Nov 06 2007
8-A-1 Big Shifts
Will Richardson’s Big Shift #3, “The Social, Collaborative Construction of Meaningful Knowledge” has probably had the most impact on my teaching practice so far. Through blogs, I have connected with at least one educator who offers collaboration with my students. When I design my lessons, I now think with the future in mind, imagining how the isolated work in a single classroom can become part of a greater picture. I believe that my students will help me design the future look of my classes because they will contribute ideas that are meaningful to them. They are well equipped to critique a project and tell me whether or not it makes sense as a learning tool; and they, no doubt, have ideas that have not occurred to me yet. I see myself moderating their ideas, defining parameters, keeping them on track and safe. In some instances, I will probably need to motivate and, in other cases, curb their enthusiasm so that they stay focused on “constructing meaningful knowledge.”
I cannot say that my views on social networking have changed as a result of this class; rather, my views have developed as a result of this class. I was unaware of how the Read/Write Web could be geared toward learning. Until recently, I utilized the Internet only to gather information and images or to send emails. With technology at my fingertips (literally), I now see the opportunity to utilize Web 2.0 tools as a two-way street toward the construction of learning communities.
big shift
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Deb, I identify with your statements that you now plan lessons with the future in mind and that your students will help design future classes. I find that this has been a huge shift for me in my classrooms. Web 2.0 has significantly changed the way I learn and the way I teach. I like it. I think my students like it. Are they learning more or less or the same? This I worry about. I’m going to go with idea that my students are learning differently. I think they need to learn differently than past generations.
I curious if you can put your finger on “things” you have done differently in the last few weeks than you might have done had you not been enrolled in this class? Just a question.
Lee Anne
Lee Anne, When I design my lessons now, I think about how different this could be if I had access to blogs and wikis. Instead of my kids all searching for the same information, I would have them investigate different aspects of the same topic and build a wiki from there. I would encourage them to add new and unexpected information that they came across that might update our textbooks or other websites.
Every time I have them design and perform a lab, I wonder who might be willing to partner with us and perform the same lab to test our plans and the reliability of our data when we compare it with theirs. I would love to have my students reciprocate by performing a lab for our partner school.
When I have to be out of the classroom, I envision using a podcast since none of our substitutes are science certified. My kids could just keep moving without me. They could also vodcast or create a wiki of the things they do to showcase to our middle school and elementary schools to stimulate interest in science.
I hope you sense my excitement, because I just can’t wait!!!