June 4, 2009 Edutopia webinar: "Engaging the Digital Generation: Insights from Kids, Teachers, and Parents"

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We argue that this moment in time is causing us to rethink literacy in the 21st century as extending beyond reading and writing to include new media literacies. Such a redefinition of literacy will have profound impact on how schools, families and community organizations work together and use the technological tools available to prepare youth for the world of today and tomorrow.

If we look at arguably the best education system in the world, the Finnish teachers pick books and customize lessons as they shape students to national standards. "In most countries, education feels like a car factory. In Finland, the teachers are the entrepreneurs," says Mr. Schleicher, of the Paris-based OECD, which began the international student test in 2000. Today we’re going to talk about how to teach today’s students. If you read books like Don Tapscott’s research Grown Up Digital, you’ll see that students like to customize their learning. There are many teachers who are connecting themselves to one another to create unique projects customized to the learning needs of their particular classroom.

I like to call this customization process “teacherpreneurship.” Let’s look at how this happened with the Flat Classroom project, the first project that truly launched my classroom into effective, global project based learning.

the technology misconception. Some people think that if they get an interactive white board and access to amazing tools that somehow that will transform their classroom. This thinking is wrong.

It is not about the technology!! We don’t teach blogging, wikis, podcasting for their sake, but for what they let us do. It is about what Technology lets you DO.

The Power of Technology is that it lets us unlock the potential of our students and create a rich environment where they can all be taught and reached.

My students were studying Thomas Friedman’s book The World is Flat, and I blogged about what they were saying on their private blogs. Julie Lindsay at the International School in Dhaka, Bangladesh, read the post and emailed me about having our students join together to study the trends like outsourcing and ubiquitous computing AND experience it. What emerged as one global collaboration has turned into

But once they learn the tools, I do not teach these tools again, but use them to instruct students on the CONTENT that I am teaching including computer science and advanced technological trend analysis, which requires higher order thinking. It is so, not about the tools. This leads us to..

Now, as I share what we’re doing, let’s make this a rich, collaborative learning experience – please share what you’re doing as I share about my classroom. In 8 th grade, the students start blogging in a private educational network using the Ning platform. This is a space for my students only and they learn how to be safe, how to embed items in their blog post and copyright as well as proper online behaviorAdditionally, they learn very rudimentary video production skills using their LogiTech Quickcams and Windows Movie maker as well as some about storyboarding.

***This is an istock photo – please replace it with another of your choosing.*** Students always make mistakes when first learning about online behavior, because most of them are self-taught. It is vital to take them in a safe place where they can make mistakes and to know that mistakes WILL Happen. Every single here has a policy equivalent in our student handbook, so when we have problems, we can deal with them properly. If you address the problems early and promptly, then you will not have many problems later. The vital practice here is that every student has their own unique id and password so they can be held accountable!

Now, Ning is only appropriate for upper middle and high school, so for younger students, I like to use think.com which is recommended by my friend Cheryl Oakes in Maine. Elementary schools use private tools (free) tools like think.com to create private spaces for students to network all over the world. Cheryl Oakes from Maine works with this school and tells me she has enjoyed think.com for some time.

In ninth grade, the students add to their abilities and learn to use the wiki – I have a wiki centric classroom and every course has a launch page on the wiki – the Google cal is embedded there. Also, if you paste hyperlinks into the description, the hyperlinks are live as well, but it has many more features as well. Additionally the students become very comfortable with google docs, etc. – but the wiki is essential because it unlocks the door to global collaboration and also the wikipedia model of editorship which is important for them to understand.

In ninth grade they build their personal learning network using an igoogle page and interacting with their cell phone. There is an article on edutopia called Building Your Digital Locker that you can view about how this PLN is constructed and evolves. For me and my students, my RSS reader includes so much more than just learning but life management – most of the things I use on the igoogle page sync with my iTouch (the non-telephone version of the iPhone) to make it easy to manage life!

In eighth grade the students are introduced to rudimentary movie making using the LogiTech Quickcams, Windows Movie Maker, and basic storyboards. Then, in ninth grade, students learn how to create audio files using audacity and more advanced video creation, scripting, and storyboarding using Pinnacle Studio. We use the curriculum from the American Film Institute which is available for free from their website.

So, the phases of flattening your classroom – or connecting your students to other students around the others is a simple progression. First, connect the students within your classroom. Then, connect students between classes within your school or district. This can easily be done at the elementary level in many of the safe sites. Then, you can progress to a managed global connection through a site like iEarn, ePals, or taking IT Global – the teacher is still managing the connection. But eventually, students need to connect and work WITH one another, and this is where most schools stop short. In Phase Four, which is like the Flat Classroom project – students work together but still have their teachers as the leaders. Finally, the highest level of global collaboration can be seen in the Horizon Project and NetGenEd projects where the students are on teams that are led by student project managers! Students literally graduate from high school saying they have managed a multi-national collaborative team!

This year, it was my goal to follow the leadership of educator Peggy Sheehy at Suffern Middle School who now has 6 islands in Second Life. My students and I used a much lower cost alternative called OpenSim and have islands through ReactionGrid – OpenSim can create a virtual world and be installed on a server AT your school – plus, it is FREE. It is still in the beginning phases, but is a great way to build rich learning environments. In the fall, our newest project, Eracism will have students reconstructing the apartment from the Diary of Anne Frank on ReactionGrid. Very exciting.

Several other Projects that now run 3 times a year – Digiteen, studying Digital Citizenshp with middle schoolers and ninth graders and Flat Classroom. IN the spring we run the Horizon Project, which we renamed NetGenEd to work with Don Tapscott and the students study emerging trends in education along with the research on their generation and learning. As a result of these projects,

**This is an istock photo! Because every student learns differently. They are unique and multifaceted and want to customize their learning environment!

In Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences, we learn that there are a variety of learning styles. Remember that the more learning styles that you harness, the better students learn – because none of us are all of these styles at once! Now, we’re not going to have time to go through in detail about the various tools we’ve mentioned, but let’s just scroll through two examples I’ve given you today.

The Ning can be used to address all types of learners by allowing multiple modes of expression including: writing, audio files, photography, video, the use of forums, and links to reading assignments, as well as the potential to debate. By giving students assignments and allowing them to complete it in the format that they feel comfortable, you can see what the student truly understands, versus being limited by a student’s ability to express themselves in that medium. Let’s look at another example on an elementary level.

Voicethread is a popular site for elementary students and allows you to post photographs and have students either post a recording or type text as to their responses. Students who do not yet have the ability to express themselves in written format can easily use this site to record their thoughts, or even make an efolio online! When working with technology – focus on what it let’s you do – make sure you’re reaching all of the student learning styles.

Virginia

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June 4, 2009 Edutopia webinar: "Engaging the Digital Generation: Insights from Kids, Teachers, and Parents" - Presentation Transcript

ENGAGING THE DIGITAL GENERATION Insights from Kids, Teachers, and Parents Webinar ID: 837-901-689 | Dial-in: (916) 233-3087 | Code: 154-139-249
WEBINAR PROTOCOLS THE GEORGE LUCAS EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION | WHAT WORKS IN PUBLIC EDUCATION | EDUTOPIA.ORG
- AUDIO
- USEFUL INFO
- Q & A
- Recordings
- Problems?
NICHOLE PINKARD THE GEORGE LUCAS EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION | WHAT WORKS IN PUBLIC EDUCATION | EDUTOPIA.ORG
Preparing Youth To Become Productive and Engaged Citizens In the Year 2015 and Beyond
Invented Post 1991 2007 2005 2003 2001 1998 1996 1991 2005 WiMAX Smart phone
Print Oral Modes of Teaching and Learning Cinema Graphics Games Multimedia Simulations
Rethink Core Assumptions about Learning What should we learn? How should we learn? Where does learning take place? How should we demonstrate what we have learned? Who are our learning partners?
- Learning opportunities no longer geographically bound
- School as a node in a student’s learning portfolio
THE GEORGE LUCAS EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION | WHAT WORKS IN PUBLIC EDUCATION | EDUTOPIA.ORG SCOOP JACKSON Jalen’s father
THE GEORGE LUCAS EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION | WHAT WORKS IN PUBLIC EDUCATION | EDUTOPIA.ORG VICKI DAVIS
flickr.com/photos/prittibaby/477057343
X My Class Framework
Accountability: Every student has their own ID!
http://westwood.wikispaces.com/2008_2009_A_notes
4. Create Audio 5. Create Video
6. Collaborate Globally Flattening your classroom
08/07/09 Every student learns differently !
THE GEORGE LUCAS EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION | WHAT WORKS IN PUBLIC EDUCATION | EDUTOPIA.ORG VIRGINIA
- Submit your questions on the June Webinar discussion page: edutopia.org/webinar-discussion-june-2009.
- We will choose the most common questions to address.
- For all unanswered questions, we encourage you to continue the conversation after the webinar on the discussion page above .
THE GEORGE LUCAS EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION | WHAT WORKS IN PUBLIC EDUCATION | EDUTOPIA.ORG Q & A
- To contact or find out more about Nichole Pinkard, visit the Digital Youth Network, at iremix.org .
- To contact or find out more about Vicki Davis, visit her blog at coolcatteacher.blogspot.com .
- To continue the discussion online, visit edutopia.org/webinar-discussion-june-2009 .
THE GEORGE LUCAS EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION | WHAT WORKS IN PUBLIC EDUCATION | EDUTOPIA.ORG CONTACT INFORMATION
- Let us know what you think by filling out the survey.
- If you know other educators who would like to be a part of Edutopia , refer them to edutopia.org/join .
- Stay tuned for our upcoming webinar in August about education grant writing.
THE GEORGE LUCAS EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION | WHAT WORKS IN PUBLIC EDUCATION | EDUTOPIA.ORG THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING