TIE 2009 – Shifting Literacies – Karl Fisch June 25, 2009
Posted by Matthew Woolums in 21st-Century, Conference Sessions, Opinion.trackback
http://tieconference.wikispaces.com/3311
Something new: http://www.netvibes.com/theunquietlibrary#Iran_Election_2009
Rants and Raves
- It is important to continue to learn, and to share that learning process with each other and our students.
- Karl’s current cosmology comes from a dissatisfaction with a ‘good enough’ math classroom.
- 1994 computers came on the scene and so did student information systems. Karl began the transition from math to technology, motivated by bringing a better experience to the classroom.
- Money was a barrier to providing access to and integration of technology.
- Teachers wanted time. Cohort of brave teachers became a group of teachers teaching teachers how to use technology. Teachers developed the PD based on research, pedagogy, and (if time allows) technology.
- The Fischbowl was born.
- Lots of significant reading took place, Gladwell, Pink, Kurzweil, etc.
- August 2006, the conversation started with Did You Know? We get to see an updated edition for TIE.
- Presentation was posted to the blog and it started to spread from there. Scott McLeod posted new versions in new formats. Those spread to YouTube, I’m Bored, etc.
- System we use in education today based on an industrial model.
- Lots of questions:
- Education system designed when information was scarce. Information is now abundant. Now what should students know how to do? Content and skills are both important. We need to learn and relearn.
- What does it mean to be literate in the 21st century? We don’t know. Not yet. Reading and analyzing books is not the same as reading and analyzing websites. We have a lot more information and a lot more access to information. We can do our own fact checking. Previously we filtered prior to publishing. Now we publish and then filter. Everything gets published, and all of us have to filter, we all need to be a media specialist. Consume and produce the media of the day. Our students (as well as we do) need an understanding of our digital footprint. Are our students ready for co-laboratory learning, for a world where professional networking is the communications tool of the day? Google Mobile for iPhone, and WolframAlpha as examples.
- Wisdom? What do we do with all of this? How do we help them create their own personal learning networks? A PLN is the new coin that separates those who are on the inside and those who are on the outside. Standards, but not standardized.
Examples
- http://www.lps.k12.co.us/schools/arapahoe/21c/21c.htm
- Use a fishbowl – outer circle of students taking interactive notes and live blogging the conversation. This can include students in and out of the classroom, outside observers, both when it happens, and whenever anyone wants to participate.
- Wiki-fied research papers. Discussion. Drafts. Links.
- Cover It Live posted in a blog – live text discussions with experts.
- Blog posts requesting comments to critical questions.
- Podcasting “This I Believe”.
- Commenting and editing with comments on documents.
- Google Groups for college essays.
- Scribe posting – assign a student to post to the class blog what happened that day.
- 2nd graders drew pictures, 6th graders composed music to fit, 9th graders wrote poetry, all from different schools, different states.
- Online projects – Flat World Projects.
- Reading anything school appropriate, with end of week oral report, podcasted, with feedback as comments on a blog.
- Language translations by students between classes for native speakers learning the corresponding language as podcasts and written examples on wikis.
- Email questions to an author, which turned into a Skype conversation.
- Ning, Moodle.
Who do we answer to? We answer to the kids. The only reason we have a job is to meet their needs.
We are the system. Pushbacks. Yeah-buts. In the end, we are the system that needs to be fixed.
Audience Participation
What is the best way to ‘fix’ the system? Join tech dept.? How does 21st C. Lit. relate to math? Real world data-gathering. Is there any vocabulary that need adjusting like literacy? Writing is different. Local and global may also be changing. How does the general public respond to this presentation since there is no obvious consensus about what education is or should be? Once school parents can see the results of their children’s work, they become supporters.
Reflection: The very nature of change is changing. We are moving to a time, not of change, but of flow. We need to know how to stay on top and not be overwhelmed or marginalized by the sheer volume of information. I’ll probably blog more about this later.
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