Ten Trends 2012: Social Learning

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What opportunities lie in the vast array of social media platforms and technologies out there? Also, how can we as professionals evaluate the educational opportunities for those whom we serve (our students and our organisations)?

In the video above I discuss the following social learning elements:

For students

 

 

For educators

 

 

How are you using the above examples of 'social learning' in your classrooms?

 

Information about CORE's Ten Trends

 

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John Cage’s 10 rules for students and teachers

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johncage10rules
Some inspiring thoughts: Composer, music theorist, writer, teacher, and artist John Cage's "Rules" (Source)*

* UPDATE: While these Rules have often been attributed to John Cage (who valued them highly), it is now recognised that the author is Sis Corita Kent. Thanks for  those who tweeted this correction.

If you find this version difficult to read, we've transcribed the essence of it here:

10 rules for students and teachers
by Sis Corita Kent
Rule 1: Find a place you trust, and then, try trusting it for a while
Rule 2: (General Duties as a Student)
Pull everything out of your teacher.
Pull everything out of your fellow students.
Rule 3: (General Duties as a Teacher)
Pull everything out of your students.
Rule 4:  Consider everything an experiment.
Rule 5: Be Self-Disciplined. This means finding someone wise or smart and choosing to follow them. To be disciplined is to follow in a good way. To be self-disciplined is to follow in a better way.
Rule 6:  Follow the leader. Nothing is a mistake. There is no win and no fail. There is only make.
Rule 7: The only rule is work. If you work it will lead to something. It is the people who do all the work all the time who eventually catch onto things. You can fool the fans—but not the players.
Rule 8:  Do not try to create and analyze at the same time. They are different processes.
Rule 9: Be happy whenever you can manage it. Enjoy yourself. It is lighter than you think.
Rule 10:  We are breaking all the rules, even our own rules and how do we do that? By leaving plenty of room for “x” qualities.

Helpful Hints:

Always Be Around.
Come or go to everything.
Always go to classes.
Read everything you can get your hands on.
Look at movies carefully and often.
SAVE EVERYTHING. It may come in handy later.

How do your 'rules' help children to grow their key competencies?

Share your comments below.

 

 

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Digital Citizenship | A student’s perspective

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Michael Boddy, Facilitator of Town & Country ICTPD Cluster Palmerston North got the above young people to tackle the big question of 'what does being a positive digital citizen mean?'.

We would like our students to become successful digital citizens who have an authentic voice in the community.

Each school chose two year five students to become ‘Student Leaders’. These students meet throughout the year to collaborate with each other on the following topics:

  • How to be a positive digital citizen – this is our current topic.
  • Creating Digital Citizenship resources to be used by classes.
  • How to use digital tools creatively in the classroom.
  • How to teach and support other students to become independent eLearners.

Take the time to check out their Student Leader's wiki and their ICTPD Cluster wiki for more background and illustrations of work.

Have you seen other students / schools do the same? How are you approaching this area? Please share examples which you have come across, facilitating yourself or if you have a comment—all are welcome below.

Related post: Digital learning inquiry students’ video submission

 

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Digital learning inquiry students’ video submission

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Check out the above video submission for the Inquiry into 21st century learning environments and digital literacy by the pupils of Tawa Intermediate in Wellington, New Zealand.

It was initiated by their teacher, Stephanie Thompson, who wrote the We Are Learning To: Make a difference blog post detailing further background to the process and intent.

Wonderful to note is the top comment on their blog post from Nikki Kaye, the Chair of Education and Science Select Committee, who is behind the public consultation.

What do you think of allowing students responses to these public consultations? Do we do enough to encourage / foster them? Drop us your thoughts in the comments below.

 

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A Productive / Creative / Reflective Classroom

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A wonderful glimpse into the Year 5/6 classroom of Assistant Principal and Invercargill based Mark Herring.

Here's the background to the piece:

My teacher inquiry this year is to provide the parents of my class and school with opportunities to connect with their students and their learning. Some of the feedback I have been getting is that their child is 'backward in coming forward' about what's happening in class. The video is one of the strategies I hoped might help change their perception of 'a day in our classroom.'

I set up a laptop in the corner of the class and with the use of the isight and a time-lapse programme recorded 1 photo every 5 seconds from 8.30am till 3.30pm. The above was our result

Have you thought about doing the same in your classes? What do you think of what the video illustrates? How do you create opportunities for parents to 'see' the learning which happens with their children?

 

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