Tag: change

Learning from the Pencil

Photo by David Pennington on Unsplash

What:

Albert Einstein says “I never teach my pupils. I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they learn” (source). Educators consistently complete the same repetitive cycle every year becoming comfortable with their process and fearing change. I often say it’s a rinse and repeat process because everything is exactly the same this school year as it was last school year and the year before that and the year before that, etc. Getting a solid plan for your classroom is not a bad thing, however, teaching the exact same content the exact way for five or even twenty years is not providing the best conditions for students to learn. 

Why: 

Think of the pencil. At one point in history, the pencil was emerging technology. Pencils themselves date back to 1564 but William Monroe made America’s first pencil in 1812 (source). Until this point in history, chalk was mainly used in the classroom. Educators at this point in history had to embrace this new technology and change their teaching methods in order to accept this new tool (source). Since then, emerging tools have allowed the classroom to change drastically including the introduction of ballpoint pens, whiteboards, overhead projectors, projectors, desktop computers, smartboards, laptops, and finally tablets. This is definitely not an exhaustive list but hits the high points of emerging technology in the last one hundred years. 

Dr. Micah Shippee talks about this in his book, WanderlustEDU. His call to action is that education is a journey and educators must not fear innovation or change but should openly accept change and should create an environment that is conducive to the learners they currently have in their classrooms. 

Can you imagine if educators refused to accept the pencil? The same is true for classrooms today. Educators should not fear change but should welcome new tools into their classrooms. I do not mean educators should accept every single technology tool that is a trend for the moment. I mean that educators should be open to and accept new methods of teaching and new technology tools that have been researched and proven to work successfully. For more information on this concept, check out Dr. Shippee’s book WadnerlustEDU: an educator’s guide to innovation, change, and adventure. 

Next Steps

Interested in learning more? Check out the websites below for great information. 

References:

All sourced information is hyperlinked as applicable above. 

TLDR (too long didn’t read):

Albert Einstein says “I never teach my pupils. I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they learn” (source). Educators consistently complete the same repetitive cycle every year becoming comfortable with their process and fearing change. I often say it’s a rinse and repeat process because everything is exactly the same this school year as it was last school year and the year before that and the year before that, etc. Getting a solid plan for your classroom is not a bad thing, however, teaching the exact same content the exact way for five or even twenty years is not providing the best conditions for students to learn. 

@hollandkaylah

A New Paradigm for Education from Sir Ken Robinson

Ken RobinsonSir Ken Robinson suggests that education needs to be reformed and offers a new metaphor to help guide the change process. He taps into many of the things that educators have been noticing and “feeling” about schooling. As he often does, he clearly articulates these ideas and offers strategies for moving forward.

Take a listen to Sir Ken’s message (6 minutes) and share your reactions in the comments section.

Facebook Considers Giving Access to Kids under 13 (Video)

“Facebook is working on new technology that would let young children use the social network without having to lie about their age, reports the Wall Street Journal. Facebook currently doesn’t allow users under the age of 13, though many sign-up anyways — last year Consumer Reports said that 7.5 million of Facebook’s users were 13 or younger, including five million under the age of 10. The proposed technology wouldn’t create a separate version of the network for these users, but instead would put in place features that give parents control over their child’s online experience. A child’s account would be connected to their parent’s, for instance, and tools would be put in place to manage who can be added as a friend and what apps and games are used” (Source).

Note that the WSJ is reporting that Facebook is exploring this. It is a multifaceted issue involving Facebook policies and governmental regulations. We will have to see how this unfolds. The following video provides a broad overview about this issue.

 

Image Source: Smosh.com

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Bring on the Learning Revolution!

“In this poignant, funny follow-up to his fabled 2006 talk, Sir Ken Robinson makes the case for a radical shift from standardized schools to personalized learning — creating conditions where kids’ natural talents can flourish.

Creativity expert Sir Ken Robinson challenges the way we’re educating our children. He champions a radical rethink of our school systems, to cultivate creativity and acknowledge multiple types of intelligence.” (Source)

“Very many people go through their whole lives having no real sense of what their talents may be, or if they have any to speak of.” — Sir Ken Robinson

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What Lies Ahead?

New Ideas Come through Conversations

We’re living in exciting times! It’s still the (late) dawn of a new century. Innovation and scientific discovery abound. Digital technologies are changing the way we work, play and stay connected. The business world is evolving and there’s the potential for positive transformation in education. This is not a new conversation. It has previously been brought to light by Karl Fish, Clay Shirky, Clayton Christensen, and others. The following video is based on Charles Leadbeater‘s book, We-Think: Mass Innovation, Not Mass Production, in which he explores the potential impact of the Internet. Watch this 4 minute video and then let’s discuss it a bit.

Here are a few phrases from the video that I like.

  • “The audience is taking the stage.” What a picturesque (Ooh, good word!) way to describe the whole 2.0 thing.
  • “Mass innovation comes from communities…it’s like building a bird’s nest where everyone leaves their piece.”
  • “Equality because knowledge can be set free to help people who need it but cannot pay.” Isn’t this a paradigm shift?! (I know, I don’t like using that phrase, either…but it is!)
  • “Freedom because more people will know what it’s like to be creative.” This one hits me right between the eyes. I started this blog to share resources and interact with K-12 teachers. I had no idea just how right-brain this would be. It has become a creative outlet in some ways.
  • “In the past you were what you owned. Now you are what you share…How do we earn a living when everyone is freely sharing their ideas?” Are the freeconomists right?

Here are a few side thoughts.

  • Video is emerging as a dominate form of communication and whole new language and literacy are evolving right before our eyes. The graphic design and music selections used in this presentation wouldn’t have been my first (or second or third) choice but they work well. Of course, the pacing was key.
  • The technological, scientific, economic, political and medical predictions for 2009 are intriguing, but none of us know what really lies ahead in the years to come. It all just reminds me that the future is truly full of potential.

So, what do YOU think? Please share your thoughts and reactions in the comments. Remember that you can also leave audio and video comments, too.