Relevant Learning Experiences obtained by Classroom 2.0 Members

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Permalink Reply by Ed Jones on September 20, 2007 at 5:25pm

Hi, Kathy,

I hope you get many more answers. One question: is this what the instructor meant by an "interactive learning site"? What I mean is, we all learn here, and its certainly interactive in the sense that we interact with each other,...but when I read your first sentence, I thought you meant something more in the line of one of these, or especially one like this. i.e., one that is real-time, where you learn from, or immediately through, the software.

That said, here is my learning experience here: I have just been thrilled to discover how many teachers are exploring all these new tools, and how many are truly passionate about the potential for them and for their students. I've been amazed at how many employ wikis and blogs in the classroom, and just stunned at the school use of skype, a tool which I, an old tech hand, have still yet to try out.

And I've learned I guess, that much most of the learning here is still ahead. Few teachers can yet report a very long-term experience with classroom blogging, and also be able to properly voice the ups and downs. I'm sure many more will, and from tha will come the learning of how to use them. Nancy Bosch herein relates an excellent example of how she last year tried unstructured topics for blogging, but this fall will give the students a book to read, and a set of questions to write in their blogs about. It will be very interesting for the kids if they see responses from teachers here, and very interesting to us all to hear Nancy's thoughts on the change of tactics. She is posting around here, but the project start is at: anotsodifferentplace.blogspot.com/.

Good luck!! Who's up next to tell what they learned?

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Permalink Reply by Kathy Howey on September 20, 2007 at 7:32pm

Thanks Ed,

Your response has helped me understand this site a little better. Using this new technology in schools is very exciting. It will be interesting to see how it evolves.

Kathy

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Permalink Reply by pete whitfield on September 22, 2007 at 12:14am

I think much of the learning that goes on in here is in the form of informal little nuggets. It is very much a social network so is akin to being in a room with many like-minded people chatting about this thing you love - technology assisted learning. So you miss the eye contact and physical presence but you get to hear (and join in) every conversation in the room! I will often follow a thread not because I'm looking for it, but because I notice it and it interests me. But I have also used it to inform me specifically - researching the use of wikis was an example of this and I learned quickly and efficiently about the wikis on offer to teachers, the comparitive features and some approaches to pedagogy.

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Permalink Reply by Kathy Howey on September 24, 2007 at 8:40pm

Thanks Pete,

I like your specific example concerning wikis and approaches to pedagogy. I read an article about teacher networks as a means of professional development and it helped me understand this site better.

Kathy

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Permalink Reply by ddeubel on September 25, 2007 at 5:03am

Kathy,

I think the best quality of any teacher and one that is fostered, pruned towards and prepared for here is reflection. Meaning, the educator's sifting and sorting of issues and arriving finally at an island to stand upon. (I'm somewhat paraphrasing Schon here and I recommend his Educating the reflective practitioner.)

Sure, you will pick up bits and pieces here - mostly about web applications and how to twink this or update that. Sure, you'll get more info. and be pointed towards great readings (if you have time to investigate!). But for me, it is a process of being an "involved" educator, being mentally alert and constantly processing information towards a better outcome (for reflectiveness is not just the thought but the act also, or what are two hands for (to badly paraphrase another great man, Shelley).

Reflectiveness is how we debate and sort within ourselves. The people I share with and meet here, even ever so briefly, are part of that and I thank them for it. My students thank them.

David
http://eflclassroom.ning.com

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Permalink Reply by Jennifer Koch Lubke on September 25, 2007 at 10:09am

Kathy, I am also researching professional development for teachers in online environments. Would you please share the article you read? Title, author, link? Thanks!

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Permalink Reply by Barry Bakin on September 25, 2007 at 7:30am

If what you mean by this question is that Classroom 2.0 is the interactive learning site that you're experiencing, and that you're looking for learning experiences that we members have, then I would group my own experiences into two types: teaching tips or ideas for classroom activities that I've read about, and broader philosophical ideas about the use of technology arising from the discussions and interactions of the members who raise questions in this forum. As an example of the former, when visiting a member's site, I saw an interesting way to display photos on a website or blog that I had never seen before. I created a similar photo display for my class homepage. As for the latter, there's an interesting discussion taking place now about the term "digital natives" that has caused me to reflect on the technical capabilities of younger students in a new way.

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Permalink Reply by Ginger Lewman on September 25, 2007 at 9:13pm

I've gained so much learning here through participating and lurking that I can't possibly begin to share them all. However, my favorite experience to relate follows:

I was at a conference where a woman asked me how to download YouTube videos to her computer, since YT is blocked at her school. I told her she could pre-load it from home and just show it that way, but she actually needed to embed the video into a powerpoint. I felt confident I could help her and dove in. An hour and a half later, I still didn't have it, but was showing her enough other stuff, she stuck with me that long. Finally, fed up, I posted the question here and in LITERALLY 5 minutes, I had my first suggestion (which worked) and in 15 minutes, I had 5 responses, and all were different and effective! I've been able to show many others my favorite tool for this (Zamzar) and it's all due to CR2.0!

I've also met and begun to collaborate with many educators of all levels and quadrants of expertise which has truly improved the learning experiences for my students, grades 5-8. I sure wish this had been here when I was in undergraduate studies in the 90's!

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