Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from January, 2015

Students As Entrepreneurial Learners

em*ploy*ee   noun : a person who works for another person or for a company for wages, salary, or some other form of compensation en*tre*pre*neur   noun : one who organizes, manages, and assumes the risks of a business or enterprise "How do you constantly look around you, all the time, for new ways, and new resources, to learn new things?" - John Seely Brown Heutagogy is the study and application of self-determined learning. Rather than merely improving or reframing education, Jon Andrews explains that an entrepreneurial mindset is necessary to transform education " into a complete experience and preparation for the world today, as well as, for an uncertain future. " (1) World-renowned scholar, Yong Zhao , states, " Traditional schooling aims to prepare employees rather than creative entrepreneurs. As a result, the more successful traditional schooling is (often measured by test scores in a few subjects), the more it stifles creativity and the e

Digital Contribution vs. Digital Citizenship

Last week's frigid weather not only prompted many school closings, it prompted some students to take to social media in a negative way. The reaction to the negative messages was swift and predictable with teachers, administrators, and parents calling for digital citizenship training programs. A common popular analogy suggests young drivers take coursework and an assessment before obtaining a license to legally drive. Shouldn't similar steps be taken before people put their reputations and futures at risk from ill-advised sharing on social media?  "We need to look beyond the scary stats and help kids start thinking about the things they want to share with their families, with their classrooms, or with a larger audience." - Alec Couros With the stakes being so high, it's hard to argue against teaching young people about responsible use and proper etiquette when using digital tools and social media. However, I would like to suggest another way. Educators should

Next Generation Learning Spaces & Meaningful Learning Experiences

"The classroom remains a location of possibility." The HipHopEd Manifesto Does this learning space facilitate meaningful learning experiences?   How many of our learning spaces resemble this Philadelphia classroom from 1897?  Yesterday, David Jakes , a highly respected educational thought change leader, led a three-hour session to help us stretch and validate our thinking in creating " next-generation " learning spaces.  " Why do you want to change your learning spaces? ", asked Mr. Jakes. Our district has made a strong commitment to 1:1 enhanced learning. Teachers and students are realizing that many aspects of the traditional classroom " container " no longer provide the " flexibility, agility, and adaptability" offered in digital learning spaces. During his introduction, Mr. Jakes referred to the book, The Third Teacher . The authors state children learn and develop through their interactions with adults, p