Thing 2 – Thoughts about Web 2.0

I am not a “digital native,” though I consider myself to be a fairly early adapter.  And I am not intimidated by the technology itself.  But I have to admit that after reading David Warlick’s article, I was a bit overwhelmed.  If technology is employed in the ways he suggests, then I can see how Web 2.0 will not only be the Future of Education, but the future of humanity.

I know that sounds overly dramatic.  But if you think about it, Web 2.0 is all about making connections.  Connections with people who might share similar interests and goals.  Or with people who have differing opinions.  These connections are forged in a manner that at first seems distant and disconnected.  But it seems to me connecting without concern for distance, physical appearance, class status, etc. can be somewhat liberating.  If done conscientiously, it could allow folks to cut through the superficial and engage in open and honest sharing of ideas, thoughts, and opinions.  Folks would be forced to think about how to effectively communicate ideas in real time with the written or even spoken word, to others around the world who may or may not share their point of view.  Ideally, this could lead to greater understanding between those who might, at first glance, seem to have nothing in common.  I know that this sounds a bit naive, but I do think that if we as educators can engage our children in this practice early we might be able to set them on a more constructive path.

I have seen this most recently in my participation in a project created by Kim Cofino, a 21st Century Literacy Specialist at the International School Bangkok in Thailand.  She and her team created a project for 5th graders around the world to share their thoughts about moving up to 6th grade.  Using www.voicethread.com, she encouraged students from schools around the world to record and add their comments to a slideshow that asked three questions; what they were excited about, what they are anxious about, and what they all might have in common.  My fifth grade students were excited to add their thoughts, and were pleased to see that they had many things in common with students half way around the world.  It is my hope, that with continued practice, my students might start to look first at what they have in common with these children in Thailand, rather than look for their differences.

Thing 1 – Reflections on Lifelong Learning

This summer issues in a new chapter for me as a lifelong learner, because in addition to taking this course I am planning to start a Masters in Teaching program as well.  I have not been a student in the traditional sense since the spring of 1992, and at the time the only end I had in mind was walking down the Lawn to receive the piece of paper that said I was finished with school.  And while I learned many things about myself and about life in general, academically I did not practice (m) any of the habits of a lifelong learner while in college.  So, I see this course, and my Masters program, as a chance to prove to myself that I can be an effective academic learner.

That being said, I do recognize that I have been an enthusiastic lifelong learner throughout my professional life.  As a technology teacher, I find myself comfortable with both teaching and technology though I have no formal training in either field.  I realize now that my “training” in both areas has come through employing many of the seven and a half habits of highly effective lifelong learners, consciously or unconsciously, along my career path.

And so, while I am somewhat ambivalent about this new adventure, these are the things I know about myself as a lifelong learner:

• It is OK if I do not have an exact end in mind.  This helps me to take in every new idea without filtering against a specific goal.
• If I am to take responsibility for my own learning, I will need to become more disciplined with my time.  This might be a bit of an issue with me, so I will really need to work at creating a schedule that I can stick with.
• I like challenges!
• Confidence comes in waves.
• I have all kinds of learning tools, but I will need to come up with a system that enables me use them most effectively for my learning style.
• I embrace technology, but I can easily become distracted by the shiny, design-y things that I can do with technology.  I need to find the right balance between what advances my learning and what I am doing just to make it “look good.”
• My “end” for both this course and my Masters program is mostly about teaching or mentoring others.
• I get “playing” from the technology standpoint.  But, I am not sure how to incorporate Play in the Masters program.  I smell a challenge!

So, I think I AM ready to jump in to this new adventure, feet first!