Nobody has asked this question yet, but I imagine a few are thinking it. There is a method in the madness. Please see the post Learner Centered for an explanation.
Frankly I’m always amused by teachers who call their classrooms “Learner Centered” because typically the choices afforded the learner are superficial. The nature of Education in the US these days requires that schools are anything but learner centered. This class — inherently — is not learner centered. As long as the teacher (me) tells you what you need to learn, then it’s teacher-centered, but going back to our discussion last week about Education and what gets taught and what gets learned, so long as I teach you at LEAST what’s on the syllabus, then I’ve fulfilled my end of the deal as teacher. You’re learning about distance delivery methods by exploring them and experiencing them. Along the way, you’re picking up new learning tools — not for your future students — but for yourself. At least some of the “incidental” learning in this class is to provide you with the tools and techniques necessary to manage your own learning and to create your own learning environments in ways that no school and no teacher can create for you.
August 28th, 2007 at 9:40 am
So after reading learner centered it all makes sense. I knew that it would though
I like the fact that we are not using blackboard, it is my least favorite thing. It seems that I always had trouble with it and of everything always disappeared. The whole thing about your work being gone it true. I always saved mine to my computer, but one of my friends didn’t. Everything she had for this program was gone and she still needs to complete her portfolio to graduate this semester.
All of the new “gadgets” that we are using are great and I find myself using them for other things as well.
August 28th, 2007 at 11:01 am
Very good point, many classes attempt to be learner centered but if students are given too many choices in their learning they many not reach certain standards by state mandated assesment times. I would love to alllow my students to have a lab to explore ANY science topic they want but they may not be looking at the information that will be on the state exam.
Does this mean that all classes must be strict and teacher driven? I think not. Just given the tools such as blogs students can much more readily exchange ideas and explore via the net many science ideas.
But I still think of the possibilities given game and simultaion technology could a virtual enviroment be produced that students could work as in the real world? I hope so then student based exploration learning may be available to many other students.
August 28th, 2007 at 11:23 am
I just finished reading “Learner Centered” and it makes me wonder what kind of options I have using blogs at my fingertips, or really at the fingertips of my students. Blogs provide opportunities for students to engage in discussions about some of the topics about subject matter I would like to see them discuss in a forum that is familar to most of them.
I, like most, have had my own personal horror stories with BlackBoard and sometimes I just don’t feel comfortable using. When typing on discussion boards, I can feel the gaze of Big Brother aka the adminstration bearing down on me given when the sweats and holding me back. However, with a blog I don’t have that problem and I am in an envrionment that allows me to say what I want without being censored. Not that I’m going to start shouting out obscure, irrational statements for changes in education, but I do have the freedom to propose change. While, Big Brother may still be watching me when I blog the distance between me and him is a little larger.
August 28th, 2007 at 11:39 am
I appreciate the opportunity to have such a tuned in connection with everyone. This time last week I wasn’t so thrilled about it. But, when it comes to communication in a distance education class, all I know is Bb. But I can now see how Bb falls short of what is possible.
I get how to blog and feed my gator, I just think that it is a lot of information to look at. Honestly, I don’t know if I will ever consider using these tools forever (sorry Lowell). It will be interesting to see if my view changes over the next 16 weeks. But, overall I’m excited about the skills I have already learned.
August 28th, 2007 at 10:51 pm
I just finished reading learner centered, I agree that the classroom is very teacher centered, but with some many students that seems to be the most productive way to teach. Again, the question of quality or quantity?
August 30th, 2007 at 12:10 pm
I have loved the tools you have had us investigate so far! The only problem with me is I suffer from ADD and all this input is causing my head to spin because I am jumping from one great idea to another great idea. I sometimes have to stop and take a moment and stop jumping! I work on the class and then get introduced to something that would be great in my own classroom and I jump from working on my assignments and begin working on things for my classroom and what usually happens is that I don’t get anything finished. VERY POOR ATTENTION SPAN!!!!!!
I do well in this type of learning environment because I am strictly a hands-on learner. I also like solving problems and that’s what this class has you do PROBLEM-SOLVE! It didn’t take me long to put the pieces together at the beginning of class as to how these tools worked together - but I would have never thought of it myself. I wished I had more time to investigate the wonderful resources available out in the “Internet World”!
September 2nd, 2007 at 11:14 am
I agree that these are wonderful toolos you have introduced us to and I plan to use them long after my classes are over. I will find ways to teach with them. But like Traci, I have undiagnosed ADD and I tend to run from one thing to another with much excitement and my head spins …. I also get off track from my focus on my grading and such. At this moment I have tests to grade…..
I agree that my classroom is teacher centered but I do listen to my students and sometimes we take time to discuss things they are interested in -as they branch out from our main study at the time. If they suggest something that is current in the world that has a connection with our subject. “Immigration” for example is in the news quite a bit, We take time to discuss their ideas and opinions. This would be a good place to start a blog discussion with them if it were available……What a thought….