The Skype session with Dean Shareski on January 15th was very informational and I got many points out of it.
1. Doing is better than telling: This is a concept that has been proven over and over again. The majority of people are able to have a deeper understanding of a topic if they have engaging, hands-on learning activities related to the topic and are given the opportunity to share that information and activity with others, rather than only having an explanation of what they need to know.
2. The focus in today's school remains on reading and writing, the 'most important part'. This thought is why the majority of schools remain in the past and are left behind by the 21st century and all of it's newest technology and resources. Smart phones, ipods, and tablets all fall under the viewing and representing category, and there is an increasing number of students with access to these tools as time goes on, so they must be taught how to use them to their full potential... And the best way to learn is to play!
3. The internet is more than just a place to "look up stuff". Although this was the general thought of people and even schools now, students use it for much more (games, social media, etc). We, as teachers, must make this transition as well to take full advantage of the internet's benefits.
It is true that 'viewing' and 'representing' are often after-thoughts in today's classrooms. This is unfortunate because these arts, in particular, can be powerful teaching and learning tools. Students can experience a plethora of learning opportunities through 'viewing' and 'representing' activities. It will be up to us new teachers to ensure that all of the arts are used.
ReplyDeleteThese are great points from the presentation by Dean. I definitely agree that we need to do more "doing" in school rather then telling. This can be a challenge but the internet lets us to share ideas on how to make learning relevant so it is easier to do. We have a great resource at our fingertips, we just have to teach our colleagues about it.
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