As I watched "The Networked Student" video I couldn't help but notice that I relate to this student's position in so many ways. All my college classes are on-line and I probably will never meet Dr. Thompson face-to-face. I know this is sad, but it is reality. Sad in a good way because the use of "teacher as a facilitator" shows us that allowing the student to guide the instruction can work and the students will learn even though they may never see their instructor.
The video makes "real" points about how our shift towards technology has changed the way students learn and teachers teach. Connectivism or learning from a social network does and can occur on a daily basis. I like to reference the Chinese Proverb, " I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand." The traditional lectures that students hear are a good example of forgetting. With social networking and the connection to so many people and resources students are now able to say "I do". Interactive videos, blogs, and web pages help to make this possible. I thought it amazing that the student in the video could gain access to the top professors at prestigious universities to gain more knowledge about his subject. Who better to get it from than those that are experts in the field.
Chapter 2 highlights the importance that the federal, state, and local governments are putting on funding in order make sure that classrooms are equipped with networks and software programs that enhance learning. Having access to an e-reader set-up and Smartboard in my classroom has given me the ability to take advantage of just some of the resources out there. The multimedia that is available on the web is endless. The book talked about video and mentioned the website Discovery Education (United Streaming) and this caught my eye because I have used this site on many occasions. For example, today was Chinese New Year and I didn't have any really good materials that I could share with my students about the holiday so I did a quick search on this website and found an educational video that gave visuals to my students about the Chinese New Year. Without this my students would have lost out on valuable information.
Addressing our students' learning modalities should be considered when we are planning and teaching our lessons. Social networking, in my opinion, offers something to all learning styles. Whether it's a video, web page, chat room, or e-mail the numerous ways of communication on the web addresses all learning styles and should be considered.
Hi Kari,
ReplyDeleteFirst, I have to tell you how aesthetically pleasing I find the design of your blog. I’m disappointed that I didn’t see that particular one on blogger when I chose mine.
When you said that as you watched “The Networked Student” video you noticed that you “relate to this student’s position in so many ways,” I realized you know how it feels to be a “digital native.” I too am completing my graduate degree with totally web-based classes, and it is very different from when I earned my undergraduate degree in education. At first, I really missed the human interaction of the traditional face-to-face classroom, but I’m getting to like the interaction we have in this class through our blog posts. (I also wouldn’t trade the convenience of being able to remotely earn my degree without having to travel back and forth to a college campus.)
You are correct when you say that “our shift towards technology has changed the way students learn and teachers teach.” The Chinese Proverb you shared is “spot on.” Even an old “digital immigrant” like I am learns best by doing. I am a terrible auditory learner and my favorite way to learn is “hands-on.”
I am glad “that the federal, state, and local governments are putting funding in order,” and that they understand the importance of making sure our classrooms are equipped with the networks and software our 21st century students need both today and in the future. You mentioned using Discovery Education and I agree that it is a wonderful resource. Have you heard of DEN which is the Discovery Education Network? It is open to any educator to join and this group shares a wealth of information with its members. They even offer awesome yearly face-to-face meetings and one summer I was lucky enough to be a guest on one of their “working” cruises to the Bahamas. Now that was quite the trip!
You made a very good point when you said, “Social networking, in my opinion, offers to something to all learning styles.” I too believe addressing students’ learning styles and striving to provide learning activities to meet them should be a goal of every teacher.
I enjoyed reading your post, and I look forward to reading your new posts in the future.
:-) Ruth