- What school was like for you?
- Were you successful in all of your classes/subject areas?
- Did your teachers know about your amazing ability to create meaning through visuals?
- What would you tell students today who want to do what you do?
- What advice would you give to help them in school now and be successful later on?
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Stories through Design
Thursday, October 25, 2012
My Twenty-Percent Project: Part 1
After much thinking and considering the input from my peers, I decided to focus my Twenty-Percent Project around becoming a Google Apps for Education (GAFE) qualified individual. I was really excited to try it out but also scared of what it would look like and what the test would ask me to do to prove that I am qualified.
So ready or not I started Module 1 today: Google Apps for Education (Admin). The training module was straight forward and fairly easy to follow--four chapters with different focus points to read/review. My former district had just begun using Google Apps my last year there so I had experience with what it offers and entails. There was general overview information, FAQs, and a fair amount of site administrator specific information. I wish that my GAFE account had admin privileges so I could click around & see what they were talking about, but even without it I was able to learn some pretty cool things that would have been helpful in my old district and will be helpful in the future. For example, my former district was not using the groups function to be best of their ability. Not only are groups able to be used for specific email lists, but even more useful is that you can share sites, docs, videos, and calendars and their permissions to those groups as well! And that these permissions self-update as you add or remove people from that group, without any extra steps. That by itself would have made our lives a lot easier last year!
After completing the training module it was time to take the test. Once you purchase the test and start it, you have 90 minutes to complete 60 multiple choice questions about the module you just completed. I was freaking out a little at first until I realized that you can go back into the training readings to find the answer if you're not sure (*phew!). After figuring that out and relaxing a bit, the test went smoothly and I was done with plenty of time (even with looking up a few answers). Anxiously clicking the "End Test" button I found the results below:
So ready or not I started Module 1 today: Google Apps for Education (Admin). The training module was straight forward and fairly easy to follow--four chapters with different focus points to read/review. My former district had just begun using Google Apps my last year there so I had experience with what it offers and entails. There was general overview information, FAQs, and a fair amount of site administrator specific information. I wish that my GAFE account had admin privileges so I could click around & see what they were talking about, but even without it I was able to learn some pretty cool things that would have been helpful in my old district and will be helpful in the future. For example, my former district was not using the groups function to be best of their ability. Not only are groups able to be used for specific email lists, but even more useful is that you can share sites, docs, videos, and calendars and their permissions to those groups as well! And that these permissions self-update as you add or remove people from that group, without any extra steps. That by itself would have made our lives a lot easier last year!
After completing the training module it was time to take the test. Once you purchase the test and start it, you have 90 minutes to complete 60 multiple choice questions about the module you just completed. I was freaking out a little at first until I realized that you can go back into the training readings to find the answer if you're not sure (*phew!). After figuring that out and relaxing a bit, the test went smoothly and I was done with plenty of time (even with looking up a few answers). Anxiously clicking the "End Test" button I found the results below:
Yay! Go me! :) You have to get 80% or higher to pass, so I was in the clear. The only thing I wish they would change is allow you to see what questions you missed--it drives me crazy when I get something wrong and I don't know why! But all in all, a good first Twenty-Percent Project day.
One part down, five more to go....
Creating Learners
"How do you create a need to know in a kid?" Or rather, how do you create a learner instead of a student? This video is timely in its relation to our learner vs student discussions and blog posts, and I feel like it touches on some of the same issues. How do we teach the next generation to learn and be learners? The video above, "The Essence of Connected Learning," highlighted few key points for me in trying to reach this goal of creating learners in our schools.
The first is that we are currently taking learning out of context and focusing on facts rather than learning. I think this is so true! Facts alone do not lead to understanding--but if you place the information in context and allow a student to construct their own meaning around the topic we will create a deeper understanding that will last way past the test date. And the more authentic the context the better!
The first is that we are currently taking learning out of context and focusing on facts rather than learning. I think this is so true! Facts alone do not lead to understanding--but if you place the information in context and allow a student to construct their own meaning around the topic we will create a deeper understanding that will last way past the test date. And the more authentic the context the better!
The second is the idea of bringing people together who want to learn together. Not only can we strive to do this in our classrooms by grouping students of similar interests, but in our connected technological world we can also reach out to others to foster this community of learning. We need to use our resources, both in and outside the classroom, to tap into students' interests and encourage their thirst for knowledge regardless of whether it coincides with what we find interesting or not.
And lastly is that the attitude of, "We're all going to learn the same things in the same way," is completely unnecessary in today's education world. Why can't we provides projects/assessments with choices? If a student wants to create a video showing off their knowledge of Hispanic cultures or would rather draw a visual representation or write me an essay, why can't I allow all of them to be representative of their learning? I think this is definitely easier said than done because as teachers we need to reprogram our brains (and assessment guidelines) to allow for these different "proof of learning" forms. They don't fit into our current molds, but are worth the time and exploration to allow students choice in how they learn.
These are just my personal takeaways and reflections on the video--what do you think? Agree/disagree? Have another key idea I should have included? Let me know! :)
These are just my personal takeaways and reflections on the video--what do you think? Agree/disagree? Have another key idea I should have included? Let me know! :)
Monday, October 22, 2012
Are we learners or students?
Our Learning and Technology class has a very different set up than I am used to--there is no concrete syllabus, very few specific assignments and guidelines, and (perhaps the most foreign concept of all) the expectation that we will be learners.
Yes, I just said that being a learner is a foreign concept to many of us, myself included. "But isn't that the goal of education?" you ask and, "I've always been a learner; I don't know what you're talking about," you scoff. But is it really and are you sure? After thinking deeply about it and reflecting on our professor's post on learners vs. students I would have to boldly say that we as a society are hardly learners at all.
We have been trained by our education system to be students--to follow the norm, the syllabus, the guidelines--and have been sucked dry of the inclinations to be a learner instead. And I will be the first to admit that I fall into this student category. I've been well trained to cater my work to the teacher's desires, I know when to be quiet and when to chime in, and I have felt pride at times that I can test well, generally know how to succeed and get good grades--that I can be a good student.
And there it is: I am a good student. I've never heard anyone say "I'm a good learner," and maybe that says something in and of itself.
So yes, it makes me uncomfortable to not have a rubric to guide me, a checklist to complete, a number or quantity assigned to produce--it's unfamiliar territory with a technically "unmeasurable" expectation. We know through educational research that these traditional methods often stifle creativity and limit learning, yet we do them anyway. And graduate school, where I'm often reminded of the fallacy of these methods, is a regular perpetrator itself. I'm given page limits, word limits, specific expectations--and the scary part is, they make me comfortable. Familiar is comfortable.
But learning is not always comfortable. So now here I am, constantly battling with wanting to learn, to create, to test out and to try, and yet struggling with it--struggling because my other classes require very little of this (and quite frankly, because I haven't really been allowed this kind of chance to learn before).
So what does it mean to be a learner? This goal that is so uncomfortable to reach? And what can we do to encourage it? For me being a learner is having the intrinsic motivation to seek out information, to acquire knowledge with the intent of using it to do something in the world. As educators we have the awesome responsibility of creating these types of learners that will hopefully change the world. Are we allowing them the opportunities to explore? To learn on their own? Or are we prescribing an agenda and teaching to the test?
What can we do to start changing this in our classrooms while still jumping through all of the hoops that our broken systems requires from us? I'd love to hear your opinions of how this can be done, as I'm honestly searching for the balance myself. But for now, I will do my best to model by example and try to be a learner rather than just a student. Wish me luck!
Yes, I just said that being a learner is a foreign concept to many of us, myself included. "But isn't that the goal of education?" you ask and, "I've always been a learner; I don't know what you're talking about," you scoff. But is it really and are you sure? After thinking deeply about it and reflecting on our professor's post on learners vs. students I would have to boldly say that we as a society are hardly learners at all.
We have been trained by our education system to be students--to follow the norm, the syllabus, the guidelines--and have been sucked dry of the inclinations to be a learner instead. And I will be the first to admit that I fall into this student category. I've been well trained to cater my work to the teacher's desires, I know when to be quiet and when to chime in, and I have felt pride at times that I can test well, generally know how to succeed and get good grades--that I can be a good student.
And there it is: I am a good student. I've never heard anyone say "I'm a good learner," and maybe that says something in and of itself.
So yes, it makes me uncomfortable to not have a rubric to guide me, a checklist to complete, a number or quantity assigned to produce--it's unfamiliar territory with a technically "unmeasurable" expectation. We know through educational research that these traditional methods often stifle creativity and limit learning, yet we do them anyway. And graduate school, where I'm often reminded of the fallacy of these methods, is a regular perpetrator itself. I'm given page limits, word limits, specific expectations--and the scary part is, they make me comfortable. Familiar is comfortable.
But learning is not always comfortable. So now here I am, constantly battling with wanting to learn, to create, to test out and to try, and yet struggling with it--struggling because my other classes require very little of this (and quite frankly, because I haven't really been allowed this kind of chance to learn before).
So what does it mean to be a learner? This goal that is so uncomfortable to reach? And what can we do to encourage it? For me being a learner is having the intrinsic motivation to seek out information, to acquire knowledge with the intent of using it to do something in the world. As educators we have the awesome responsibility of creating these types of learners that will hopefully change the world. Are we allowing them the opportunities to explore? To learn on their own? Or are we prescribing an agenda and teaching to the test?
What can we do to start changing this in our classrooms while still jumping through all of the hoops that our broken systems requires from us? I'd love to hear your opinions of how this can be done, as I'm honestly searching for the balance myself. But for now, I will do my best to model by example and try to be a learner rather than just a student. Wish me luck!
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| Photo: GETTY via http://www.telegraph.co.uk |
Sunday, October 21, 2012
A Culture of Generosity
What is a culture of generosity and how can it be used to improve education?
A culture of generosity is one in which people rely on their intrinsic motivations to do things that benefit society, rather than being told what they should do by bosses or financial motivations. It is one of spontaneous versus enforced action, empowering people with choice.
I feel like the world of education may be a little stuck like the parent pick-up experiment was in the video below once they released the fine--our education system in the minds of many is already broken and that mentality is perpetuating itself in the minds of others . But we cannot allow ourselves to get hung up there. As Clay Shirky said, people like to create and to share with others, and we need to tap into that venue to cultivate and improve education. Encouraging teachers to give assignments that allow for student choice, or offering extra credit/acknowledge/recognition for students who use their cognitive surplus for the benefit of others could be some ways to to do this. Also, allowing students the time to be creative (like the 20% project theory) could do wonders in helping inspire students without an external motivation (like grades) hanging over their heads. The important thing is to encourage all acts of creation and cognitive, "stupid" or not, because it in turn will help foster the creation of amazing things both immediately and in the future.
What does it mean to say, "Free cultures get what they celebrate?"
I think it means that if we celebrate creativity and generosity, then we will see more of it in our students in return. But if we celebrate consumerism and acquisition then people will just acquire and consume, perpetuating our current culture rather than forging a new one.
How do you think this could work in education today?
A culture of generosity is one in which people rely on their intrinsic motivations to do things that benefit society, rather than being told what they should do by bosses or financial motivations. It is one of spontaneous versus enforced action, empowering people with choice.
I feel like the world of education may be a little stuck like the parent pick-up experiment was in the video below once they released the fine--our education system in the minds of many is already broken and that mentality is perpetuating itself in the minds of others . But we cannot allow ourselves to get hung up there. As Clay Shirky said, people like to create and to share with others, and we need to tap into that venue to cultivate and improve education. Encouraging teachers to give assignments that allow for student choice, or offering extra credit/acknowledge/recognition for students who use their cognitive surplus for the benefit of others could be some ways to to do this. Also, allowing students the time to be creative (like the 20% project theory) could do wonders in helping inspire students without an external motivation (like grades) hanging over their heads. The important thing is to encourage all acts of creation and cognitive, "stupid" or not, because it in turn will help foster the creation of amazing things both immediately and in the future.
What does it mean to say, "Free cultures get what they celebrate?"
I think it means that if we celebrate creativity and generosity, then we will see more of it in our students in return. But if we celebrate consumerism and acquisition then people will just acquire and consume, perpetuating our current culture rather than forging a new one.
How do you think this could work in education today?
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Living in a Bubble (A Filter Bubble, That Is)
This really got me thinking about what kind of filter bubble I am living in today. I don’t want to only receive certain types of information just because I ‘liked’ a friend’s Facebook post or clicked on something first. It also made me think about how having multiple people share my personal computer (e.g. my husband, sister, friends) can influence the types of information coming my way. My husband loves comics and action figures, but that doesn't mean that I want Google to update this into one of my preferred topics of interest.
With as much as we focus on on trying to get students to develop a critical literacy with text and information it’s crazy to think that we ourselves are being limited to the kinds of information we have access to, perhaps without even knowing it. The idea of the Internet giving us what we want to see and maybe not what we need to see, as Pariser said, can be dangerous in that we are not becoming fully informed on topics, or even aware that they exist--and this lack of knowledge could perpetuate the uninformed, one-sided, "bubble" mindset that we hope to avoid.
So, what do we do? Can we even do anything about it? That, I am honestly not sure of. I do know that I want to see what else is out there, good and bad, and decide for myself whether or not it is relevant to me. Otherwise, how else can we learn?
The Complexity of Society
We had some great talks last Monday night about privilege, oppression, race, gender, and how society as a whole is soooo complex--it's refreshing, and I think healthy, to be able to talk openly about all of this and I feel blessed to have classmates that we can do this with!
There were huge connections to what we discussed and the Multiple Literacies class some of us are currently taking this semester. In this class we spent a week reading about and discussing Critical Literacy--"how our literacy development begins at birth and is shaped by prior knowledge, social interactions, cultural values and beliefs" as stated by Dr. Kane (our professor). Three really interesting articles that we read (that you should read, too, if you find a few minutes) are:
“Privilege, Oppression, and Difference” by Allan Johnson.
"‘Signs of Life’ in the High School Classroom: Analyzing Popular Culture to Provide Student Choice in Analytical Writing" by Shannon Falkner. English Journal (2011).
“Pedagogy of the Oppressed" by Paulo Freire or
“Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire- An Analysis” a blog submitted by dheimann.
Also, a really interesting TED talk video on The Danger of a Single Story--DEFINITELY worth watching!
What did you think of the video? I'll share more of my thoughts if you share yours :)
There were huge connections to what we discussed and the Multiple Literacies class some of us are currently taking this semester. In this class we spent a week reading about and discussing Critical Literacy--"how our literacy development begins at birth and is shaped by prior knowledge, social interactions, cultural values and beliefs" as stated by Dr. Kane (our professor). Three really interesting articles that we read (that you should read, too, if you find a few minutes) are:
“Privilege, Oppression, and Difference” by Allan Johnson.
"‘Signs of Life’ in the High School Classroom: Analyzing Popular Culture to Provide Student Choice in Analytical Writing" by Shannon Falkner. English Journal (2011).
“Pedagogy of the Oppressed" by Paulo Freire or
“Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire- An Analysis” a blog submitted by dheimann.
Also, a really interesting TED talk video on The Danger of a Single Story--DEFINITELY worth watching!
Sunday, October 14, 2012
A Whole New Mind: Part One
Take a look at the photo below: What side of the brain do you feel holds your personal strengths? Why do you think that is? I identify my strengths as more Left Brain with strengths in language, math, and facts--and I struggle with being creative and Art as a whole. Why is that and why does it matter?
Much of what we teach and encourage in education is left-brain based, including the standardized tests that often open (or close) the doors to college and beyond. But there is a movement developing that may change how we approach these types of analytical aptitudes. Daniel Pink's book "A Whole New Mind" is an interesting take on society's transition from left-brained focus into what he calls the "Conceptual Age," and how we will have to reprogram our ways of thinking and learning in order to be successful in this new era.
What is the Conceptual Age?
According to Pink the Conceptual Age is the era in which we're heading where creators and empathizers are going to be 'main characters' in the work force. It is the transition from the left-brain directed thinking of the Informational Age into an age where computers and outsourced workers can do much of that work for us now, faster and cheaper. Because of this we need to be innovative and creative, utilizing a right-brain directed thinking that had been ignored or under emphasized in the past, to find our unique niche and be successful. It's more of a concept based thinking rather than simply using facts and informational knowledge.
Why does Pink believe this "Conceptual Age" requires a whole new mind?
He doesn't think that we need a whole new mind as in a completely different version, but rather a whole new mind--a mindset that uses both halves of the brain, combining the functional properties of the left brain (L-directed thinking) with the complex, creative right brain (R-directed thinking) to achieve a new level of intelligence. Pink says that the traditionally touted L-directed aptitudes are still necessary and should not be left by the wayside, but they are no longer sufficient on their own (Pink 27). We need to also employ the creative and innovative R-Directed thinking, which is something that computers cannot do for us and what creates the big developments of the future. Even if a computer, machine, or cheaper labor force can eventually take over the task they will still need someone to dream it up and develop it.
As a whole I agree with what Pink is suggesting, especially his points on how general abundance is influencing part of this change in thinking. His statement, "The very triumph of L-Directed Thinking has lessened its significance," really helps hit this idea home for me (Pink 33). We have become so successful due to L-Directed thinking and have so many products, options, and choices--and yet we're still unhappy. R-directed thinking allows for enlightenment and fulfillment in meaning and interactions rather than "things." This is definitely something I agree with and strive to make priority in both my own life as well as in teaching. I also love the idea of having a alternative SAT assessment like the Rainbow Project to measure the previously ignored characteristics such as comedic or empathetic aptitude. It is qualities like these that often mark the difference between average and greatness in a profession and it's unfortunate that we have been unable to "test" them until now.
The next step in my mind is thinking about how we can integrate this type of focus into our education system without losing the parts of L-Directed thinking that have allowed us to get to this point. It seems like it could be difficult to balance in the classroom, but then again that may be because of the type of information learner I was and how I was taught to teach. I'm interested in learning and reading more about it and will let you know what I come up with in the near future.
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| Photo from http://www.ucmas.ca |
What is the Conceptual Age?
According to Pink the Conceptual Age is the era in which we're heading where creators and empathizers are going to be 'main characters' in the work force. It is the transition from the left-brain directed thinking of the Informational Age into an age where computers and outsourced workers can do much of that work for us now, faster and cheaper. Because of this we need to be innovative and creative, utilizing a right-brain directed thinking that had been ignored or under emphasized in the past, to find our unique niche and be successful. It's more of a concept based thinking rather than simply using facts and informational knowledge.
Why does Pink believe this "Conceptual Age" requires a whole new mind?
He doesn't think that we need a whole new mind as in a completely different version, but rather a whole new mind--a mindset that uses both halves of the brain, combining the functional properties of the left brain (L-directed thinking) with the complex, creative right brain (R-directed thinking) to achieve a new level of intelligence. Pink says that the traditionally touted L-directed aptitudes are still necessary and should not be left by the wayside, but they are no longer sufficient on their own (Pink 27). We need to also employ the creative and innovative R-Directed thinking, which is something that computers cannot do for us and what creates the big developments of the future. Even if a computer, machine, or cheaper labor force can eventually take over the task they will still need someone to dream it up and develop it.
 |
| Photo from http://www.danpink.com/ |
The next step in my mind is thinking about how we can integrate this type of focus into our education system without losing the parts of L-Directed thinking that have allowed us to get to this point. It seems like it could be difficult to balance in the classroom, but then again that may be because of the type of information learner I was and how I was taught to teach. I'm interested in learning and reading more about it and will let you know what I come up with in the near future.
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
My Twenty-Percent Project: A Brainstorm
Have you ever heard of a "Twenty-Percent Project"?
(and no, it's not a class assessment that's worth 20% of your grade :)
Since our class is called Learning & Technology our job is to "learn something new using technology." I can do that :) The problem is limiting it down to something I am passionate about, want to learn, and feel like I can accomplish/produce a product by the end of the semester. Here are a couple of the ideas I'm tossing around for my project:
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| Image via http://www.collingsguitars.com/ |
I know it's one of the examples that we were given in class, but it's something I've always want to do and haven't really had the time to dedicate to it. I LOVE the sound of an acoustic guitar and my husband even bought me a guitar a couple of years ago for Christmas. I started to teach myself how to play but gave up early on once the pressures at work because too much to keep up with. I'd love to try it again, this time around really focusing on it and actually remembering what fingers to use to make what chord :)
Become Google Apps for Education Qualified Individual
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If you ask my family, I am the WORST cook hands down! Though recently I have been working on honing my skills and trying to create edible meals for my hubby and me. I've got a few new dishes down pat but I would love to have the time to research some new dishes, with processes I haven't tried before, and put them to the test. I think this would work better with baking since many of the cupcakes and desserts can be multi-day, multi-step processes that have been too scary and time consuming to try until now. Maybe even have a hand at making homemade ice creams and fro-yos? It all sounds delicious to me and something I would really enjoy doing. And the performance/product would obviously be bringing some goodies in to class for testing/tasting. :)
Ok, so what do you guys think? Any of these stand out as better than the others? What would you do? Please feel free to comment below with any/all opinions and suggestions!
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Communities of Practice and My PLN
What is a community of practice (CoP)? Etienne Wenger defines it as such:
As I was reading the reference pages below I didn’t initially find myself feeling all that surprised with what I was seeing. These CoPs are already ingrained in our lives and experiences, and they seem so common sense. Sharing information with other teachers will make our own teaching better? Of course. Applying this shared information in the classroom can be more effective than relying solely on yourself? I hope so. I was wondering what the point of giving these groups a ‘name’ and writing about it was until I encountered this:
“In fact, communities of practice are everywhere. They are a familiar experience, so familiar perhaps that it often escapes our attention. Yet when it is given a name and brought into focus, it becomes a perspective that can help us understand our world better. In particular, it allows us to see past more obvious formal structures such as organizations, classrooms, or nations, and perceive the structures defined by engagement in practice and the informal learning that comes with it.”
Ok, good. I’m not totally crazy then--we have been doing this already. And giving it a name so that we can analyze it to use it in other contexts definitely makes more sense now.
And you know what? After reading that I gained a newfound appreciation of the fact that I have been participating in CoPs for a while now and that it seems so second nature to me. Collaborating with other educators is so important, necessary even, to ensure that we are helping our students learn as much as they possibly can under our guidance. These communities of practice can provide encouragement, inspiration, a support system, expertise, and much more as we interact with them throughout our teaching careers.
I think this concept of CoPs has a lot do with my own PLN and in analyzing where I want it to go. As Mark Smith mentions in “‘Communities of Practice,’ the encyclopedia of informal education”,
In terms of my in-person community of practice/PLN at school I feel like I have a lot to offer and have been more of a full participant--collaborating in world language department meetings, working with my grade level teammates to create individual action plans for students, and applying new practices in my classroom per the advice of my coworkers. These things have provided me with the opportunity to both give and take in my CoP and have been very positive experiences.
In order for my online PLN to become more of a community of practice, along with its positive experiences and benefits, I need to:
I’ve focused a lot on what a CoP means to me as an educator working on professional development but there is also the idea that the CoP model could work in the classroom as well, with the students working together with themselves and the teacher to bring real-world application into their learning. From what I’ve read of it it sounds like an interesting idea with great potential for enhancing student learning, but it is not without it’s issues or concerns.
In the work “Using Communities of Practice to Enhance Student Learning” Edward Bilodeau addresses some of the issues that can arise when using the CoP model directly with students. While he focuses a lot of the positives, he acknowledges that there could be issues in evaluation, community memberships, and power relationships among others. It's something I'd like to read more about to see how this concept could work with students in the classroom.
References:
Bilodeau, Edward. “Using Communities of Practice to Enhance Student Learning: Examples and Issues” (2003). http://www.coolweblog.com/bilodeau/docs/2003-10-01-cop-enhancing-student-learning.pdf
Smith, M. K. (2003, 2009) 'Communities of practice', the encyclopedia of informal education. www.infed.org/biblio/communities_of_practice.htm.
Wenger, Etienne. “Communities of Practice: A Brief Introduction” (2006). http://www.ewenger.com/theory/
| Communities of practice are groups of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly. |
As I was reading the reference pages below I didn’t initially find myself feeling all that surprised with what I was seeing. These CoPs are already ingrained in our lives and experiences, and they seem so common sense. Sharing information with other teachers will make our own teaching better? Of course. Applying this shared information in the classroom can be more effective than relying solely on yourself? I hope so. I was wondering what the point of giving these groups a ‘name’ and writing about it was until I encountered this:
“In fact, communities of practice are everywhere. They are a familiar experience, so familiar perhaps that it often escapes our attention. Yet when it is given a name and brought into focus, it becomes a perspective that can help us understand our world better. In particular, it allows us to see past more obvious formal structures such as organizations, classrooms, or nations, and perceive the structures defined by engagement in practice and the informal learning that comes with it.”
Ok, good. I’m not totally crazy then--we have been doing this already. And giving it a name so that we can analyze it to use it in other contexts definitely makes more sense now.
And you know what? After reading that I gained a newfound appreciation of the fact that I have been participating in CoPs for a while now and that it seems so second nature to me. Collaborating with other educators is so important, necessary even, to ensure that we are helping our students learn as much as they possibly can under our guidance. These communities of practice can provide encouragement, inspiration, a support system, expertise, and much more as we interact with them throughout our teaching careers.
I think this concept of CoPs has a lot do with my own PLN and in analyzing where I want it to go. As Mark Smith mentions in “‘Communities of Practice,’ the encyclopedia of informal education”,
“Initially people have to join communities and learn at the periphery. The things they are involved in, the tasks they do may be less key to the community than others.”
I feel like that is where I am at right now in terms of my own online PLN. I’m slowly starting to join different communities, exploring what they have to offer and teach me, but not really being able to provide much back to them yet. I cultivate a lot of information via Twitter, but I haven’t gotten into providing a lot of my own; I read other educator’s blogs but am still working on posting my own regularly; I have a Diigo account but haven’t started using it to connect and share with others. In terms of my in-person community of practice/PLN at school I feel like I have a lot to offer and have been more of a full participant--collaborating in world language department meetings, working with my grade level teammates to create individual action plans for students, and applying new practices in my classroom per the advice of my coworkers. These things have provided me with the opportunity to both give and take in my CoP and have been very positive experiences.
In order for my online PLN to become more of a community of practice, along with its positive experiences and benefits, I need to:
- become more involved. You can’t be a visitor in a CoP and reach the full potential of what that community can be and provide.
- practice what I/they preach. A CoP isn’t about just gleaning ideas and thinking about it--it is about putting them into practice and sharing with others what works and what doesn’t.
I’ve focused a lot on what a CoP means to me as an educator working on professional development but there is also the idea that the CoP model could work in the classroom as well, with the students working together with themselves and the teacher to bring real-world application into their learning. From what I’ve read of it it sounds like an interesting idea with great potential for enhancing student learning, but it is not without it’s issues or concerns.
In the work “Using Communities of Practice to Enhance Student Learning” Edward Bilodeau addresses some of the issues that can arise when using the CoP model directly with students. While he focuses a lot of the positives, he acknowledges that there could be issues in evaluation, community memberships, and power relationships among others. It's something I'd like to read more about to see how this concept could work with students in the classroom.
What does your community of practice look like? What areas would you focus on to make improvements and get the most out of it?
Image credit: Allan, B. (Designer). (2008). Knowledge creation within a community of practice. [Web]. Retrieved from http://masters.bilbea.com/extras/Chinese_teacher_PD/Chinese_teacher_PD_final.html via http://convcme.wordpress.com/2011/02/04/communities-of-practice-a-framework-for-learning-and-improvement/
References:
Bilodeau, Edward. “Using Communities of Practice to Enhance Student Learning: Examples and Issues” (2003). http://www.coolweblog.com/bilodeau/docs/2003-10-01-cop-enhancing-student-learning.pdf
Smith, M. K. (2003, 2009) 'Communities of practice', the encyclopedia of informal education. www.infed.org/biblio/communities_of_practice.htm.
Wenger, Etienne. “Communities of Practice: A Brief Introduction” (2006). http://www.ewenger.com/theory/
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Can You Focus Your Passion?
"What you are passionate about in terms of education or leadership? What do you hope to do with this passion (or what are you already doing with this passion)? If you had to narrow down your passion to one specific aspect in terms of your future research, what would it be?"
What am I passionate about in education? Everything. Can everything be an answer? No? Ok, I'll be a little more specific.
I’m passionate about:
If I had to narrow it down though, one thing that I’d like to focus on for future research is meaningful technology integration in the classroom (specifically my Spanish classroom). This is an area that I find interesting, challenging, and practical given the influential nature that technology has on our lives and for our students’ futures. Also, the use of technology in a foreign language classroom is rich with possibilities for connection, communication, and real world application. I feel that this topic has the most potential for combining all of the things I listed above into one focus--the best of both worlds.
Do you agree? What would you focus on if you had to narrow your passion down to one thing?
What am I passionate about in education? Everything. Can everything be an answer? No? Ok, I'll be a little more specific.
I’m passionate about:
- Building relationships
- Teaching & learning
- Helping others to become good people & productive members of society
- Making connections
- Inspiring passion in others
- Preparing students for the future
- Making a difference
If I had to narrow it down though, one thing that I’d like to focus on for future research is meaningful technology integration in the classroom (specifically my Spanish classroom). This is an area that I find interesting, challenging, and practical given the influential nature that technology has on our lives and for our students’ futures. Also, the use of technology in a foreign language classroom is rich with possibilities for connection, communication, and real world application. I feel that this topic has the most potential for combining all of the things I listed above into one focus--the best of both worlds.
Do you agree? What would you focus on if you had to narrow your passion down to one thing?
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Swallowed by the Google Search Machine
More on Tribes
A Storify created to represent some of our class' learning about the book "Tribes" by Seth Godin.
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