Blog Post 6

"The Networked Student" -Wendy Drexler
I loved how this video was put together; it is very creative. I like the idea of "connectivism" and believe this is the way students in today's society should be taught. Some of you reading may be wondering, "What in the world is connectivism?" Connectivism  is a theory of learning based on the premise that knowledge exists in the world rather than simply in the head of an individual. I got this definition straight from Wikipedia. (I know, I know! We've always been taught to not use Wikipedia, but I happen to find it very resourceful!)

With using the connectivism theory, a teacher rarely lectures. Instead, the teacher empowers the students by having them take control of their own learning. Students are taught to get information from other students' opinions, sharing bookmarks online, through blogs, through feedback on their blogs, by using iTunesU, finding articles on Google Scholar, and the list goes on. Students are basically self-reliant. I wish all classes were this way simply because I think of this quote by Confucius, "I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand." I believe this is why it is important to have students create, rather than spoon feed them information and have them spit it back up on a test. We should be teaching skills, life-long skills. 

Why does a network student even need a teacher? This answer is quite simple. The teacher is the one who shows the student how to build their PLN (personal learning network), and they are the filters. A teacher offers assistance when a student gets stuck, teaches students how to communicate properly and with respect, teaches students how to differentiate between good and bad information, and teaches students how to organize all of the information they find. Students should leave the classroom with the skills to maintain their PLN. 

Will you teach your students the skills they need to be successful, or pretend they are from a different time? 

"A 7th Grader's Personal Learning Environment (or PLN)"

For a 7th grader, this presentation is very impressive. She has great organization skills. I also realize that she must have spent time outside of school organizing being that she had her Facebook and other blogs on her personal page along with her school work. I like the teachers approach. The students are given freedom. They can complete their however and wheneverThis teaches kids responsibility and will better prepare them for the "real world." I also think it is very cool these students get to Skype with scientists all over the globe. And again, with all of the work being online, it is better for our environment.


Critiques of SMART boards
In Why Smartboards are a Dumb Initiative and Why I Hate Interactive Whiteboards both educators feel SMART boards are only their for looks, and that they are cool but not worth the money they cost. I agree somewhat with both of these posts. IWBs are neat and do have a wow-factor...that fades away pretty quickly. And, SMART board makes lessons are essentially the same as using an overhead projector. They do not promote collaboration and independent discovery skills. 


A post I found for IWBs boards is by Dr. Mary Ann Bell. Her blog post is titled "Teacher Feature... Why Use Interactive Whiteboard? A Baker's Dozen Reasons!"
These are her reasons:
1.The interactive electronic whiteboard is great for demonstrations.
2.The interactive electronic whiteboard is a colorful tool. 
3.The board can accommodate different learning styles.
4. All ages of students respond favorably to board use.
5. Distance learning is an excellent setting for interactive whiteboard use.
6. One-computer classrooms can maximize the use of limited computer access.
7. The interactive whiteboard is an excellent tool for the constructivist educator.
8. The boards are clean and attractive tools.
9. Students with limited motor skills can enjoy board use.
10. It is interactive.
11. It can interface well with other peripherals.
12. The board is great for meetings are lessons where the participants need printed copies.
13. It is a kid magnet.


So, I see that SMART board has its advantages too. I agree it can accommodate different learning styles, and I also had not even thought about the fact that students with limited motor skills could also use the IWB. That very reason would win me over. I think it is important all students can participate. I also think kids would enjoy getting to "go to the board" to demonstrate. Really the only things all of these post agree on is the fact that IWBs are clean and attractive. I think I would have to work with one for a while before I could totally make up my mind whether I am for or against the use (mainly the purchase) of SMART boards. 

Too often we give children answers to remember rather than problems to solve.  
-Roger Lewin