This video explains a different approach to teaching, that takes into account the differences in opportunity and requirements of the 21st century. It is a program where the teacher does not do the majority of the "teaching" through lectures, instead assigns a topic and allows the children to create their own 'learning guide', using reputable educational sources almost like a virtual text book.
A teacher is more than just a lecturer. These students would need a teacher for many reasons. Primarily, for accountability, just because a student has access to all of these wonderful resources does not mean they will use them correctly....or even at all. They need someone to make sure they are taking the time to complete these projects and to do them to the extent that will ensure learning.
On that same note, another major thing a teacher is needed for is to hold the sources accountable. The students could learn and retain incorrect information just as easily as accurate information. An educated teacher is need to go back and fact check the students work to make sure that the student themselves are not being misinformed. Not only this, but in a system involving networking, a misinformed student could very easily pass incorrect information on as fact, a teacher is need to prevent this.
We were asked to watch a second video that is the opposing side of being a networked educator. It was called "Welcome to My PLE" this was by a 7th grade student showing her own personal learning network, which is a collection of websites used to further her education. I found her PLE(while admittedly, and embarrassing to admit, was a bit more extensive than my own) was quite comparable to mine and what many uses I hope to either create for my class or allow my students to create for themselves, dependent on their ages.
This is one aspect of technology that I find EXTREMELY useful. I love the way it can create a permanent archive or learned facts so the students can use both resources they've found before and their own papers to back up opinions that choose to share in the future.
"The students could learn and retain incorrect information just as easily as accurate information." Traditional instruction prevents this? Hardly. [You repeat this fear later in your post.]
ReplyDeleteYou suggest a solution with the teacher in charge of the solution: "...is to hold the sources accountable." Should we not teach the students how to correctly evaluate all the "sources" they encounter including teachers? In addition, and on another tack, I think you mean teachers are there to hold students accountable, not sources.
"...but in a system involving networking, a misinformed student could very easily pass incorrect information on as fact, a teacher is need to prevent this." [This is a second form of an earlier argument.] Two comments: a networked system is not the only place where this happens! It happens in a regular classroom also. And students are not the only ones who "pass incorrect information on as fact." Teachers do that too!
"...a second video that is the opposing side..." Opposing? Hardly!
"... I hope to either create for my class or allow my students to create for themselves,..." Allow? Why should teachers be in charge of a student's PLN?
Interesting. But especially teacher-centric.
Hi Amanda,
ReplyDeleteNice job fulfilling the assignment by writing the required amount of paragraphs on each video. I see the links work and your picture has ALT and TITLE modifiers. There are some mechanical grammar errors in your post though, so be sure to go back and read what you wrote. Overall, good job. I was interested to hear your opinions on the material.
-L.J. (Laura) Allen