Saturday, February 28, 2009

Still room for improvement?

Looks like our focus on literacy still needs some work....

Share photos on twitter with Twitpic

This photo was taken at the OTF Technology Conference this weekend and shared on twitpics
you just gotta love the irony!

Jane Clarey - Comments on Millenials

Reading Jane Clarey's blog about the use of Web 2.0 Technologies by Millenials, ie students born in the 80's & 90's.

The big idea behind her thinking is that we have to lose the idea of digital native/digital immigrant. Prensky started the conversation but now it's time to move on. Really what we have to realize is that these students although conversant in the use of technologies such as IM, youtube and facebook they do not necessarily look to using these tools for learning or training in the workplace.

Clarey states: "the “younger” generation does not have a high level of use of collaborative knowledge creation tools (“2.0”) and don’t adopt radically different patterns of knowledge creation and sharing." As a librarian and learner....this speaks to me.

Educators really need to focus on appropriate instruction in the use of web 2.0 tools and focused critical thinking strategies to engage these learners. Helping our students to locate communities of learners focused on their interests and linking this like mindedness to specific learning skills, just might be the key to greater student engagement and student success.

Friday, February 27, 2009

Will Rich Twitter, Diigo, Delicious.....

A full day sitting in a room full of folk with similar views on IT, learning and social networking tools. Lots of fun, lots of information and lots of learning.

I now have a Twitter ID: kitchenerd.


I have established a Pageflakes presence and I am working on my blogging skills. Interesting ideas about disruptive practices to effect change. Neat article about how a principal is texting students instead of banning the phone.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Saturday, February 07, 2009

The Internet as Humanity?

I'm watching a lecture on TVO's Big Ideas, that is so interesting! The lecturer, David Weinburger is very excitedly discussing the nature of knowledge, technology and the internet. He is really making some great connections to how we accept the www because it is openly human. How knowledge must be linked to mutual understanding and the www is the tool that is enabling this. He draws connections to wikipedia, traditional journalism, blogging and society and invites us to think about how we as humans interact with web 2.0.

He argues that the metadata of the internet is what makes us understand, connect and link cultural and linguistic boundaries and is in fact what drives what we interpret as knowing.

This isn't technology, this is sociology!

Sunday, February 01, 2009

Wikieducator

I am going to begin exloring wikieducator to see how best I can use this tool as a teacher. Listened to a podcast on Brian Lamb's Abject Learning blog about this tool and the impact of open access education. I would love to hear what others have to say about this enticing resource.

Superconference 2009

Well it was exhausting, invigorating and challenging. It is always wonderful to share the energy created by 4000 like minded individuals with a shared passion!

This year was interesting as we explored the impact of Disruptive economies, disruptive technologies and creativity. How will this affect us as learners and leaders but most importantly, how will this affect our students? Are we really preparing them for a future we cannot understand? What changes must we make to our teaching practice to ensure that we maximize the impact of read/write web 2.0 technologies in our work? How can we effect systemic change?

I have just spent the day re-reading and organizing notes and reflecting on where do I go from here? Any ideas, comments? I would love to hear some.