"Technology," computer pioneer Alan Kay once said, "is anything that was invented after you were born."
Isn't that the truth? If it has always been part of life as we know it, then it isn't considered technology. For example, the ink pen was once considered technology and now it is just a common, everyday, writing utensil.
There has been quite a buzz lately around a new gadget that was released this week- Kindle. Newsweek reports, "Jeff Bezos believes he can
improve upon one of humankind's most divine creations: the book itself. Kindle, an electronic device
that Bezos hopes will leapfrog over previous attempts at e-readers and
become the turning point in a transformation toward Book 2.0." Well, like many others- I have my doubts. While I do believe Book 2.0 is a concept whose time is near, this devise is too 20th Century like to really take hold.
Benefits of Book 2.0 There are definite benefits to having an electronic reader --possibly an innovation that could revolutionize a near perfect invention that has stood the test of time. Imagine the impact such a device could have on the developing world. Books are costly
to print and more costly to move.This kind of disruptive technology could lower the cost of transporting the best books to the developing world and also lower the cost of ideas/books coming to us from the developing world. Additionally, in these times of angst about global warming, Book 2.0 concepts present a huge
opportunity to reduce the negative impact on the
environment by changing the process of producing a "book" as we now know it. Or how about the fact that knowledge is changing and expanding at unbelievable rates; many textbooks are outdated almost as soon as they hit the shelves. Medical textbooks need to be updated every year and electronic versions would address this issue nicely.
However, online readers like Kindle have been around for awhile and have not gained popularity. Why? Because new technologies should result in doing things very different from the way it is currently being done. Just taking an analog book and making the text digital ignores the potential of using the Web as a new way of reading. The innovation has to include taking a linear medium and morphing it into a divergent, spiral, hyper, nonlinear form, making use of all the Web has to offer.
Americans are Reading Less Recently, the Teacher Leaders Network (my favorite learning community) had a conversation around a new study out related to young people losing a love for reading. According to National Endowment for the Arts, "This study shows the startling declines, in how much and how well
Americans read, that are adversely affecting this country's culture, economy, and civic life as well as our children's educational achievement."
Among the key findings:
Americans are reading less
- teens and young adults read less often and for shorter amounts of time compared with other age groups and with Americans of previous years.
Less than one-third of 13-year-olds are daily readers, a 14 percent decline from 20 years earlier. Among 17-year-olds, the percentage of non-readers doubled over a 20-year period, from nine percent in 1984 to 19 percent in 2004.
On average, Americans ages 15 to 24 spend almost two hours a day watching TV, and only seven minutes of their daily leisure time on reading.
Americans are reading less well
– reading scores continue to worsen, especially among teenagers and young males. By contrast, the average reading score of 9-year-olds has improved.
Reading scores for 12th-grade readers fell significantly from 1992 to 2005, with the sharpest declines among lower-level readers.
2005 reading scores for male 12th-graders are 13 points lower than for female 12th-graders, and that gender gap has widened since 1992.
Reading scores for American adults of almost all education levels have deteriorated, notably among the best-educated groups. From 1992 to 2003, the percentage of adults with graduate school experience who were rated proficient in prose reading dropped by 10 points, a 20 percent rate of decline.
The declines in reading have civic, social, and economic implications
– Advanced readers accrue personal, professional, and social advantages. Deficient readers run higher risks of failure in all three areas.
Nearly two-thirds of employers ranked reading comprehension "very important" for high school graduates. Yet 38 percent consider most high school graduates deficient in this basic skill.
American 15-year-olds ranked fifteenth in average reading scores for 31 industrialized nations, behind Poland, Korea, France, and Canada, among others.
Literary readers are more likely than non-readers to engage in positive civic and individual activities – such as volunteering, attending sports or cultural events, and exercising.
Deep Dark Confessions
While we are on the topic of books and reading, I have a confession to make. It is a dark confession for a lifetime
educator- are you ready? I do not enjoy reading books. There- I said it. I never have. I suppose it was because the love of reading wasn't
instilled in me as a child. I didn't read my first book cover to cover until
age 26. Maybe I lack the love of books because my teachers didn't mold and shape me in that
direction? Though, I do remember in the 4th grade- "James and the Giant Peach" being
read to us and being enthralled. I have since bought several collector copies of the book, however, I associate that memory with
storytelling, more than reading.
For the record, I do read. I usually have several
nonfiction authors going at a time. I read on every plane flight, and I
fly a lot. However, give me a choice between
surfing the Web and my aggregator and reading a book- and the first will win out every time.
Books are too heavy (I have little hands) and too long! I am always
skipping and skimming and then making myself go back and read what I
skipped at the end, much like you make yourself take vitamins or do
exercise. I know it is good for me, but there is no love affair. When I read, I read like a person who is starving, but if I sit for more
than an hour reading, it becomes torture. I survive with lots of stops and starts.
Don't get me wrong, I celebrate books and literacy. I collect paintings of
children
being read to, they are up all over my home. Unconsciously, I have
befriended
some of the most voracious readers around; all my friends read and tell
me about what they are reading. And just like in school, I
can listen to a discussion about the novels and if given a test make an
A. I so much believe in reading that for 15 years I only gave books as
gifts at any child's birthday party. I have 11, count them, 11- 5x4 ft
bookshelves in my home full of books. My favorite scene in "Beauty and
the Beast" is when Beast gives Belle the library. I am a regular
customer at Amazon. I'm in love with the ideas found in books and the thoughts they have to share. I always make it a point to visit the bookstores and adore picking out books to read. It is just when it comes
to actually reading a book, I have to make myself do it. I always think, there has to
be a better way to unlock what is inside.
Childhood and Reading I knew it was important to instill a love of reading in my
children. When my children were born we ditched the TV. We would read and write stories and read some more. As a result I have acquired an extensive children's literature library which I look forward to sharing with my grandchildren. We did everything that book lovers should do to help nurture a love of reading in our kids, and it paid off, they all read early. However, I still produced one daughter who reads like I do, only nonfiction and just when needed to acquire information. Her
medical career requires her to read to keep current and she copes by going to Starbucks and
reading there among people, a preference I attribute to her social
learning style. The other three children are all avid readers.
Changing Demographic, Changing Times So here is my theoretical explanation of why:
1. I am,
like many children raised in poverty, an auditory learner. Storytelling
and dramatic, loud conversations were a major part of my upbringing.
Therefore, learning in a storytelling format feels most comfortable. I learn so much through podcasts, plays, and movies.
2. I also learn best through experience. I like doing and becoming
part of what I am learning. Many children of different cultures, English language learners,
and children of poverty learn this way as well. Learning by doing is becoming more
and more the preferred learning style of children in the 21st Century.
3. We currently have a changing demographic of students. Demographers predict that by 2020 minorities will be the majority in America. Poverty is on the
rise. The number of children who have been immersed in mentally stimulating reading
environments through technology is also increasing. Kids have trained their brains to
learn through active engagement because of video games and websites
that require them to "do" something while reading. It has become their
preferred processing strategy. We all have preferred processing
strategies. For example, you always begin brushing your hair on the
same side and always tie the same shoe first. It becomes your
unconscious preference. We develop established rituals to learning as well.
4. Teachers have trained their brains to feel most comfortable
reading through a traditional means, so there is a disconnect between an educator's personal schema and what they are seeing in their students. The
natural assumption is kids today do not like reading or are not reading as much. When in actuality it might simply be that they are not reading in ways we recognize or legitimize (books). Maybe we just need to update the ways in which we offer reading experiences. All kids still love stories, many just do not relate to
the 20th Century reading formats because the synapses of their brains
have been "wired" or trained to read in a very different way. Possibly, reading
in a more traditional means holds no real excitement as it just takes
too long. Hyperlinked reading experiences are very different from linear reading experiences.
5. We will find exceptions to the rule. There will be kids, like
mine, who had their learning experiences and preferences trained in
traditional means and still worship the printed page. But there will be
just as many who are developing their learning style at the foot of the
"flickering blue parent" (television and video games) and need something
more.
It's a Changing World We need to understand that in a changing world, education can
no longer stand still. If we want to remain relevant in the lives of
our learners then we will need to use strategies and materials that fit
their learning styles, not our own. Techno-constructivist methodology
is the educational language today's learners understand and respond to
best. Help provide opportunities for them to read challenging, rich,
descriptive language and the classic authors we all love in venues that allow for
active engagement and full involvement. I predict that when classrooms change to engage students in the reading process we will see that same sense
of wonderment toward reading in kids today that we saw in students of classes gone by, the love of reading and learning is still there, it just needs
to be captured through more modern techniques. We need to reinvent the
book.
I realize electronic reading (laptops) will never replace curling up with a good book in bed. PDAs are better for that. <smile> Seriously, I am not suggesting we stop your love affair
with books or that as educators we not offer books to our students in an effort to
cultivate a love for reading. What I am suggesting is that schools not stop
there, but rather they offer choice so that all learning styles and
all learners are served in today's changing classrooms.
So, I am wondering, am I alone? Are there others out there who believe in reading and promote all that is good about books but secretly hope that the next version of the book will be one that offers a digital twist? If so, please share your thoughts. I promise to read and enjoy doing so.
In recent years, many school
districts have established collaborative practices
among teachers by developing professional communities of practice. Teachers operating in these communities have regular, face-to-face discussions for the purposes of reviewing evidence of
student learning, determining student needs and designing interventions
to address those needs.
However, the creation of similar communities of practice among school
administrators lags behind what has become common place for some teachers. Often, the very same school leaders who go to
great lengths to ensure that their teachers meet together regularly to
discuss practice often avoid making the same commitment for themselves.
A recent study by NCREL revealed that 70% of principals
feel "not at all prepared" to "somewhat prepared" in
instructional leadership of which 21st Century strategies are a key element. Because instructional leadership is essential to
successful schools, principals and other leaders, must receive consistent,
job-embedded support. One effective way to do just that is through virtual learning communities.
In a poll conducted by Public
Opinion Strategies and Peter D. Hart Research Associates on behalf of
the Partnership for 21st Century Skillsregistered voters revealed that Americans are
deeply concerned that the United States is not preparing young people
with the skills they need to compete in the global economy.What is needed is a strong commitment
to help educators and educational leaders implement 21st century strategies in their schools.
Last night in a live chat that was part of the K12Online Conference culminating event- "When Night Falls" this very subject surfaced. These two questions kept repeating themselves in different ways:
How do schools/teachers help administrators understand the importance of getting *all* teachers on board with using 21st Century teaching strategies and content in their classrooms?
Who should be the target group for the message- teachers or administrators?
It was an interesting discussion and Chris Harbeck did a wonderful job of facilitating the conversation. For me personally, I believe part of the problem lies in the way we frame the question. In looking at an either/or between teachers or administrators we are leaving key voices out of the conversation. Yes, administrators are important in that when they understand the trends that are impacting the current shift, they become powerful leaders of change. Yes, teachers are important because if they do not understand and buy-in to the needed change in their current practice, nothing will change. But are they the only voices we want to have at the educational decision making table? What about students, parents, and other stakeholders in the school community? What about those of us in the education blogosphere community that have so much expertise to share? Do we have a role to play?
In my opinion, true educational reform in the 21st Century comes down to building community- specifically virtual community. Professional communities of practice are critical to carrying out induction, mentoring, ongoing professional development, and other forms of knowledge management that typically take place in a school environment.
Trends that Drive the Change
Change and tension are constant in the life of school professionals. Some change initiatives come from observations of need that occurs within a school and some are the influence of outside trends- economic, societal, and demographic. I was reading an article recently that brought this into clearer focus. In the Journal of School Improvement, Volume 3, Issue 1, Spring 2002 a couple of the trends described by Gary Marx voiced my thinking about how change should be implemented in schools.
Trend 4: Social and Intellectual Capital are the New Economic Values in the World Economy
"In an economy driven by technology and information, a dramatically increasing level of knowledge is needed to function in any occupation, ranging from managerial and professional to technical, service, manufacturing, and agricultural. One thing is clear in an economy based on social and intellectual capital-what you know and who you know both count"(Marx, 2002).
This new economy will be held together and advanced through the building of relationships. "Unleashing and connecting the collective knowledge, ideas, and experiences of people creates and heightens value."
Additionally, educators will need to stay current with the trends so they will know what knowledge and skills students will need to be successful in their future.
"They should also capitalize on their own social and intellectual wealth. Schools develop hundreds, even thousands, of relationships with students, staff, parents, other units of government, nongovernmental organizations, universities, the surrounding community, business and professional colleagues, vendors, and other groups. Each and every school should be seen as a source of intellectual strength" (Marx, 2002).
That last quote is powerful- read it again and let it sink in. "Schools should be the source of intellectual strength" and I would add, that is developed and facilitated through virtual communities of practice. The virtual translation of traditional professional learning communities holds particular promise in that global educational partners can be part of the connections taking place online. Schools should lead the way in modeling the transformative power of online communities.
Unpacking the Idea
So what form does a virtual school community of practice (CoP) take? It begins with two points of intersection. First, administrators set up a virtual space for communication and collaboration. They will need to choose a platform that has both public and private spaces and allows for the formation of subgroups that can be created by community members as needed. The platform should be very intuitive and require a minimal learning curve. Once the platform is selected then a community organizer who understands how to develop community online should be chosen. This person's contribution can not be underestimated in the beginning of the work.
Second, teachers need to have easy access, full permissions and the ability to use the platform in ways that make sense. By developing CoPs within their classroom, teachers model for their students how to establish learning networks of their own. Student networks should consist of content experts who are critical to mastery of curriculum objectives and classroom goals.
The main page of the virtual community will have the familiar branding of the school's logo, Web page and other established cultural artifacts to make it easily identified and to provide the connective pieces needed for members to feel part of the school community. The main page provides the portal through which all other community pieces can be accessed or where various stakeholders can request access.
Role of the Larger Community
In addition to the flurry of activity taking place within a school's local virtual community space, there exists a role for the educational blogger community at large. When called upon to help mentor or share, educational bloggers need to rise to the occasion and make ourselves available. New teacher induction, inservice professional development, preservice instruction and other collaborative opportunities are just a few of the ways we can band together around the world to help create the change needed "one school at a time." Using tools like Twitter and RSS educators can stay connected to the teaching social networking community and ask for/or volunteer when needed.
Trend 7:Technology Will Increase the Speed of Communication
and the Pace of Advancement or Decline
"Twenty-first century technology is having a profound effect on every person, every organization, and every nation on earth. Those who have it and know how to use it are moving forward at an unprecedented rate. Those who don't are declining at the same dizzying pace" (Marx, 2002).
Social networking is coming into its own in part from the way age-old social
practices surrounding trust and cooperation are being mediated by new
communication and computation technologies. Howard Rheingold in his recent book "Smart Mobs" believes that a new kind of digital divide is forming that in ten years from now will separate those who
know how to use new media to band together from those who don't.
"That means a new role for teachers. Great teachers will not only
serve as subject matter specialists but will also become partners
with students, helping them learn how to turn information into usable
; knowledge and knowledge into wisdom. Rather than simply dispensing
information, 21st century teachers will become orchestrators and
facilitators of learning" (Marx, 2002).
Through school-based CoPs we will
open our classrooms to the world, allowing diverse teams of students, made up of members from varying corners of the planet, to work together solving real world problems and society's ills.
Taking it to the Classroom
Classrooms in the 21st Century should be: collaborative, student centered, project/problem based, encourage student choice/voice, experiential, democratic, places of shared knowledge construction, risk taking, and a place where a learning ecology develops and thrives.
Virtual communities of practice can play a vital role in making the shift from schools that are teacher driven to student centered places of learning. Through using a virtual CoP schools can create an enhanced learning environment where all members of the community- administrators; teachers; and students; can gain insight from each other, deepen their understanding, knowledge, innovation and expertise, all while overcoming the feelings of isolation that many teachers experience within the four walls of their classrooms.
Additionally, through school-based virtual CoPs educational bloggers can play an important role by connecting and
collaborating with educators in our various schools and places of work across the globe.
How have you collaborated with other teachers or students to enhance the professional development experience or classroom curriculum? Please share your experiences here and feel free to add to the conversation.
I recently traveled to Shanghai, China to present at the International Schools' Learning 2.0 conference. I was part of a presentation team that included such names as Alan November, Jamie McKenzie, Will Richardson, Gary Stager, Wes Fryer, and Chris Shambles. If you would like to know more about the conference itself search the learn2cn tag or visit Will, Wes,Jeff Utecht (conference organizer) or my blog as we each have posted about the event in detail.
However, this post is about my experiences and reflections in Shanghai that occurred after the conference while exploring the city with Wes and his wife Shelly, Will, Jeff, and my 21 year old son Noah. I have had the opportunity to travel and present in many different places around the world, but Shanghai stands out because of the contrast to what I had expected with what I experienced first hand. And as my son Noah put it, "...the sheer admiration for what they have accomplished in just ten years."
In 1992, Deng Xiaoping declared that Shanghai would be “the head of the
dragon” pulling China into the future trying to compete with Tokyo, Hong
Kong, and Singapore as Asia's pre-eminent financial capital. As a result Shanghai went into "go mode" and has built nonstop. During my recent visit, it wasn't unusual to hear hammering and the sounds of construction through the night and early morning. Until I went to Shanghai, the busiest city I had ever seen was New York, but NY pales in comparison. Shanghai is a constant source of movement, smells, and stimulation. Everyone has a smile on their face and seems genuinely interested in who you are and why you are visiting.
Sadly, at least to me, the cosmopolitan Shanghai has come at a price. Most of the old town neighborhoods have been or are scheduled to be demolished to make room for the high rises. The contrast between the skyscrapers and what is left of the colonial Shanghai was unnerving.
Buildings and Commerce Everywhere At an astonishing 1,385 feet, a visit to the top of the 88-story Jin Mao Tower is a memory I will keep with me for years to come. Jeff, Will, Wes, Shelly, Noah and I took the elevator to the top floor to look out over the city. All of us shot pictures as we scurried from window to window looking out in amazement, as far as the eye could see there were buildings.
The building was completed in 1999 and is the
highest in the world, at least until the 101-story World Financial Center (WFC) next door
is finished in 2008.
The two buildings in the center of this photo are the Jin Mao and WFC.
The completed building will look like this- a female match to the male feel of the Jin Mao Tower.
The Hotel
When we first arrived we stayed at the Ramada and the feel was very much like it is in the states with the exception of service. These amazing people were so humble, so eager to serve, so kind. We were encouraged not to tip, which really was a struggle for me, as the service - at least in comparison to the states- deserved tipping. The walk to the school where the conference was held was clean and had a real progressive feel. I could have just as easily been in Miami.
After the conference, Wes Fryer and I moved to the Magnificent Hotel and Will Richardson bunked at Jeff Utecht's home. It was not as luxurious as the Ramada but the price was right- $56 per night US. My main complaint was that somehow Wes got wireless and I didn't. So while Wes and Will were twittering, Skyping, and blogging, I was building a deeper relationship with my son. Not a bad payoff, although I must admit, I had serious withdrawal from being disconnected during a time when I had so much to say.
A Place with a View The view from Jeff's apartment is stunning. Because the exchange rate in China is about 8-1, teachers are able to live very comfortably with massage, domestic help, and other such amenities becoming just part of everyday life.
Shopping and Life in Shanghai I have spent a considerable amount of time in Belize and Guatemala, so I understand the concept of bartering a price. However, I have never watched a fellow American handle the negotiations with the skill and sense of humor that Jeff Utecht did. I so wish we had recorded the conversation Jeff, Wes, and the "Rolex" watch owner had over the purchase Wes was "considering." It was so entertaining. Turns out that watches like this have 34 days when it is Daylight Savings time. What a hoot!
I am not much for shopping, not even in the states. My idea of torture is the local mall at Christmas. But I did enjoy shopping for pearls. I think because it was a bit like a hunt. We had to find the right dealer, then Jeff taught me to tell the differences in quality, then I hand picked the ones I wanted, negotiated a price, and watched the dealer and her mother hand string and knot each pearl. We struck up a conversation sharing parts of each other's lives while she was stringing the necklaces and it made the event very meaningful. The fact that I was hand picking these necklaces for my daughter's wedding party gift only added to the specialness of the event.
Hungry Anyone?
Like any good adventure we ate our way across Shanghai. The food was amazing. There are basically two kinds of eating experiences in Shanghai: street food and restaurant experiences. Noah and I had come to China with the idea that we would be trying exotic dishes that would earn us bragging rights at home. We come from a family where food is at the center of everything we do. However, the food we ate in Shanghai had a familiar feel and was simply delicious, especially the vegetarian dishes.
The street food was most compelling. Because of the tight living conditions and limited privacy, in many neighborhoods life spills over into the streets. It isn't unusual to see folks cooking and lounging on the curbs near their homes. It didn't seem that finding food was as difficult for the poor in Shanghai as it is here in the states.
We were treated to excellent meals in restaurants that had five star service. The food and conversation and was amazing.
Summing It Up So what did I take away from the experience? What about having presented in a non-English speaking country impacted who I am and what I believe?
1. It is one thing to say the world is flat and another thing all together to experience it up close and personal. When I keynoted in New Zealand, I expected to see certain things and pretty much my expectations were met. I remember realizing how flat the world really is while in NZ in that as educators we were all concerned with very similar things. However, Shanghai was more profound. I talk about globalization, I even quote "Did You Know" and share how countries like China and India, which have long histories of embracing education, now have the means to connect their most educated citizens in meaningful ways through outsourcing. What I didn't realize was that the culture of Shanghai was such that it could easily equal the US as a super power in a few years. The images of quaint temples and extreme oppression I had when I arrived have been replaced with images of a thriving metropolis and a very entrepreneurial citizenry.
2. One of the topics I present on regularly is homelessness. I found myself struggling with the issue of the homeless in Shanghai. It is obvious the homeless exist by the sheer number of homes being demolished to make way for skyscrapers. Everyone I asked about it said they didn't know much about the homeless. Often they were referred to as migrants. Because of the scale of construction being done, large numbers of
migrants come from rural areas to the city in search of work. Many
end up begging on the streets. China's migrant population is currently put at 130
million, including 50 million registered as temporary residents in
urban areas. Shanghai, with a total population of nine million, has a floating population of some three million migrants. It was disconcerting that Human rights issues seem to be swept under the rug in Shanghai.
I only personally saw a few of individuals I knew were homeless, a couple children and a woman my age. She and I exchanged glances, then she looked with beautiful eyes deep into my soul. I offered her money, she humbly took it bowing over and over with her hands folded saying please, please. I will never forget her or the guilt I felt for my station in life as compared with hers. Many approached you in Shanghai asking for money but usually in exchange for a product. Where are those migrants? How are they getting by?
3. I decided while in Shanghai that all teacher preparation programs should have required International travel for all preservice teachers. In today's changing times a teacher needs to understand first hand the flatness of the world in which their students will be living out their lives. I also feel that virtual learning communities that build and extend relationships with people around the world will become increasingly more important as we move further into the 21st Century. Connections and collaborations as a way of understanding and accepting different cultures will become as important as sharing content expertise.
I am grateful for having visited Shanghai. As I watched my son Noah trade translations of various words on the plane as he sat next to a non English speaking Chinese woman, I was struck with how very similar we all really are. She sat with her Chinese to English dictionary in her lap and Noah with his English to Chinese and together they experimented with learning each other's language. The learning was "just in time," passion driven, and obtained in a way that will mean more to both of them than any formal class they could have taken in their respective countries.
The challenge for all educators will be to replicate that kind of authentic learning in the sterile environments of our classrooms. A point which for me, illuminates why becoming multiliterate and using electronic communication tools should be standard fare in a Learning 2.0 world.
Think all the buzz about school soon becoming irrelevant is just hype? Meet George Hotz, (geohot) a 17 year-old from New Jersey who blogs. What makes George significant?
He has just “unlocked” the iPhone, finding a way to get around the device’s restrictions and allow it to be used not only on AT&T’s cell phone network but also on T-Mobile’s network and overseas.
George Hotz remembers taking apart his first computer, an Apple II, when he was 4 or 5 years old. He also dismantled an answering machine, remote control, vacuum cleaner and more computers. Now the 17-year-old from Glen Rock, N.J., has taken hacking to a scientific level. The sad part, at least to me, he had to do it over the summer because cell phones are not allowed in school!
The 'George' in Your Classroom I know, I know, you're thinking George is some child prodigy. That he is not typical of kids in your classes, and as an educator you have plenty of time to master digital and the other new literacies before most kids catch up. Think again. Read this and tell me this is not the average student in your class. In fact, some, if not many teachers would read that assignment essay and label George as a troublemaker.
Looking around his Web site I read over and over again how bored he was. Bored at school (except for his freshman year), bored during the summer and yet look at the potential of this kid! Why aren't schools places where students are motivated to achieve their full potential? Why is the culture of school such that passion based learning has no place in the classroom?
A Sense of Urgency We have a generation of students arriving in our classrooms that are more and more comfortable with technology, in fact, more comfortable than we will ever be. And that makes many of us very uncomfortable, so uncomfortable that we react with banning and filtering rather than modeling how to connect with content experts and teaching responsible net citizenship.
Living in the Dot Rather than Living in the Line As educators we have to think of the impact of our teaching in two phases. I'm going to illustrate this with a dot and a line, a line that extends from the dot.
Our classrooms are the here and now. They are the dot and for each student we teach, the classroom experience has a beginning and an end. It’s temporary. And as teachers, we live in that dot. But from our classroom there extends a line that stretches out for the life of the student. That line is the preparation we have given our students who will be living the line.
Right now we’re living in the dot (preparing them for normed tests) but if we really understood our role in the lives of the students we teach we would learn to live for the line (the new literacies and 21st Century skills-- the changing learning landscape.) There’s nothing wrong with here and now. It’s where we are, and it’s where we do whatever policy makers have given us to do. But the truth is-- with knowledge expanding exponentially-- much of the here and now will become irrelevant as our students get jobs and live their lives.
Creativity Counts
Michael D. Higgins, the former Irish Minister for Arts, Culture and Gaeltacht said,
The roots of a creative society are in basic education. The sheer volume of facts to be digested by the students of today leaves little time for a deeper interrogation of their moral worth. The result has been a generation of technicians rather than visionaries, each one taking a
career rather than an idea seriously. The answer must be reform in our educational methods so that students are encouraged to ask about "know-why" as well as "know-how". Once the arts are restored to a more central role in educational institutions, there could be a tremendous unleashing of creative energy in other disciplines too.
An Educational Crossroads
We are at a crossroads in education. Mainstream society seems to be re-inventing everything - except the school system, which should, at least in theory, be leading the change. The main crisis in schools today is pending irrelevance. Our educational thinking is concerned with the "dot" or ' what is', when we should be concerned with designing "the line" or ' what can be'.
By providing rich and varied contexts for our students to acquire, develop and apply a broad range of knowledge, understanding and skills, that are tied to the very things that interest them and about which they are passionate, we will give the "Georges" in our classroom the opportunity to become creative, innovative, enterprising and capable of leadership to equip them for their future.
Anyone who has ever thrown a party or held a meeting
has had this unvoiced fear: what if after all the work of preparation, nobody shows
up? Or worse, people show up, take a quick look around, decide it isn't
worth their time and leave!
You'd think developing a virtual learning community (VLC) or online community of practice (CoP) would be easier. After all, it's virtual- nobody even has to worry about what
to wear! However, with the rise of virtual learning community platforms like Ning and Elgg it is becoming evident that many CoPs are dead on
arrival and many others die of neglect early on, in
their toddler stage.
The burning question for many of us trying to establish educational
CoPs is how to design a VLC that is compelling enough that it will
compete
successfully for the attention of busy educators? Because communities of practice are voluntary, to be successful over time they need the ability to generate enough excitement, relevance, and value to attract and engage members. This is easier said than done.
Member Roles
One model that holds merit an be found on the Learning Circuits Blog. It is developed around the roles and interactions members of a community have as
participants in that community. It is titled 4L Model (Linking,
Lurking, Learning, Leading) and was inspired by comments made by John Seeley
Brown in an interview with Marcia Connors for LineZine.
According to David Lee's model the roles basically fall into four blurry types. What role a participant plays in the community is both determined
and defined by the participant so they are not strictly defined.
Linking These
are visitors who find a community by one means or another. They may
have have bookmarked the site or added it to their RSS reader. They are
in a “testing” mode to determine if this community if of interest to
them and worth giving more of the time and attention.
Lurking
Often the largest segment of a community, these individuals pay
attention to the activity of the group and occasionally participate in
various activities. Wenger calls this group Legitimate Peripheral
Participants (LPP). They may be interested in greater involvement, but
either don’t feel worthy or don’t know how. For others the content may
only be peripheral to their work.
Learning
These are regular visitors who contribute to the community regularly.
They are considered “members” of the community. Occasionally , they may
take on a project or event leadership role as either an “audition” for
a more core role or as a way to lead despite overall time
unavailability.
Leading
At the core of a community are the Leaders of that community.
Leadership is a matter of commitment and willingness to contribute on a
consistent basis. Leaders may or may not be designated via title.
Roles, other than community coordinator, may evolve as needed. Wenger
says it is the responsibility of leadership to “build a fire” of
activity that is strong enough to draw people to the community and
encourage greater participation.
Participating in an Online Community
Around the world, another blogger friend and colleague Derek Wenmoth created a similar framework to Lee's role-based model to discuss the ways in which people participate in online communities that develop around blogs. His diagram attempts to illustrate how participants in the
online environment move through phases as they gain understanding and
confidence.
His phases are as follows:
consumer - The first phase is where
participants (often referred to as lurkers) simply read and explore the
posts of others. Far from being passive as the word lurker suggests,
consumers can be very active participants in an online community - just
not yet visible to others.
commentor - as this label suggests, these
people make comments on others posts (either on blogs, or in discussion
forums), often seeking clarification, agreeing with a statement, or
offering a suggestion or link to something similar.
contributor - as this label suggests,
contributors are those who have started their own blogs or who initiate
new threads on discussion forums. They are confident about putting
forth their own ideas etc. commentator - a commentator is someone who
frequently takes a 'meta' view of what is going on, providing a level
of leadership within the community. Their contributions will often draw
attention to the 'bigger picture', making links with other work -
analysing and synthesising the contributions of others.
Passion-Based Communities
Ted Rheingold, in his presentation entitled The State, Future & Business of Passion-Centric Online Communities, shares that passion centric communities consist of like
minded people who come together to amplify their passion. Rheingold
says that in the future there will be tens of thousands of these
passion-based communities. They will be everywhere. The web is just the
launching point. Think cell phones/MMS, PDAs, console-gaming, hand-held
games (PSP/DS), DVRs, carbased computers. Communities will meet where
their members are. That the VLCs of the future will not be web
communities they will be networked communities.
The natural cognitive connection for me was to passion-based learning. Creating online communities with content experts that correlate to the units of study that are driven by student interest and passion that we deliver in our classrooms.
The Art of Community
In response to a recent post by SETH GODIN, bestselling author and agent of change -where Seth said that the #1 job of the future will be that of online community organizer, Peter Gulka started up People Weavers - the community for community organizers.
http://www.peopleweavers.com. Peter feels as this field emerges, we will need a venue to be
able to work with each other, discuss best practices, recommend tools,
and collaborate on the hurdles we all face.
While perusing his site I came across a clip called The Art of Community - OSCON 2007 which is a panel discussion led by Dawn Foster, Director of Developer Relations at Jive Software. The panel discusses some of the theory and practice behind online communities. Here are my notes and reflections from this clip.
What makes a healthy community?
Really active and consistent participation within the community. Community members really start to moderate themselves. It isn't just the moderator that handles issues. And members greet someone when they are new and answer questions and do not just point newbies to a FAQ doc.
Gathering data is the first step to knowledge and wisdom but sharing data is the first step to community.Henry Gates
Size of the community isn't as important as results. Participants ask themselves what is the benefit of membership? What is the value added? How good a job does the community do of taking all the information and redistributing in an effort to give something back?
Don't freak out when you have a problem in the community. Communities, like families, have problems. You can work through them.
Healthy communities are self-managing and self-governing. Members have a sense of ownership.
Community organizers should view their role as part of the community, not feel they own it.
The way to get status within the community will be from love and kindness if the community values are structured in such a way that status is gained through good community citizenship rather than showing off. Ranking should be made on the value of the contribution, not the number of times you post. If it is just the number of times you post, then a person who is a drag on the community might be considered high status because of frequency of posting.
Better title for the organizer is community instigator. Have the philosophy that everyone is a leader. Ask what do you bring? Where are your talents? There is a place for everyone and everyone in their place.
Brownie point cards are handed out when organizers catch you being good, this encourages people to do nice things for people within the structure. The cards can be redemed for prizes.
There was push back that Karma points-- reputation points- are doomed to failure because it is based on extrinsic not intrinsic motivation.
Is there such a thing as a community that is too large? If it is too big, you have to think through how to break down areas and build community for the new subset communities.
Community doesn't scale ever. Hierarchy principles and leadership are different. You can have 50 people who are getting their needs met and 2000 that are frustrated. Which is community?
Are communities commodities? Do we set up a market when we create a community? The value isn't in the community it is in the commiters. The value is in the community members that are producing.
Finding Our Way
I'd like to end this post with a quote.
It
takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to
embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer
meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for
in movement there is life, and in change there is power.
When preparing for the recent three day workshop- High Schools New Face I tried to model the concepts I would be teaching and designed what I hoped would be seen as Professional Development 2.0. I wanted the secondary teachers, administrators, and superintendents attending to experience personalized learning, development of their own personal learning networks and virtual communities of practice.
Using Wikis to Build Learning Communities
Wikis are a wonderful tool for building community in a blended environment. My first goal in building community with my conference cohort was to have everyone join the wiki so that we could all edit and add to different pages. My thinking is that by creating a collaborative space we all experience a sense of ownership in that process.
I also wanted to use the workshop wiki to connect the face-to-face participants to the synchronous online guests giving them a way to connect and feel part of the same community.
The workshop goals for the three days were as follows:
1. PRIMARY OBJECTIVE - For you to go back and change at least one thing
your are doing in your typical practice in the classroom. We will revisit this goal.
2. To expose you to several tools and strategies used to make
connections with content experts beyond the four walls of your
classroom.
3. To network you with some of the widely recognized 21st Century
learners/teachers in the blogosphere for ongoing professional
development.
4. To establish a virtual community of practice where you can continue to connect with each other long after the workshop ends.
5. To help you become comfortable with and create your own blog, wiki,
podcasts and other social networking accounts in an effort to help you
gain ownership of the new learning landscape.
6. To promote the knowledge, skills and sense of urgency for 21st Century teaching and learning.
Blogging for Reflection and Building a Sense of Trust
Benefits of Book 2.0
Childhood and Reading
