In the spirit of design, we chose an interesting and colorful template to display our reflections.
With the advent of portable devices with GPS, a compass, and a network, we can now design a layer on top of the real world that can contain all kinds of new information, ideas, and experiences. This is called augmented reality. Click on this podcast link to hear more about RJDJ. This design may fulfill the desires of some, according to Pea, but Rogers may have some concerns about the diffusion rate of this new space and new reality.
Phil Tietjen says
Okay, “game on!” 😉 This is just far too creative 🙂 Nice work team-Tiger.
Where you write about risk (The challenge with new designs in education is that they must align …), it seems to me that that sets a pretty high bar for most schools to surmount. Do you think it’s feasible? It seems to me that now might be the time for schools to consider that little risk might not be a luxury they can afford. It seems like there might be some situations where a lot of risk might be required. And I’m not necessarily speaking of financial risk (e.g., investment in software), I’m thinking also in terms of philosophical, ideological, or pedagogical risk. I’m sure we’ve all read the headlines about the need for schools to adapt educational contexts to 21st century realities. To do this requires more than shiny, new tools. It requires a shift in thinking, about shifting long-held definitions of how we define the role of the teacher and student. In addition to teachers re-thinking these definitions, I think similar emphasis needs to be placed in helping students making this transition(s). As we’ve talked about in class already, just because they can use Facebook and text, doesn’t mean they’re well prepared for successfully engaging in these new learning landscapes.
MJ says
No game-on necessary. Thanks for the compliment, but it’s no “better” than your synthesizing of the two articles. You’re a deep thinker, Phil, and I expect to learn good things from you. Glad to be able to hang with you for another semester.
JULIE FREAR SCHAPPE says
Great design Tigers –
Consider Rogers’ discussion surrounding the spread of innovation among reluctant populations. How then do we bring about innovation in entrenched populations like schools where existing practices are the QWERTY keyboards of their identity?
Certainly, not all schools lack innovation. However, to what extent do you think technology is used in the manner of distributed intelligences that place the learner in the position to utilize the intelligence according to its affordances? To what extent is the learner the designer?
Our readings suggest an underlying social basis to the processes that bring innovation and effective use of intelligences. I would be interested to hear your thoughts on the role of identity in the implementation or misuse of design. Do you see issues springing from institutional or individual identity?
Please tell us more about the visual you chose.
MARY JAYNE COON-KITT says
The visual is simply a template offered by Inspiration software. Some of the district schools offer it as an organizational tool in classrooms. I understand that it can be a little pricey (which is why not all schools have it, sometimes even the PTO gets involved in the purchases), but some folks are sold on its ability to help students think creatively.
SCOTT P MCDONALD says
I am curious about two things from these comments.
1. Do institutions have identities (don’t want to get into the political thing of businesses as people)?
2. We have been saying the the new realities require “shifting long-held definitions of how we define the role of the teacher and student.” Is this true? Is that what we really mean? If so, we have been saying this for at least 20 years, if not more, so what is so new about the new reality?