"The change starts with us" (Richardson and Mancabelli p 60). That statement is so true for teachers and administrators. The authors talk about the changes a teacher must make in order to create a networked classroom. They also talk about the benefits of a networked classroom. Network classrooms are transparent, collaborative, learning centered, accessible, communication based, supportive or problem - or inquiry based learning, and driven by authentic assessment.
Richardson and Mancabelli talk about safety and ethical use when you have a networked classroom. "The safety of every student is paramount as we begin to help kids fashion and connect to their own learning networks online" (Richardson and Mancabelli p 75). Everyday, whether online or offline, there are dangers in our interactions; however, the learning and collaboration the students experience from networked classrooms outweigh the risks.
Regular classroom environments must transform in order for our students to be successful 21st century learners.
Last night I was in a Twitter chat that was centered around the transparency that a classroom can have when technology is used. We discussed how to involve all stakeholders in becoming participants in the school, so the creation and collaboration can be seen all around the community. One question that came up was "What are your school's vision and mission statements and is technology included at all?" It sparked great ideas about how a school may want to publicly announce that it's vision and mission are not the same as always because using more technology is going to make the students reach more people than before. What I got from the chat is being networked changes the goals of what a school is trying to accomplish.
ReplyDeleteI think one of the biggest skill sets students will need in the future is managing and communicating via various social formats. Clarence is a great example of training students how to be successful digital citizens and manage their own learning networks efficiently. I think for some students this will be a natural process for others it will take a lot of modeling and experience.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree that my greatest issue with having a networked classroom and allowing students to interact using digital tools is that they do not possess proper etiquette. In your last paragraph you cited Richardson and Mancabelli in which they discuss the safety of all students as they use interactive tools. In order for students to become 21st century learners, we have to become 21st century teachers and demonstrate proper etiquette through modeling appropriate tweets, blogs, or posts. I have found that what I promote I will get in return, but if I am not clear about what I want then the students give me inadequate performance. We all are going to have to work harder if we are going to implement these new technologies. There are some days when I wonder if it is all worth it...yet, deep down I know it is.
ReplyDeleteKeeping students safe and teaching them digital citizenship as they are active member of a networked safety has to be a priority. I found an article that shares reasons for schools to allow social media in school. I couldn't agree more. I think too many districts find it easier to ban social media sites rather then educate teachers about the proper and safe use of the sites. For any social media site to be successful educators have to be knowledgeable and actively involved. With modeling and guidance, I know a networked classroom could provide amazing opportunities. I like how you mentioned "the change starts with us" quote. It was one of my favorites as it was really motivating.
ReplyDeleteSocial Media Article:
http://techandscience.com/techblog/ShowArticle.aspx?ID=203
Thank you so much for your post. As I read through your blog post I couldn't help but think of how I could properly implement this type of instruction in my classroom. I think it would be very difficult to hold all students accountable for the same type of learning, because not every child has equal access to internet, computers, or other resources that would be required of them. This type of classroom can display the have and have-nots and really create a barrier between students. I think this would be one of the most difficult things to overcome and address. How would you handle this divide in your classroom? How would you support students who do not have the resources needed to be successful outside of the classroom?
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