In “Understanding the Power of the PLNS,” Pam hits it right on the spot. Education is completely changing, or at least the way the students we are teaching are learning differently than before. Students today can take notes without paper! Crazy! I also loved that the article pointed out that mobile technology provides a huge opportunity (and challenge! Yes!) to our classrooms. When we think about online learning, I think all teachers get scared when they hear the idea that “teachers and knowledge” are not scarce anymore. I was little frightened up until the article mentioned that we need to teach our students how to effectively learn online. And I love the line, “education is something that we create for ourselves.” As teachers, we must teach students how to create an education for themselves – helping them solve any problem they encounter using the technology at their finger tips.
The three conversations for parents article was not what I had expected. These are three great things that parents need to discuss with their kids… and not just parents, teachers too. We need to start developing these thoughts early – hoping to teach children that they aren’t invisible (on invincible) online.
Procedural learning is being taught in the podcast about screen recordings. I use these in my classroom all of the time, especially with my ONLINE class. Students often ask the same questions over and over when it comes to creating something online. I find it easier to simply record myself giving the directions, allowing advanced students to move along and slower students the ability to watch/rewatch me teach the lesson. Formal learning would have been to teach them step-by-step in front of me. But this works informally allowing students to work at their own paces!
And the Anthropology students…. I need to seek out this professor. Talk about teaching empathy and compassion in real world situations to students, this is the crème de la crème. And the World Situation uses real life examples for students to engage themselves in learning. This simulation said it took 75-100 minutes, but the learning that goes on through student inquisition is everlasting. I may try and copy this in some way with my Sociology students when we discuss social stratification/classes around the world!