tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048236678261615697.comments2023-08-01T07:46:34.281-07:00Educating in the 21st CenturyAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08329754143774919281noreply@blogger.comBlogger146125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048236678261615697.post-60540667862694064062017-06-21T02:57:00.573-07:002017-06-21T02:57:00.573-07:00When I have allowed my students to cooperate with ...When I have allowed my students to cooperate with <a href="http://nycresumeservices.com/" rel="nofollow">resume writers New York</a> and write their essays, they were motivated more than ever. My students are motivated by what online technologies offer them every day and by the chance to try out new methods of learning. british princesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09073512182017647019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048236678261615697.post-29248021099781815302016-04-06T23:55:31.334-07:002016-04-06T23:55:31.334-07:00Valuable information and excellent design you got ...Valuable information and excellent design you got here! I would like to thank you for sharing your thoughts and time into the stuff you post!!<a href="http://www.primoremodeling.com" rel="nofollow">Bathroom Remodeling Weston </a>Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06120173428415192485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048236678261615697.post-80029298681074051202015-11-30T02:24:41.501-08:002015-11-30T02:24:41.501-08:00great post..
http://www.afu.ac.ae/en/promotion/great post..<br />http://www.afu.ac.ae/en/promotion/afuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01516701759533323483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048236678261615697.post-67571948801662526922015-11-30T02:24:22.510-08:002015-11-30T02:24:22.510-08:00great post..
http://www.afu.ac.ae/en/promotion/great post..<br />http://www.afu.ac.ae/en/promotion/afuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01516701759533323483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048236678261615697.post-83364407126726048482015-11-30T02:15:51.082-08:002015-11-30T02:15:51.082-08:00Congratulations on a successful Edcamp.
http://ww...Congratulations on a successful Edcamp. <br />http://www.afu.ac.ae/en/promotion/afuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01516701759533323483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048236678261615697.post-33296170692631608422015-11-30T02:15:18.234-08:002015-11-30T02:15:18.234-08:00 Thanks so much, and will follow you now.
http://w... Thanks so much, and will follow you now.<br />http://www.afu.ac.ae/en/promotion/afuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01516701759533323483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048236678261615697.post-24509838783628484612015-11-30T02:15:00.757-08:002015-11-30T02:15:00.757-08:00 Thanks so much, and will follow you now.
http://w... Thanks so much, and will follow you now.<br />http://www.afu.ac.ae/en/promotion/afuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01516701759533323483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048236678261615697.post-15282580371169103922015-11-30T02:14:19.919-08:002015-11-30T02:14:19.919-08:00that's great,...
http://www.afu.ac.ae/en/promo...that's great,...<br />http://www.afu.ac.ae/en/promotion/afuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01516701759533323483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048236678261615697.post-19828159224967295462015-11-30T02:14:06.115-08:002015-11-30T02:14:06.115-08:00that's great,...
http://www.afu.ac.ae/en/promo...that's great,...<br />http://www.afu.ac.ae/en/promotion/afuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01516701759533323483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048236678261615697.post-29570647236041616612015-11-30T02:12:34.849-08:002015-11-30T02:12:34.849-08:00interesting...
http://www.afu.ac.ae/en/promotion/interesting...<br />http://www.afu.ac.ae/en/promotion/afuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01516701759533323483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048236678261615697.post-5605813009310181172015-11-30T02:12:13.233-08:002015-11-30T02:12:13.233-08:00interesting...
http://www.afu.ac.ae/en/promotion/interesting...<br />http://www.afu.ac.ae/en/promotion/afuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01516701759533323483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048236678261615697.post-74429510199149573512015-11-30T02:10:51.119-08:002015-11-30T02:10:51.119-08:00Thanks for a thoughtful post.
http://www.afu.ac.ae...Thanks for a thoughtful post.<br />http://www.afu.ac.ae/en/promotion/afuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01516701759533323483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048236678261615697.post-66980401714513531772013-02-14T03:41:25.210-08:002013-02-14T03:41:25.210-08:00Great post Aaron. Your comments echo exactly my fe...Great post Aaron. Your comments echo exactly my feelings and experiences. Thanks for a thoughtful post.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048236678261615697.post-70233191352218975242012-12-24T15:09:41.677-08:002012-12-24T15:09:41.677-08:00Paul, thanks for sharing your thoughts. I agree, s...Paul, thanks for sharing your thoughts. I agree, some students require greater amounts of coaching when approached with a new paradigm. From my experience, we also have to work with parents and educate them as to why we are placing the focus on 'learning' rather than 'earning' For most parents, this is a departure from the system that they went through as children. And if the system of 'earning' is one that they navigated well as a student and have experienced as a parent for the greater part of their children's schooling, a shift in assessment and grading practices may be met with some surprise and possibly some resistance. On the other hand, once parents understand that the shift away from marks and grades is designed to support their children's learning, I find that they are quite receptive.<br /><br />AaronAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08329754143774919281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048236678261615697.post-9041757735074307682012-12-21T10:16:49.283-08:002012-12-21T10:16:49.283-08:00 It is so true that our students give back to us b... It is so true that our students give back to us based on what we ask of them. If we convince them that the message is about earning your grade, this is what we will do. Even in working with student teachers, they initially found it hard to conceive of a professional program that was not about grades, but about developing and demonstrating growing competencies - learning. <br /><br />I think a great piece done by a colleague of mine captures a lot of what you are getting at here.<br /><br />http://jonathanvervaet.posterous.com/10-steps-students-taking-responsibility-for-t#more<br /><br /><br />dagieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07655715849969816982noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048236678261615697.post-37484661292416305082012-12-20T16:29:05.661-08:002012-12-20T16:29:05.661-08:00Love how you phrased the questions; it's exact...Love how you phrased the questions; it's exactly the discussion we're having as a staff, and those questions are informing our decisions, especially as we are planning our iPad integration next year. I would say that your experience as a beginning educator mirrors both mine, and my colleagues precisely. I don't know about you, but when we approach students (Middle grades, in our case) with a new paradigm for demonstrating their learning, we get one of two results: one group can't wait to run with it, and the other feels cut adrift and very uncomfortable. We're showing them that it's ok to work through that, especially in reflective teams. Thanks so much, and will follow you now.<br />Posted this entry on Twitter by the way @PTurkinAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048236678261615697.post-7101453395787224972012-12-19T20:20:12.283-08:002012-12-19T20:20:12.283-08:00Ah, the "real world" rears its head agai...Ah, the "real world" rears its head again. Arguments about best educational practice based on analogy to business (which is part of "real life" but not all of it and not even the most important part) are not sound. Of course there are true "dead" lines in some parts of life - like income tax and submitting a competitive bid - and developing good habits for life is part of growing up, but its a long leap from there to looking to what people call "the real world" in order to determine what best supports learning and enables students to achieve their greatest potential. And if we do want to create schools in the image of "the real world" then we need to look at all of that world, including the part where smart managers mentor their employees in much the same way as effective teachers nurture student growth and not just the sink or swim world of 1950s style authoritarian bureaucracy. I challenge you to find any modern text on organizational theory or administration that advocates such practices. Our understanding of human behaviour has come a long way since Skinner argued that folks should be treated like lab rats or pidgeons.<br /><br />But once you allow this argument about "the real world" to start you are easily lost in confused thinking. IMHO, its best to just not go there at all. In order to decide what is best practice in education stick with educational research. In that world it is clear that learning is maximized by a heavy focus on formative assessment and that using grade incentives and sanctions to achieve behavioural objectives is counter productive. At the end of the line, of course, every IP has to become a grade by a deadline, but there is simply no cogent argument for using marks to either punish or reward. Marks, as you point out, are not "payment" or "reward" for hard work, good manners or compliance. They are not a tool for either student control or motivation. Marks should be based on demonstrated learning and nothing else - otherwise they lose their meaning.<br /><br />The sad truth is that abuse of marks by teachers has a long, sad history in education (of which I was a part in my early days) and we are far from banishing this misguided practice, but thank heavens that more and more people are getting it right and talking about it. It will take a generation, but the direction of change is clear and unstoppable. Marks as a reward with go the way of the Dodo Bird just as we have stopped using the strap and gotten rid of desks that bolt to the floor despite the fact that there are still people whom mourn their loss.Bruce Beairstohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06098379199460974808noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048236678261615697.post-13136844318968713352012-12-19T18:42:46.354-08:002012-12-19T18:42:46.354-08:00I agree that admissions systems place a great emph...I agree that admissions systems place a great emphasis on grades. However, at the high school level we are trying to prepare students to become healthy, positive contributors to society. Will many of them go on to pursue some sort of post secondary training? Yes. We shouldn't cater to just these students though.<br /><br />I also agree that deadlines are helpful for time management and organization, not just for students but for people in general. The reality is that deadlines and timelines provide guidelines for people. If a student fails to complete a task by the deadline, what should we do? Hopefully, not assign a '0' and give the student the easy way out. I believe the best way to hold a student accountable for the work her/she didn't complete is to have him/her complete it. <br /><br />Where I disagree with you is your suggestion that in the real world there are much more dire consequences for missing deadlines. In my experience, when a professional/employee fails to meet a deadline, his/her supervisor typically asks why, provides redirection and if necessary works with the employee to guide him/her through the process. If this type of behaviour persists, then of course there will likely be larger consequences, but not to start with. <br /><br />I'd love to hear other people's thoughts on this as well!<br /><br />AaronAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08329754143774919281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048236678261615697.post-83438734685826335252012-12-18T23:46:47.583-08:002012-12-18T23:46:47.583-08:00Unfortunately admission systems place greater emph...Unfortunately admission systems place greater emphasis on rewarding students with high grades so it's only natural that this motivates students to do assignments for the marks, not the learning.<br /><br />I'm not sure if being lenient with deadlines is beneficial for students although that may depend on the nature of the task. Deadlines help students take responsibility for their time management. Consequences of missing deadlines in the real world are much more dire than just a few percentage points.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048236678261615697.post-47345164128645346612012-11-23T05:54:49.553-08:002012-11-23T05:54:49.553-08:00Congratulations on a successful Edcamp. Its great ...Congratulations on a successful Edcamp. Its great that Canadian educators are taking such an activity part in these conversations (compared to other countries). <br />On your reflections about 'preaching to the converted, ' while I agree that in a situation such as Edcamp that might be the case it is also much needed. It is where the inspiration and the drive to carry forward comes from. While it is good to question why the same conversations are still going on 10 years later, I am not sure that the reason is because people who were at the fore-front 10 years ago in their thinking about technology and its impact on education are going around in circles - I think its because the rest of us are just catching up. The field moves way too fast and there are too many schools and educators for who the possibilities of technology did not come to the forefront until quite recent. I am one such educator for sure - I am 'just' entering the conversations -not because I am anti-tech or anything but just because it was not on my radar in the same manner. Interestingly I find the I will have an AHA moment, be all fired up and then find out that one of the people who were probably at Edcamp 10 years ago have already said it and said it WAY better than I ever could! That's the beauty of the internet though -access to information and experts :-) I can't imagine that I am alone - just by virtue of the place we occupy on this continuum of educational change there are a bunch of us out there - excited by the change, eager to do what is best for students and yet not as knowledge about the area as the people who either were the early 'specialized' or those who are coming with a digital natives perspective.<br /><br />So what should we be doing to make that the narrative changes? Perhaps we should be<br />Changing leadership visions, abilities and conversations.<br />Encouragement for those of us who come just prior to the digital natives/i-generation.<br />Continued conversations with people who have been forging the way.<br />Perhaps a change in pre-teaching practices so that the teachers coming into the conversation start with different dialogues.<br /><br />Just some thoughts :-)<br />Best.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048236678261615697.post-82694551190573137122012-10-09T08:02:31.848-07:002012-10-09T08:02:31.848-07:00Thanks for the comment Karen. What I find interest...Thanks for the comment Karen. What I find interesting is that we would never advocate for our students having long gaps of time in between their moments of learning, yet traditionally as educators we have had gaps of a month or more in between pro-d days. Fortunately, many schools are now finding ways to incorporate professional learning into their schedule, staff meetings, etc but on average I'm guessing that these opportunities are probably still not enough to support truly continuous learning. I've have found connected learning helps make my learning more continuous. The other major benefit that both of us have experienced is connecting with others from all over the world. <br /><br />It's hard to believe but Edcamp Leadership BC is right around the corner! I look forward to continuing some of our conversations F2F in November! AaronAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08329754143774919281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048236678261615697.post-3644536958754939692012-10-07T12:34:50.221-07:002012-10-07T12:34:50.221-07:00Aaron what a great post. I too am blown away by h...Aaron what a great post. I too am blown away by how much my PLN has changed me as an educator. For the first time in my 20+ year career I have people that get me. We push one an others thinking and the benefit it has had for my students is amazing. As a grade one teacher it has opened up the world to my students. It's very, very powerful stuff. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I look forward to seeing you F2F in November at Ed Camp. I still have very fond memories of last years edcamp. KarenK Lirenmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16058037226665551154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048236678261615697.post-58568840324132110302012-08-19T22:29:19.919-07:002012-08-19T22:29:19.919-07:00Hi Gallit, thanks for commenting!
At some point, ...Hi Gallit, thanks for commenting!<br /><br />At some point, I would agree that this can become a bit of a chicken/egg dilemma.<br />When a person is engaged in what they are doing, learning for themselves and truly inspiring others to learn then an investment in technology may lead to even greater progress. <br />That said, I also think there has to be a starting point for each person. And for educators, I think the starting point is a desire to continually improve pedagogy. Once an educator gets going along these lines, then either an investment in new tools or in other forms of professional learning will be very valuable in triggering even greater innovation.<br /><br />Maybe this is a good topic of discussion for Edcamp Leadership BC...<br /><br />AaronAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08329754143774919281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048236678261615697.post-87566027114289947732012-08-18T17:00:04.353-07:002012-08-18T17:00:04.353-07:00Hi George, thanks for the comment. As I re-read my...Hi George, thanks for the comment. As I re-read my find, statement I'm thinking I should alter it slightly. 'WE SHOULDN'T EXPECT investments in technology will demand new frameworks for learning.' I believe we need to be very thoughtful when investing big dollars in technology because we have all seen shiny tools stuffed in the corner of a classroom, covered in dust and completely forgotten. In these instances, the 'cool' tool may have lost it's novelty or it may not have been part of a larger plan.<br /><br />My hope is that when educators invest in technology, they are investing in the technology as part of a larger plan that I believe should include improvements in pedagogy. If the technology plays an important in stimulating the shift in pedagogy, great! <br /><br />The mistake I don't like seeing is when educators invest in technology, assuming that the technology will force a change in pedagogy. As much as I'm a fan of technology and I know it has supported my ability to 'connect', I purchased the technology knowing many of the things I hoped to do with it and how I would use it. The technology itself didn't make me join twitter or start a blog, but what it does do is allow me to do tweet and blog more conveniently and more often. <br /><br />In some ways, whether to invest in pedagogy or technology can be a bit of a circular argument I guess. I know you and I would both agree that we think good pedagogy should be leveraged by the use of technology. In the end however, I think we'd also agree that good teaching still outweighs the best technology.<br /><br />AaronAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08329754143774919281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048236678261615697.post-29310395226543184232012-08-17T17:37:14.204-07:002012-08-17T17:37:14.204-07:00Reminds me of a the old chicken/egg dilemma...
Wh...Reminds me of a the old chicken/egg dilemma...<br /><br />What comes first the innovation or the technology?<br /><br />Great discussion!<br />Gallit ZAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06591650557405976201noreply@blogger.com