Sentiments On Common Sense

Apr 12 2009

Thinking about the learning equation: Where does Tech fit?

Published by Andrew at 11:51 am under Technology Education, collaboration, communications, redefining literacy

I would like to follow up on my post yesterday. I have been doing a lot of thinking how technology builds a new classroom environment. I use the word “new” very carefully here, in that we have been using tech in classrooms now for quite a while. Heck… I used computers in my classroom way back in ‘87. That would be a healthy 22 years ago now. Nonetheless, tech does move the classroom environment toward a more democratic approach with the direction of learning coming from both the adult and the child (or teacher and student).

Silvia Tolisano at the Langwitches blog wrote a great post on the 29th called “Take the Technology out of the Equation”. This post is worth a read if you have not had a chance to work through her thoughts and the links. It is a well written post that goes to the heart of my beliefs and the point of my “micro”-rant from yesterday. Her wordle from the post is to the upper left of this post.

In the post she asks a series of questions about learning.

They are:

How do we teach students how to learn?

How do we motivate and engage learners?

How do we create a climate where learning is valued, not test scores or a covered text book?

Yesterday I stated that if we as educators are constantly stuck in the learning skills we will never “…be able to drill down deep in our conversations about higher level thinking, collaboration, problem solving and content creation”.

Let’s think hard here. It really is common sense. To get past the reasons and excuses and the lack of skills by both the teachers and the students (recognizing both as learners) we as school leaders must focus our organizations on learning and the learning process. I have said in the past and probably will do again and again, that we are denying our students great learning experiences if we remove the technology component from the learning equation. I believe that technology could be the greatest learning tool ever invented, and it really does flatten the instructional process by involving all members of the learning community in the process. By gaining the engagment of the learner, we also gain their trust and their passion for learning.

Silvia said it best when when she states:

Maybe we need to be talking about something no one can deny as a priority in our schools: STUDENT LEARNING. Maybe we if we talk on that common ground, there will be less resistance, more collaboration and communication on how to achieve that.

Leadership 2.0 (deangroom.wordpress.com)
Solo Teaching verses Team Learning. (deangroom.wordpress.com)
QuickEd – The 21st Century Skills Curriculum (laf.ee)

student learning, Langwitches, collaboration, communications, 21st Century skills

Tags: 21st century, 21st Century Skills, collaboration, communications, Education, Langwitches, learning, student learning, Teacher, Technology

2 responses so far

2 Responses to “Thinking about the learning equation: Where does Tech fit?”

# Silvia Tolisanoon 13 Apr 2009 at 10:24 pm

Andrew,
Thank you for continuing my train of thought about how to shift the conversation around “change” in schools from technology to learning.

It is about student learning and simply “good teaching”. Good teachers are passionate and committed to preparing their students for the (students’ !!!) future and guiding them in becoming life long learners.

The “future” requires skills such as being able to communicate, create, collaborate and connect. Technology is merely an incredible tool, that allows us to do just that.

You also linked to the “lame excuses” many teachers have regarding the reasons why they can’t/won’t integrate technology. Let’s shift from asking teachers to integrate technology to integrate learning, not merely covering material. Focus on learning through communication, collaboration, connections and creation.

Can you imagine a teacher saying: “I just don’t have the time for student learning” or ” There is so much paperwork to do, I just can’t think about integrating learning at this point”.
# Matt T.on 25 May 2009 at 9:59 am

I’ve had this post bookmarked for quite some time and am just now getting around to responding. I really like your emphasis on learning, relationships and how the two can cooperate to make a change in classroom culture. I find that the sooner I can develop a positive rapport (this does not mean becoming their ‘friend’) with students, the quicker I can help them realize the importance of ‘learning’ rather than ‘grades.’ To a teacher that doesn’t ‘care,’ all the typical student desires is a “grade.” Once the classroom norm becomes ‘learning’ rather than some sort of arbitrary percentage or point value, class has the potential to become something to look forward to…and for a place where students can feel valued and important. The biggest problem with this emphasis on relationships is that is is so subjective. It is difficult to do a meta-analysis or dissertation study on the “effective of positive relationships on student achievement” with much quantitative validity.