Digital Learning Day '14 at Hill Central NHPS School - what a great way to start the snow day!

Lesson Design and Examining Student Work

Reflections on the readings and "viewings" I did this week make me think of the STAR Review protocol in NHPS.  I have been reminded about the importance of teachers working together to examine student work to identify understandings and misconceptions.  I have also been reminded of how important it is for students to constantly be exposed to and examine their own work as a means of inspiring high quality work.  It is critical to develop a culture of critiquing for the sake of learning by nurturing respect, trust and community in our classes and schools.

Below is a Storify to document my journey this week.

Storify on Lesson Design and Examining Student Work

Is Cyberspace Activity Too Much Fun For Our Kids?

Here is a question from my Global Literacy Class ...

(Referring to Mastering Global Literacy, edited by Heidi Hays Jacobs, 2014)

William Kist wrote the third chapter of the book and made an interesting point on page 62. He says that some "Teachers seem to be guilt-ridden over what one might call the entertainment factor of these new media and worry that by opening up their school and dumb it down.  All this cyberspace activity is seen as too much fun for kids -- with not enough rigor."

How can we maintain rigor while helping teachers and students learn the global technology?

Are "rigor" and "fun" counter-intuitive in a global classroom?

Here is my response...

When William Kist refers to the "entertainment factor" which teachers and students may experience with new media I can connect with that factor.  It is an excitement about learning in a new and different way.  I remember experiencing it as a child and I first began to read National Geographic magazine.  I  experienced a deeper level of engagement because I could see and touch vivid photos form around the world.  I was "entertained" by content that was new and different from anything I knew.   I will think when we encounter something new it poses an opportunity to learn.  The more exposure to "newness" the more learning occurs.  Cyberspace activity can open many "knowledge doors" at a very quick rate.

When it comes to rigor, the buzzword of the day, I think that lies in the design of the lesson.  If learning plans are created skillfully than students will feel at times that they are "playing" online and at other times they will feel like they are being extremely thorough and performing demanding, difficult work.  I would envision a global classroom as a place where both "rigor" and "fun" occur side by side.  I see and experience many classrooms now where new media enhances, engages, and enamors the teachers and learners.

MOOCs pulling together others' Storify stories

This week I curated a Storify from my classmate's storifies on Massive Open Online Courses, or MOOCs.  Follow the link to learn about MOOCs.
MOOC's - One Big Story

What on earth is a MOOC ? Great Teachers Love to Learn

This week we are delving in deeper to understand more about a MOOC.  A MOOC is a Massive Online Open Course.  A MOOC is a "new" way of learning online.  A person can become a participant in a MOOC from anywhere in the world, on any type of computing device that has access to the internet.  Think of a MOOC as a course of study that has many resources pulled together in one place that you can read, view, and share/interact with others.  Here is a 4.26 minute video which gives an overview of a MOOC...

What is a MOOC?

How do MOOCs apply to teachers?  For the answer to that question please refer to the abstract and introduction in this publication. What Massive Open Online Courses Have to Offer K-12 Teachers and Students

As I reflect on how MOOCs come into play in the course I am taking at UNH I am thinking that participating in a MOOC is like walking into a library filled with thousands of resources about the particular content that I am studying.  It is better than the library that we all know because there is access to materials, peoples' feedback, opportunities to create and co-create, and connections with people, organizations, and teaching tools from all around the world...any time 24/7.

I see that MOOCs can extend learning and provide connections that have never been possible before.  As a person involved in professional development I envision a MOOC is a fantastic way to support teachers as they desire to improve their professional practice.  There are so very many opportunities right at a person's finger tips. The added convenience of professional development opportunities which can be utilized at one's own pace is also attractive.  The interactive nature of a MOOC allows for collegiality and collaboration, two aspects of professional development which are critical.

As I learn more about MOOCs in my studies I will share my reflections and perhaps someday we will all be a part of an "Over Fifty Teachers" MOOC.

Instructional Media and Technologies for Learning-From Micro to Macro

Today's Storify...

http://storify.com/jcrlearns/instructional-media-and-technologies-for-learning

SOMEHOW, THIS PHOTO IS BECOMING REPRESENTATIVE FOR ME OF THE CLASSIC 

"PIAGETIAN STRUGGLE" 

In my opinion it means that I am learning !

Thinglink

This is an excellent tutorial by my friend Nancy.