A creative video recounting an actual high school assignment and how a particular student used a ‘learning network’ approach for the research. Of course, this student already has the skills to ‘control his own learning’ and use the Internet as his primary resource. Are we providing our elementary and middle school students with similar learning experiences to help prepare them for a project like this? Are we the teacher that is described at the end of the video?
The format was inspired by the CommonCraft – Plain English series and Alec Couros’ Networked Teacher graphic
Dr. Jim Egenrieder
Steven Knight
ED554@Reston 
Anonymous
July 8, 2011 at 4:36 pm
While I appreciate that this student has a good use of all of the many avenues to explore the topic of American Pychology, I think he downplays the role of his teacher as a teacher, not just a facilitator. As much as I want to facilitate learning by providing tools for exploration on the web, I hope that students also recognize that I am also a source of information and elucidation. I’m not saying I want to be the only one who holds the keys to knowledge, but I do feel that teachers can provide more than a map to learning. Every great teacher that I’ve had the fortune of learning from has also been a tourguide, expanding my world and giving me context for understanding.
futurepedagologist
July 8, 2011 at 4:40 pm
^signed Shabrayle (I forgot to log in.)
kindergartentofirst
July 11, 2011 at 3:59 pm
I agree with Shabrayle that I would hope as a teacher I am more than a tour guide for learning. Some of my greatest teachers have been fabulous storytellers and I’ve learned from their recounting of their experiences and knowledge. Do we all remember Dr. Nasr from our first semester?- what a storyteller! I hope that I can emulate these teachers in my classroom.
However, I attended elementary school, middle school, and high school WELL before the digital age, internet, or even computers that were not the size of a classroom. Therefore, I strive to find the balance between sharing my experiences and knowledge with my students without technology AND guiding them to obtain the 21st century skills that they will need in their future.