#cyberPD Part 1: Who Owns The Learning?

Another opportunity to learn right beside you (Cathy) and you (Laura) and you (Jill) and YOU (Yes, YOU!)?  I'm in!

This summer I am participating (again) in the #cyberPD conversations about the book by Alan November titled Who Owns The Learning? Preparing Students for Success in the Digital Age.

Reading any PD book grows my thinking and gets me wondering about the implications in my school and more specifically, in my resource classroom.  This title was not in my original #cyberPD summer book stack, but I wasn't about to miss out on the conversations and learning.  Opening up the conversation to educators across the globe, exponentially  e x p a n d s  my thinking and learning.  Because YOU just might:

• Pick a phrase from the book that I missed and share your thoughts.  
• Ask a really good deep question that makes me ponder.  
• Share your insights to your understanding and the implications in your classroom.

...and all of your great thinking pushes my thinking.  Let the learning begin!  I hope you will join in the conversations too -- whether you are reading the book with us or not!  Your ideas and thoughts MATTER!

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"Unlearning is more difficult than learning something new, 

and one of our most important challenges is to let go of 

existing structures in order to build more effective ones." 

Alan November (p.15)

My Thoughts and Reflections

This is a book that is needed now.  We are breathing in the advances of technology on a daily basis.  There is already something newer or better (or shinier) ready to be sold on the market.  This is the world we live in, so how do we learn (and survive) when we are inundated with enormous amounts of information and technology tools and apps?  

Slowly.  We MUST do it right.  I'm a believer that we cannot just throw technology into a classroom and think we are preparing our students for the future.  It goes so far beyond access and a busywork app.  As November stated, "Instead, we have to teach students to use information and communication technologies to innovate, solve problems, create and be globally connected" (p.12).  Because we know, the novelty of the "new, shiny technology" will wear off, and we must push forward and continue to learn how to help our students be researchers, designers, collaborators, and innovators -- and to be ready for those jobs that they will create: "Truly educated people of the next century will not apply for a job.  They will create their own" (November quoting William Cook p.14).

As I think about the previous PD book I read, Teach Like a PIRATE by Dave Burgess, and also the many characteristics of a distinguished teacher from the Danielson Framework for Teaching, it is essential that students are engaged and want to contribute for the good and the learning of the class.  Students are helping students. Students are asking the questions.  Students are sharing feedback.  Students are pushing each other to do something bigger and better.  All because they want to -- not for a grade or points.  Who owns this learning?  It's quite obvious.

That is the culture for learning I want to create in my classroom.  And thus provides a shift in our thinking: "Rather than simply focusing on the transfer of knowledge process, teachers in the Digital Learning Farm model guide students in the complex tasks of innovation and problem solving, and in doing work that makes a contribution to the learning processes of others" (p.18).

As I continued to read, there were so many words that I highlighted over and over that go "hand-in-hand" with the success of a Digital Learning Farm model:

Powerful words for Powerful Teaching and Learning

"And I doubt that my students' test scores would suffer 

from the depth and detail of this purposeful work" (p.24).

Implications in My Classroom

As a reading specialist focusing on small group targeted interventions and Response to Intervention, I'm wondering how the Digital Learning Farm model fits into my little world.

Many educators on Twitter and in the blogging world share social media and other communication tools to enhance the learning in the classroom.  A short list that comes to mind includes: Kidblog, Twitter in the classroom, Skype, Global Read Aloud, Wonderopolis, Animoto, Edmodo, Voicethread.  All tools and projects that allow students to connect and contribute in their classrooms and beyond the four walls of the school.  November reminds us that "...technology is simply the means that makes the process possible ..." (p.14).  Some of these tools and projects I mentioned I have played around with, but I need to do more to learn how to use the tools to create that sense of ownership, purpose, and mastery in my classroom.

I have implemented the use of Kidblog in my intermediate small groups to encourage more writing and reading, but I have also closed the door and created our own private room.  I can easily change that setting and share with a more global audience.

I'm looking forward to learning with others how I could use other tools to improve reading and comprehension in our daily lives and to continue to encourage a life-long love of reading.  I would love to be able to record students reading to improve fluency or record book talks to share favorite titles.  I'm also curious about digital portfolios and capturing learning in one place.

In addition, I grabbed my school iPad, downloaded the ScreenChomp app and started recording.  I can see how easy and fun creating purposeful videos to share with others could be for our students.  Perhaps students can retell a story through drawings and words.  I can also see how this app would be beneficial for ELLs (really all students) to say it first (before writing) or a new version of "Turn-Talk-and-Draw".

Here is MY first ScreenChomp video. It's a bit rough, but I had to play in the "Digital Playground"!

Go on now and play too!  Try it and let's find out who owns the learning!

Thanks for stopping by and please share your thoughts and ideas!

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#cyberPD Schedule:

• July 3rd:  Chapters 1 & 2 at Cathy's blog: Reflect and Refine
• July 10th:  Chapters 3 & 4 at Jill's blog:  My Primary Passion
• July 17th:  Chapters 5, 6 & Epilogue at Laura's blog:  Ruminate and Invigorate 
• To be announced:  Final chat on Twitter.