Who's Vision of Effective Teaching?

As Educators, we strive to be Effective.  And maybe we have been effective.  Hopefully we still are...

 

Photo Courtesy of cybrarian77 via Flickr Creative Commons

 



Certainly there is always room to improve.  Or perhaps our years of experience have seasoned us so that we think there is little we need to change.

Who's vison of effective teaching are we modeling? 

 

Are we modeling antiquated methods or have we accepted and implemented change? 

As educators of "Digital Students" (Shelly, G., Gunter, G. and Gunter, R., 2012 p. 15), we must re-evaluate our teaching strategies.

For more info, check out this video (by Blackboard and JESS3) found on Scott McLeod's Dangerously Irrelevant site (also on YouTube) called:

"The Voice of the Active Learner"

Retrieved September 18, 2012 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZ5Vy9BgSeY

Are we keeping up with the "digital natives?" (Blackboard video)  What strategies can we use to further engage them?

What makes us hesitant to change?  Are we afraid to fully switch over to digital templates? Is it even necessary to do away with methods we believe have been effective for years?  How can we incorporate technology and also hang onto "lost arts," like even pen & paper? 

How do educators achieve a balance of methods while integrating technology? 

  The goal is to build upon previous methods of effective teaching. 

 Integrating technology is part of the evolution of effective teaching. 

Check out the Teaching Channel's webpage to watch a video about how a 37-year veteran teacher in Finland incorporates and balances technology in her classroom.  Essentially, the story is about how technology can further the learning--and the learning network--of any subject.

Finland: Discovery through Technology

https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/discovery-through-technology?fd=1

 

Retrieved September 18, 2012 from https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/discovery-through-technology?fd=1 

The students in the video are active, engaged in learning, and they use technology alongside many other meaningful tasks.  

Ok, well... what about Internet Safety?  With how often digital learners are connected to the web, how can we effectively teach and encourage students to navigate the internet safely, and independently?

This is a great resource from the Teaching Channel's website.  Perhaps it may be appropriate and necessary to incorporate this type of lesson:  

 

Online Talk: What's Safe and What's Risky?
https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/safe-online-use-for-students
 

Retrieved September 18, 2012 from https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/safe-online-use-for-students

 

The teacher chooses an interactive, true-to-scenario lesson about interet safety.  The students clearly are engaged because they identify the material/discussion as completely relevant and useful to their lives.  There are many effective and simple ways to confront the "risks" or "issues" that may keep educators hesitant to fully embrace and validate the use of technologies in the classroom.

 

For more information, visit https://www.teachingchannel.org/ and click on "Digital Literacy"  

 

Need more?  Check out the video "Collaborative Digital Presentations Enrich Projects" from Tech2Tech Learning Series found at  www.edutopia.org

 

Retrieved September 19, 2012 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzCQH58Bwpo

 

For now, happy clicking! 

 

 

References:

 

Blackboard. (2012). Retrieved September 18, 2012 from blog.blackboard.com

 

Edutopia.  (2012). Retrieved September 19, 2012 from http://www.edutopia.org/tech-to-learn-collaborative-digital-presentations-video

 

Flickr. (2012). Retrieved September 18, 2012 from http://www.flickr.com/photos/cybrarian77/6284697172/

 

McLeod, Scott. (2012). Dangerously Irrelevant. Retrieved September 18, 2012 from http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/

 

Shelly, G., Gunter, G., Gunter, R. (2012). Teachers Discovering Computers: Integrating Technology in a Connected World (7th ed.). Boston, MA: Course Technology, Cengage Learning.

 

Teaching Channel. (2012).  Retrieved September 18, 2012 from https://www.teachingchannel.org/

 

You Tube. (2012).  Retrieved September 18, 2012 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZ5Vy9BgSeY

 

 

Fast Times, No Teachers Standing By!

 

Think quick--speedy--instantaneous:  21st Century students' minds are geared for rapid-fire.


 



Photo Courtesy of Brad Flickinger via Flickr Creative Commons 

Digital Students are:

 "hypercommunicators...multitaskers...goal oriented"

   (Shelly, G., Gunter, G., and Gunter R. 2012 p. 14). 

  

Whether it's the subject matter or the internet speed,
 

 "It's got to be fast!" (Pearson Education video)

 Check out the following video I found on Scott McLeod's Dangerously Irrelevant site:

 A Serious Talk: Kids Demand Next-Generation Learning

 

 Retrieved September 10, 2012 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0pZE8WW_Ro

 

 Some say technological advances provide for instant gratification...a negative with children?

  Any way you look at it, students are digital learners, and they are ready to move on.

Are you?

 

    As the following video from Michael Pershan explains, effective teaching in America cannot solely rely on students "watching" the teacher and then "practicing" the methods on their own.

 

 



Retrieved September 10, 2012 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHoXRvGTtAQ 

 

Although Pershan's clip is about teaching math, it poses these questions: 

 

Are we modeling the most effective teaching strategies in our country?

and

What can we use to become more effective educators?

   

 

A SOLUTION through TECHNOLOGY

 

  Communications.  Networking.  The Web. 

Utilizing Technologies and Integrating these resources into the classroom.

 

Networked Resources 

 

 

Integrating these technologies into the classroom affords

• more student interaction
• more collaboration
• infinite sources of "unlimited educational information" (Shelly et al 2012 p. 54)
• real learning experiences
• a genuine applicability to everyday, familiar life that will "enhance student learning" (Shelly et al 2012 p. 54).

Photo Courtesy of San Jose Library via Flickr Creative Commons

 

We can aim to become the classroom's Digital Concierge: 

• provide learning opportunities through technology to "capture students' attention, eliminate boredom, and...arouse natural curiosity" (Shelly et al 2012 p. 23). 
• Foster students' motivation to learn by making them "...feel that learning is relevant or important to their lives" (Shelly et al 2012 p. 23).  And these days, computers are relevant, familiar, and important to students' lives.

 

So, about instant gratification:  Shouldn't we stop saying kids need to learn to wait? ...when really, students can't wait to learn!

 
 
 
 
 
References:
 
Flickr. (2012). Retrieved September 11, 2012 from
      http://www.flickr.com/photos/sanjoselibrary/3887312861/
 
Flickr. (2012). Retrieved September 11, 2012 from
 
     http://www.flickr.com/photos/56155476@N08/6660001925/
  
McLeod, Scott. (2012).  Dangerously Irrelevant.  Retrieved September 10, 2012
    
     from  http://www.dangerouslyirrelevant.org/
 
Shelly, G., Gunter, G., Gunter, R. (2012). Teachers Discovering Computers: Integrating  
     Technology in a Connected World (7^th ed.). Boston, MA: Course Technology, Cengage             Learning.
You Tube. (2012).  Retrieved September 10, 2012 from http://www.youtube.com/watch? 
    
     v=CHoXRvGTtAQ
 
You Tube. (2012). Retrieved September 10, 2012 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?
    
     v=v0pZE8WW_Ro
 
 

Be inspired to teach your kids better online searching skills

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9yZco8bwI8&feature=youtube_gdata

"11 Real Ways Technology is Affeting Education Right Now"

http://edudemic.com/2012/08/new-study-finds-11-real-ways-technology-is-affecting-education-right-now/

Journal 1

Well...in response to the video Iowa: Did You Know?

No I did not know the statistics in education were that bad!  AHHHH.  I just finished reading how surprisingly good the American educational system is doing in Best Practice. Ok yes but obviously improvements are there to be made.

In response to the question posed by McLeod's "Iowa" video: "Are we doing what is best for our students, or are we doing what is most convenient for us?"

The answer is absolutely what is convenient for us.  There is a serious Catch-22 in the educational system:  it is a profession that should have the highest-qualified professionals/ relay amazing results in educational gains and yet it somehow is undeniably over-populated with mediocre teachers who (for a plethora of reasons) have stopped learning, have quit educating themselves and are just cranking out the basics, the conveniences, the antiquated methods.  Uninspired.  Ineffective.

We've all heard the reasons.  We've heard colleagues say these things.  Let's start with a few:  there's enough work as it is for a teacher to do to learn and incorporate new concepts.  Just teach the kids the basics--that turned out fine for us, didn't it?  Well the kids will have to learn at some point that they can't always do what's fun. 

But as the Iowa video points out, the world has changed...and will continue at astonishing speeds!  Surely a classroom model that could substitue in 1890 should not work today!

I must point to Karl Fisch's comment on http://www.dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2007/05/well_whats_your.html and agree that for the most part, teachers have good intentions!  However, if you stop educating yourself on the many aspects of being an educator, good intentions aren't enough! 

By the way, isn't it Fisch's original "Iowa" video that he presented at his staff meeting the catalyst for this demonstration?

Educators should be on the cutting edge of their profession; you wouldn't trust a foot surgeon who wasn't up to date in his practice (reference the 1995 Tampa incident).  Why should teachers be forgiven continuing education and professional improvement?  Our job is supposed to be one of the most important in the country--how can we believe it is with such low competency standards?

So what do we do?  Begin by being the example of professionalism and knowledge at your school.  Attitudes are contagious and if we want to move our schools forward, it starts with us.  Who knows, maybe 100 years from now, educators will be very highly regarded.  Or maybe if we are ineffective, a computer will replace us.