Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Time to Wonder: Lisa Highfill
As we embark on our Forward Learning program that places computers in 6th graders hands, I'm moved to ask WHY? Why has technology integration become a game changer in the classroom? Last night, while checking my Twitter feed, I came across a dynamic teacher that I have had an opportunity to learn from and be inspired by. In 13 minutes she answered WHY it's imperative that we invest in teachers to lead students through their educational journey. Not to mention, this shiny new tool may also spark a passion in us, as educators, to inspire the love of learning in others.
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Thanks for posting the video. There are many benefits to flip-the-classroom and 'Explore first' modalities of teaching. I have seen my own children have 'ah-ha' moments through 'explore first' ad-hoc experiments. This occurred in our garage when they decided to create an automaton after a great teacher introduced them to Hugo Cabret in fourth grade. Once they created it, one could have the discussion about 'the angel of incidence equals the angle of reflection' and other revelations. Indeed, I was inspired as a parent when I saw what transpired with the unscripted automaton experiment, just as this TED teacher was, and I made sure to let the Hugo Cabret teacher understand what a discovery these kids made after her inspirational workshop on this book and character.
ReplyDeleteThere are two pitfalls that should be avoided in the progression of educational methods, and some of this was referenced in this TED video as well. One is the consideration of individual and/or gender learning differences. Not everyone learns well in the chaos of exploration, nor with digital books that their fingers cannot flip through, nor with audio webcasts without visual effects (whiteboard).
Also, shiny new tools must not overwhelm what worked before (paper books, pencil and paper, etc.) to the extent that the benefits of either are no longer at their maximum. A blend of both for the greatest impact and effect is what we all want - not a replacement of one over the other if there are still benefits to either. Each of the methods and tools have their own benefits, including flexibility, inspiration, structure, cost, etc. A shiny new tool that puts someone in front of an electronic screen for hours rather than flipping pages in the breeze while sitting under a tree without a need for a battery charge is not always an improvement. The need to perform and submit homework over a network connection, when the student has an outside committed passion that keeps them at a dance studio, in a music studio, on a sports field, or in a car traveling to one of these extracurricular interests, is not necessarily an improvement in efficiency to today's learning methods.
These are just some things for all stakeholders to consider as decisions are made on our forward learning progress. Thank you for the post.