Comments on: What Are We Doing? http://durandus.com/phaedrus/2007/11/03/what-are-we-doing/ Technology is neither the problem nor the solution. Wed, 7 Jan 2009 16:26:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Jeff http://durandus.com/phaedrus/2007/11/03/what-are-we-doing/#comment-7801 Jeff Mon, 05 Nov 2007 02:14:11 +0000 http://durandus.com/phaedrus/2007/11/03/what-are-we-doing/#comment-7801 My chemistry classes are blogging to do their outside reading assignments as well as for discussion of homework. They have responded well to the idea and there a lot of helping one another with concepts or problems they don't understand. I monitor all their blogs with my gator and give feedback as necessary, but pretty much let the go at it on their own for the most part. Next semester, I am going to start adding extra credit discussions and discussions of what is coming up in the classroom so they can be better prepared. Not all my students are blogging, primarily my honors courses this year, but I plan to add my other classes next year. My chemistry classes are blogging to do their outside reading assignments as well as for discussion of homework. They have responded well to the idea and there a lot of helping one another with concepts or problems they don’t understand. I monitor all their blogs with my gator and give feedback as necessary, but pretty much let the go at it on their own for the most part. Next semester, I am going to start adding extra credit discussions and discussions of what is coming up in the classroom so they can be better prepared. Not all my students are blogging, primarily my honors courses this year, but I plan to add my other classes next year.

]]> By: lowell http://durandus.com/phaedrus/2007/11/03/what-are-we-doing/#comment-7780 lowell Sun, 04 Nov 2007 19:20:17 +0000 http://durandus.com/phaedrus/2007/11/03/what-are-we-doing/#comment-7780 Excellent news!! Most schools in the nation block blogs, blog services, and anything relating to it, so you're blessed to be in one of the few that allows it! That's *really* good news. Excellent news!!

Most schools in the nation block blogs, blog services, and anything relating to it, so you’re blessed to be in one of the few that allows it!

That’s *really* good news.

]]> By: Traci Prater http://durandus.com/phaedrus/2007/11/03/what-are-we-doing/#comment-7779 Traci Prater Sun, 04 Nov 2007 19:03:41 +0000 http://durandus.com/phaedrus/2007/11/03/what-are-we-doing/#comment-7779 I would like to make reference to your statement above: The probability is very high that few of you will ever be allowed — and I use that term deliberately — to do much of what we’ve talked about in terms of distance education using online tools and affordances with your K-12 classes. Don't sell the program and the class that short because it just so happens that one doesn't neet a lot of funding to implement blogs! For example, my high school students have just recently taught several 4th graders how to set up their own blog along with a "gator" for the purpose of teaching other 4th graders at two other schools in our county which all three schools will be consolidated next year. The students will be utilizing the blogs and the gators for the purpose of sharing thoughts and ideas about the new school along with becoming the teacher of new found technology! I don't know about all the others in this class but I "ALWAYS" try to implement new concepts that are presented to me! I feel I would be a failure as an educator if I didn't! I would like to make reference to your statement above: The probability is very high that few of you will ever be allowed — and I use that term deliberately — to do much of what we’ve talked about in terms of distance education using online tools and affordances with your K-12 classes. Don’t sell the program and the class that short because it just so happens that one doesn’t neet a lot of funding to implement blogs! For example, my high school students have just recently taught several 4th graders how to set up their own blog along with a “gator” for the purpose of teaching other 4th graders at two other schools in our county which all three schools will be consolidated next year. The students will be utilizing the blogs and the gators for the purpose of sharing thoughts and ideas about the new school along with becoming the teacher of new found technology! I don’t know about all the others in this class but I “ALWAYS” try to implement new concepts that are presented to me! I feel I would be a failure as an educator if I didn’t!

]]> By: Tippi http://durandus.com/phaedrus/2007/11/03/what-are-we-doing/#comment-7761 Tippi Sun, 04 Nov 2007 13:51:09 +0000 http://durandus.com/phaedrus/2007/11/03/what-are-we-doing/#comment-7761 I too, am getting everything I expected out of this course. In most classess I expect my views and opinions to be challenged. I enjoy questioning what I believe, this is where my love of arguing comes into play. We learn from each other when we debate our opinions whether we will ever change our opinion later is irrelevant. Arguing will either strengthen the opinion you already have or it will make you question that opinion to the point of reevaluating, and changing that opinion. Sometimes are views are simple-minded because of our lack of exposure, this exposure at least allows us to form a more educated opinion. I too, am getting everything I expected out of this course. In most classess I expect my views and opinions to be challenged. I enjoy questioning what I believe, this is where my love of arguing comes into play. We learn from each other when we debate our opinions whether we will ever change our opinion later is irrelevant. Arguing will either strengthen the opinion you already have or it will make you question that opinion to the point of reevaluating, and changing that opinion. Sometimes are views are simple-minded because of our lack of exposure, this exposure at least allows us to form a more educated opinion.

]]> By: lowell http://durandus.com/phaedrus/2007/11/03/what-are-we-doing/#comment-7715 lowell Sat, 03 Nov 2007 17:35:24 +0000 http://durandus.com/phaedrus/2007/11/03/what-are-we-doing/#comment-7715 Well, and I'm not sure it should. Remember that I believe teaching is an artform. With that kinda perspective NO artist can have somebody else tell him or her how to paint a painting. The *best* we can do is show ya how paint works in relation to the brush and canvas. The application of the paint is the point ... but it's something the artist needs to do for him/herself. Well, and I’m not sure it should. Remember that I believe teaching is an artform. With that kinda perspective NO artist can have somebody else tell him or her how to paint a painting. The *best* we can do is show ya how paint works in relation to the brush and canvas. The application of the paint is the point … but it’s something the artist needs to do for him/herself.

]]> By: Roxanne Johnson http://durandus.com/phaedrus/2007/11/03/what-are-we-doing/#comment-7708 Roxanne Johnson Sat, 03 Nov 2007 15:36:56 +0000 http://durandus.com/phaedrus/2007/11/03/what-are-we-doing/#comment-7708 If it makes you feel any better, I haven't been dissappointed in this class at all. Frankly, most of the education classes I've had (and I'm working on my second masters in ed) have been in principles rather than practices. I guess I've just come to expect that the purpose of universities is to present us with the framework for understanding how all this stuff comes about and then leave us to implement it. And I think that is probably for the best. I'm sure most people in this class would agree that college faculty for the most part have no idea of what goes on in k12 classrooms and are ill prepared to tell us how to use any of the stuff they teach us. While it would be nice for someone to lay out a step-by-step map, it just isn't going to happen in a college class. If it makes you feel any better, I haven’t been dissappointed in this class at all. Frankly, most of the education classes I’ve had (and I’m working on my second masters in ed) have been in principles rather than practices. I guess I’ve just come to expect that the purpose of universities is to present us with the framework for understanding how all this stuff comes about and then leave us to implement it. And I think that is probably for the best. I’m sure most people in this class would agree that college faculty for the most part have no idea of what goes on in k12 classrooms and are ill prepared to tell us how to use any of the stuff they teach us. While it would be nice for someone to lay out a step-by-step map, it just isn’t going to happen in a college class.

]]> By: Joe McConda http://durandus.com/phaedrus/2007/11/03/what-are-we-doing/#comment-7706 Joe McConda Sat, 03 Nov 2007 14:58:40 +0000 http://durandus.com/phaedrus/2007/11/03/what-are-we-doing/#comment-7706 Granted, this class has been a lot of work. I think I'm probably out of the loop, though, as far as wanting there to be the application. I have felt all through the semester that, since I don't teach in normal situation and don't have access to technology at all, that I sort of have to imagine what it would be like to use these tools in a classroom. I can draw a little from my limited experience in public school, but not much. I have, however, thought the reading and thinking have been very good for me. This is probably why I haven't pushed too much for more direction. I did, by the way, read the syllabus, but that was what seems like very long ago and I have not gone back to it except to read about the final project. Just trying to stay afloat week to week has been more than enough for me. Oh, and thanks for balking on the research paper! I have written enough of those....and never felt like I did a good job of doing anything but reporting other people's ideas. Granted, this class has been a lot of work. I think I’m probably out of the loop, though, as far as wanting there to be the application. I have felt all through the semester that, since I don’t teach in normal situation and don’t have access to technology at all, that I sort of have to imagine what it would be like to use these tools in a classroom. I can draw a little from my limited experience in public school, but not much. I have, however, thought the reading and thinking have been very good for me. This is probably why I haven’t pushed too much for more direction. I did, by the way, read the syllabus, but that was what seems like very long ago and I have not gone back to it except to read about the final project. Just trying to stay afloat week to week has been more than enough for me. Oh, and thanks for balking on the research paper! I have written enough of those….and never felt like I did a good job of doing anything but reporting other people’s ideas.

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