Ms. Wendy Drexler's post The Networked Student talks about students today. These students are encouraged to take learning into their own hands by utilizing technology. Their teacher is a student of connectivism. Connectivism means that the learning is done through social connections and ties. The twenty-first century student first builds ties. Through the internet, he finds facts, opinions, blogs, some of the best professors in the world, and much more to help him attain the connections and information he needs.
His mp3 player can also be useful. Through iTunes, the student can get subscriptions to any number of audio and video files that can assist him with his learning. The student is meanwhile making ties online with people who have the same interests as him. This could help him possibly meet someone important and/or very valuable to his learning process. Then we ask why he still needs a teacher.
He still needs a teacher to show him HOW to do these things. He needs someone to tell him where to find useful blogs, to show him how to form these ties, to let him know how to act politely online, and much more. This teacher hands him the tools that he will need when he is out of his/her classroom. His job is simply to learn how to use them here. Once he leaves the classroom it is his responsibility to broaden his horizons and expand these connections, to continue wanting to learn. And ideally the student will.
A 7th Grader's Personal Learning Environment talks about a seventh grade student's PLE (Personal Learning Environment), which is basically the same thing as what we call a Personal Learning Network in Dr. Strange's EDM 310 course. This also allows the student to utilize the internet as a learning tool. The students blogs, watches videos, completes assignments, and much more though the use of the internet to increase her learning experience. We as students at South Alabama are involved in the very same type learning process.
The Machine is Changing Us is also a video. This is done by Dr. Michael Wesch, of whom we've already seen videos. I found this to be mainly true of people today. I thought the inserts from YouTube enhanced it a bit to show how we broadcast ourselves to millions of people who we don't even know. I found the number of uploads to YouTube is rather enormous. College students today utilize YouTube on a regular basis. I actually recently asked a friend for help with something and when they didn't know, the first thing they typed into their browser was 'youtube'. Since we didn't know how to do what we needed to, we simply typed in 'how to...' and automatically videos popped up. College students, including myself, utilize these resources on a daily basis. As a teacher, I'm sure YouTube will probably come in handy when doing podcasts or such. Technology is at our hands. We just have to learn to use it.
Interview with Richard Hayes About Technology in the Classroom
Katherine,
ReplyDeleteI think the YouTube videos really did enhance the point of the lecture "The Machine is Changing Us". Its interesting to think how much Facebook has opened up doors for communication especially for those who have social phobias. YouTube however has really changed the way we communicate, share and even see ourselves.The anonymity that this kind of social media allows has caused the individual to become more self reflective and aware. Your right the technology is at our hands now...the whole world seems to be connected. As teachers we have to know how to use it so that we can teach our students.
Right. In EDM310 we are trying to do what Ms. Drexler, her high school student and her 7th grader are doing.
ReplyDeleteNot only learn how to use it but to also use it!
Thoughtful. Interesting.