when they feel the teacher cares and does everything possible to ensure they feel safe. The learner must feel safe and comfortable, knowing they can answer/complete tasks without receiving negative criticism. The teacher sets-up the learning climate, on day 1, and continues to structure the learning climate. It is up to the teacher to have a positive or a negative impact upon the learner.
The role of the teacher encompasses many aspects of facilitating learning. The teacher supplies tools, shares ideas, encourages learning, and models how to complete tasks. Not only is the teacher a facilitator of learning, but a coach too. The teacher determines the expectations and drives the learning climate of the classroom. If there is a classroom full of diverse learners, the teacher must find a way to foster a way for all students to achieve the daily learning goals. Whether your in a classroom, or online teaching, the role of the teacher does not change. Given that while your teaching classes online, you may not meet students face-to-face, it is still crucial to build a positive relationship.
Relationship between teacher and learner?
There should be a positive relationship between the teacher and learner. Without a positive learning climate, the learner or the teacher cannot communicate effectively. It is the teacher’s responsibility to formulate a way to communicate effectively with all students. Every learner has a different level of learning and the teacher must facilitate learning, so that all levels of learning are reached. The student is often motivated by the expectations and methods of communication from the teacher. I can create a positive learning climate in the classroom in minutes, through positive praise. Also, it is not only important to have positive methods of communication, but realistic goals to. All goals and standards must be clear and understandable so students can meet their goals effectively.
Is the role of the teacher imposed or does it arise within you?
I think that the role of the teacher is a choice and you can choose to impose your methods of teaching upon the learner; or you can choose to motivate the learner from the heart. I think that the learner is motivated from the teacher choosing to find the methods and strategies from within them to motivate and drive learning. It is a choice, for how you choose to teach. The students will always strive to learn and please their teacher when they feel the teacher cares and does everything possible to ensure they feel safe. The learner must feel safe and comfortable, knowing they can answer/complete tasks without receiving negative criticism. The teacher sets-up the learning climate, on day 1, and continues to structure the learning climate. It is up to the teacher to have a positive or a negative impact upon the learner.
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