e-learning Now » K12

Is text-only enough for today’s students?

drandyoliver — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 16:28:04 +0000

An interesting post by Vicki A. Davis on the Cool Cat Teacher Blog.

Basically, in terms of teaching students how to tell stories she asks if text is enough.

“So, I ask, is text enough? I believe we should encourage students to select the best mode of communicating their topic. And that students should be familiar with as many modes as possible. Sure, someone has to put these in their “toolbox” but once the tools are there, they should be using them in all classes. I think we’re too hung up on the technology and not realizing that we are experiencing an evolution in how humans communicate.”

She illustrates her point by asking the reader to consider 7 examples in which a story is told first by short text and second by another method, (including photo, view, slideshow etc.). You should note that item 2 will make you jump (particularly if you have headphones on).

View post

The comments attached to the post take the issue further and are also worth reading.

K12 Online Conference 2007…

drandyoliver — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 16:25:58 +0000

…begins in a few hours.

Although aimed at the K12 (primary & secondary) school sector a lot of the case studies and research presented are applicable to the HE context. The strands include Obstacles to Opportunities, New Tools and Classroom 2.0. A wide range of e-learning topics are covered including web 2.0 tools, blogging, copyright and second life. Integration and pedagogical issues are equally addressed.

A number of fmaous e-learning educators are presenting including: David Warlick, Alan Levine, Brian Lamb, Nancy Davis and Jeff Utecht. Konrad Glogowski whose blog a reference frequently is presenting on “Assessment and Evaluation”.

It’s free, online and is taking place over the next 3 weeks.

Main link here, schedule here

Teacher as Blogger

drandyoliver — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 16:25:22 +0000

Okay Primary Edders, one from the archives. This is a Link to a post on Konrad Glogoskis’s blog. It concerns the subject of tutor feedback on student blogs and on how the tutor, in terms of comment content, needs to bridge the gap between providing ‘feedback as the tutor’ to providing ‘feedback as the co-learner’. A good read as it details Konrad’s initial attempts with with school class.

Adding stickies to websites

drandyoliver — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 16:21:38 +0000

One for you Primary Edders – Tom Barrett over at ICT in My Classroom has posted another interesting entry. Tom is basically a teacher in the front line of primary education and through the course of teaching makes use of a variety of technology. From reading his blog on a regular basis you get a sense of the seamless way in which he uses technology in his teaching and clearly not with a view of using technology of the sake of it.

I also enjoy his blog because it gives me an insight into the elearning at the primary education – a sector in which a greaet deal of exciting things are happening, particularly with wikis, group and personal blogs.

Anyway his latest offering looks at Diigo which is an animation tool that allows you to annotate websites with text notes (likened to ’stickies’). The anotations can be private to yourself – you set up an account but in Tom’s case he’s set up an account and shared it with his students allowing them to ad their own notes and to edit each others notes.

A nice read (click here).

Anyone care to suggest possible educational activities.

Learning to be myself

drandyoliver — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 16:15:31 +0000

Basically an alert to Konrad Glogowski’s latest posting on the Blog of Proximal Development.

Basically he’s reflecting on his current and future role as part of a class blog (he teaches secondary school age children). He’s trying to be less of the teacher/expert role and more of the co-learner – part of the class blog community.

A good read.

“This year, I want my personal voice to be present in the community. I will, of course, continue to be present as Mr.Glogowski, the grade eight Language Arts teacher. I will be present in my didactic and supportive role of an educator, of a classroom teacher who guides and explains. At the same time, I want to be present as Konrad Glogowski, the human being who has his own interests and views. I want to be present as an individual, not an individual reduced to one role.”

Click here for more