Module 1

While viewing the video Pay Attention, I initially felt a huge sense of guilt. I know that my students are digital learners. On a daily basis they share stories about using technology to talk with their family and friends, make videos, practice reading and writing, play games, watch movies and do so many other things that help them develop their digital literacy skills. I would love to use their prior knowledge, build on it and allow them to explore using devices that engage them in their learning. However, I feel as though when they come through the school doors, they have to "power down". They can no longer use their digital literacy skills because our school is lacking technology. We currently have 21 working netbooks (many of those have keys and buttons missing, don't connect to the internet or cannot hold a charge) and 8 iPads. Being in a very large school with 500 students and 21 classes, our scheduled computer time is very limited to one hour per week. One hour per week with devices that don't function properly makes for a very chaotic afternoon.

Key points for me in the article:

• Education standards have changed
• 21st century learning lacks professional development 
• Collaborative learning is key
• Standardized testing does not support 21st century learning

Pay Attention

The article Comparing Frameworks for "21st Century Skills" written by Chris Dede focuses on the idea that learning has evolved tremendously from the 20th to the 21st century. While reading the article, the first thing that came to mind for me was the constructivist approach. Within our schools, the most recent explorations and student-centered teaching practices that are being promoted with regards to reconstructing education relate back to theories that were created over one hundred years ago. These practices reflect the work of theorists such as John Dewey and Paulo Freire. Dewey and Freire focused on student-centered learning in hands on learning environments. Teachers are taking on the role of a facilitator, allowing students to use an inquiry-based approach to explore and think critically. This model focuses on developing literacy among our students. Using the constructivist approach and integrating technology as referred to by Dede would allow students to take their learning to the next level. 

  

This article made me think back to a video I had seen previously by Chris Dede called Mindshift: Chris Dede on Cyberlearning and Games. Personally, I think the most valuable message within this video is that a virtual world combined with a skilled teacher can provide a very enriched learning experience for students.