Learning through Networks
In Wendy Drexler's video Networked Student tells a true story about what is happening as result of connectivism entering the classrooms. Connectivism occurs in the classroom when students learn through new advances in technology and by connecting with others across the globe to both learn and discuss their focussed subject. In these networking courses a student discusses, listens, communicates, and learns about the subject with other peers, professors, and experts from across the world.
Towards the end of this video it brings up a very important question. If the teacher is not the one teaching the students why have a teacher at all. The teacher is the one responsible for helping the student build up this network. The teacher becomes the learning architect, modeler, learning concierge, connected learning incubator, network sherpa, synthesizer, and change agent. The teacher is no longer the only source of information reaching the student.
Through Networked learning students are able to find tools that fit their personal learning methods and their personal interest. This allows students to become more involved in their own learning. This will also help students retain more of the information because they are not being handed information but instead they are actively working their way through the knowledge they obtain themselves.
PLE in Action
PLE stands for Personal Learning Environment. In this video you are able to watch as a student guides you through her PLE for her seventh grade science class. It shows all the tools she uses and the opportunities she has available through this PLE. It truly blew me away to see this in action for the first time. It creates a wonderful tool for students to become active learners, and it acts as an amazing step in their educational development
Baldwin County is now ephasizing the use of challenge based, project-based and problem-based learning strategies at all grade levels. These efforts are similar to the networked student's approach to learning except the approaches vary according to grade. So get ready to be a Networked Teacher!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you on your comment about teachers and what their role is in the classroom. Even though the student will be using other sources for information, the teacher is the one that will be guiding him/her to utilize all of the tools and information that is available to them. Thank-you I enjoyed reading your blog.
ReplyDelete*Sorry I deleted my first comment, because I had spelled something wrong.
I think that being a networked student will help students broaden their skills. I love that the teacher is the guide to help figure things out. Your post was very informative I like the way you described the benefits of being a networked student.
ReplyDelete