What do you like about his proposition?
What I like about his proposition is that it facilitates learning instead of educators trying to force it upon students. I think that it one of the major turn offs with education today. When students feel forced to learn and told to do things it makes them not want to learn and seems to make it ultimately harder to learn. By asking a simple question and letting their own curiosity flourish, student delve deeper than they would have on with educators telling them what to learn.
What are your concerns about his proposition?
The only real concern I have with this proposition is the problem of willingness of other educators. I think it will make them feeling threatened and unwanted. Like they have no use and will eventually be obsolete. They just need to think of it more like they are taking a more critical thinking approach. They are the one's that more or less guide and watch over the students as they learn. They come up with the questions that guide the self-learning. They are the people in the background that keep everything running smoothly.
What do you like about his vision for the future of schooling?
The future of schooling sounds sort of like a school I have heard about where the classes are all online, but the teachers are still there to help. The students are free to do their work where ever they like, but are always connected. This seems to just be a more immersed version and the students will be able to learn anywhere. It seems like a great idea because the students are not restricted and they ultimately discover things for themselves.
What is your vision for the future of schooling?
My vision for the future of schooling are classrooms with computers for each student where the educators gives PBL (project based learning) style projects to students. There is a big question and the students must use the internet and all other resources to answer the PBL question. They will start working together and helping each other understand what is going on and how all the pieces fit together. The educator can answer questions they have, but take a more backseat approach to their learning.
Sean,
ReplyDeleteI too, think PBLs are the way classrooms should operate, knowing that some fundamental skills may have to be taught, but the learning is trial and error or rather exploratory and discovery. While I have been involved in several online classes and can readily see their benefit I also see a greater benefit with actual face to face classes that may include an online or distance collaboration component. As a professional learner I also like to be there to scaffold and be "scaffolded" to the next level of my understanding. Thanks for sharing your insight and thoughts on this topic... looking forward to more!
Sean,
ReplyDeleteI agree with your comment, “I think it will make them feeling threatened and unwanted,” speaking of teachers changing the way they teach and becoming more like facilitators. If there is one thing I’ve noticed is a common trait among teachers who’ve been in the profession for several years, it’s that they are pretty controlling of their environment, whether it’s with other teachers or in their classroom. They would have a hard time letting go of that control and moving to the role of encourager and facilitator. I also like your vision for education. Wouldn’t it be great if every student had computer/internet access? I would love to teach that way, doing a combination of online and classroom work with them! Maybe some day :)
I agree with you about the need for teachers to be facilitators rather than Charlie Brown Teacher voices lecturing all the time at the front of the room in a "forced" manner. Your vision of the future and mine are very similar. Since I have the advantage of a class set of laptops this year, I have been working more with PBL. The kids really like it, especially when you let them work on topics which are of personal relevance to them. It makes me so happy when I hear 13 year olds talking about which college or training will be the best choice for them to achieve their career goals, or when they are researching family heritage and feel that connection to their ancestors.
ReplyDeleteHard to believe change is several centuries overdue.
I agree that teachers need to be more like a facilitator, and this is a major positive I found in his proposition, as well. I like the idea of students guiding their own learning. I think the problem with educators not wanting to participate in something like this comes from a place of fear of the unknown. So many teachers want to be just like the teachers they themselves had in school. I had so many wonderful teachers that I aspire to be like. The problem is that education is very different than it was when we were in school.
ReplyDelete