Webinar Explorations-Week 2

Overview:

After exploring several options, I finally settled on completing a webinar concerning technology and critical thinking skill development.  The i5 Teacher: Teaching Thinking, Teaching Innovation was a good overall experience.  Hosted by Jane Pollock, the webinar was both practical and helpful.  It asked critical questions and gave specific criteria for effective use of technology in the classroom.  It directly connected teaching thinking through technology to GANAG lesson planning.

The webinar began with an intriguing question.  Is critical thinking best taught outside of the classroom? One author at Scientific American seemed to think so.  Jane Pollock considered this question and deduced that if we fail to prime the educational environment for critical thinking, maybe it is best to teach it outside of the classroom.  However, technology (coupled with other tools) can help provide a fertile environment for teaching thinking and innovation.  The ability to ask questions and use this method to learn and innovate can at times be at odds with the American thirst for measuring knowledge. To get to this higher level thinking, Pollock proposed using technology with practical, long term goals.

Approaching technology with a thoughtful awareness is a key element to effective use. First, we must ask ourselves why we are using the tool.  For what purpose?  And is it the best choice for that particular moment?  According to Pollock, best use of technology can be explained in a simple equation.

       information + images + interaction + inquiry = innovation

In essence, using technology helps students gather better information.  Through greater access to information and images coupled with increased collaboration and inquiry we reach the goal of greater innovation.  The Internet is by far more expansive than any textbook resource.  It is the ultimate multifunctional tool which can be applied to and connected to all subjects, allowing for greater opportunity for reflection and collaboration. Technology, at its best, is not simply storing or consuming information.  It is sharing and collaboration steeped in inquiry.

Connecting:

As teachers we constantly search for meaning in our teaching.  Why are we learning this? How will this benefit the student?  Continually reflecting and asking these questions helps us understand the tools we are using and how they can benefit our classroom.  For example, we all have been on numerous field trips where everyone is snapping photos. They are taking photos of this and that.  They take photos of everything.  But when the field trip is over, their memories are fuzzy.  Digital cameras and smart phones are wonderful tools, but they need to be used efficiently.  Believe it or not, studies have actually shown that taking numerous photos with our smart phones can actually cause us to remember less.  Interestingly, if we make an adjustment in our approach it can help us preserve our memory.  By asking ourselves or our students to focus in on key elements while taking the pictures, our memories are strengthened.  It brings meaning to the activity and therefore solidifies learning.  Using the technology is not enough, we need to give it meaning.

Classroom blogs can be an excellent example of this need for meaning.  Many classrooms now use blogs to communicate with parents regarding what has recently been completed in the classroom and as a platform for communicating important messages.  This is only a one dimensional use of the classroom blog though.  Many forward thinking teachers now use the blog as an extension of the classroom.  Teachers share additional resources for student exploration.  They allow students to share their work and allow for feedback.  This turns the blog into a virtual classroom rather than a glorified newspaper.

Reflection:  Can You Judge A Book By Its Cover?

I chose this webinar because of the title.  GASP!  Actually, it runs a lot deeper than that. As a mother and citizen of the world I am concerned about the blind consumption of electronic content.  What are we feeding our brains?  Too often I have seen teachers that are enamored with a new app or device without completely understanding what it is doing for the student.  The teacher never sat down and asked the important questions.  Why are they using the tool?  How is it working?  Is it working?  And is this the best tool for the job?  It is important that we are the ones asking the questions and getting the answers, rather than responding to sales pitches or hype.

Believe it or not technology is not about watching cat videos or posting your latest exploits on Facebook.  Well, actually, now that I did a little research, maybe it is a little bit.  Nora the Piano Playing Cat has her own website complete with updates on her creative endeavors and a gift shop.

Nora is creative and has great business instincts.  Her talents go beyond mousing and sleeping 20 hours per day.  Her name is now copy written and she continues to create new masterpieces on YouTube.  Now, whether or not she herself is doing it, I don't know for sure.  I think I'd rather not know, it might take away the enjoyment.

The Nitty Gritty Outcomes:

Jane Pollock's webinar addressed course outcomes 1 and 2.  By watching The i5 Teacher webinar, I learned more about designing meaningful and authentic based learning experiences with multiple and varied assessments.  Pollock directly connected the ideas of her webinar to designing an effective lesson plan using the GANAG template. She emphasized the need for all teachers to be conscious consumers of educational apps and the Internet, not all tools are created equal.  And surprisingly, sometimes a pad and paper will suffice.

In addition, I learned ways to promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students' conceptual understanding.  In particular, Pollock invited Frank Korb, a high school art teacher, to share his classroom blog, elaborating on how it is an extension of the classroom. Using the blog as a platform for communicating additional resources for learning, his students share their art works in progress and have frequent online discussions. Feedback is greatly encouraged.  In fact, his rule is this: if you want feedback, you need to give feedback.