Again, I am overwhelmed with the amount of information from our textbook on networked classrooms as well as the idea and shift to becoming one! Thinking about it as a whole is a little too much, but dissecting it into baby steps and looking at it as one step at a time is a lot more manageable. It is quite clear this is the future of education. For many schools, it’s the present. However, the school district I teach in, we are just at the very beginnings of integrating technology and all the teachers are at different levels. Implementing a networked classroom is something that does not happen overnight, but it is something that must begin with the teacher. By becoming a networked learner myself, I will be better equipped to aid my students in their learning.
Richardson and Mancabelli (2011) state, “Our role becomes one of helping students organize their own learning and navigate the complexities of finding and connecting their own nodes of learning in way that serve them well” (p. 61). This is a big adjustment to my understanding of the role of the educator where the teacher is the expert/leader in the room. I always thought it was my job to put out the information and lead my students to the knowledge I wanted them to know. The idea of a networked classroom challenges this notion. “Instead of the teacher ‘teaching’ and the students ‘learning,’ teachers and students become co-learners as well as co-teachers in the process” (Richardson & Mancabelli, 2011, p. 61).
There are some obvious advantages to having a networked classroom. The most important one to me is that I will be equipping my students with the 21st century skills and type of learning they will be expected to know when they are in the real world. The ability for students to control their learning is invaluable. “The emphasis is more on developing the skills to become lifelong, self-directed learners than on content” (Richardson & Mancabelli, 2011, p. 63). Also, the idea that they can connect with others outside of their own little world is essential in becoming a literate member of the digital community. Since virtually everything is a “click” away, students must be able communicate effectively with people globally. We can’t expect them to be able to do it naturally. Students must be exposed to it in the classroom and taught how to interact appropriately. In doing so, they will also be able to have access to multiple teachers/experts other than myself, to aid in their learning. They are also more likely to have the opportunity to experience and work on real-world problems that are more meaningful to them. Finally, “Learning in networked spaces requires participating, not simply consuming passively, so students are continually engaged in a process of reading, writing, and interacting with other students and teachers and testing ideas” (Richardson & Mancabelli, 2011, p. 63). A networked classroom would provide them with these opportunities and consequently make their learning more individualized and meaningful.
As good as the above ideas that I mentioned sound, there are some drawbacks to this type of classroom. For example, this type of classroom takes a commitment and understanding from all people involved, teachers, students, parents, and administrators. Networked classrooms are quite different than what most people involved in education are used to and can be a hard pill to swallow. Change can be hard, especially if it’s not understood. There also has to be a lot of preparation. You can’t just snap your fingers and have a smoothly running networked classroom. Additionally, as I learned in my last course, teaching digital citizenship is a must. Students must be taught proper netiquette and know their rights and responsibilities as digital users. This takes time and must be reinforced and practiced often. We can not assume that students know what it right and what is wrong in the digital world. It takes time to prepare them, but it is essential. If not, it can quite easily become a negative factor in a networked classroom. One of the most obvious and important negative factors for me is how this type of learning aligns with the type of assessment my students will be taking. While the skills of the future are changing with the implementation of Web 2.0 tools, the education system is behind. We, students and teachers, are still judged by how well we perform on these assessments, both at the state and district level. I worry that I will not be preparing my students for these tests and therefore, they will not score well. Potentially, this could have a negative impact on my career at this point. I believe at this stage, in my current district, a good balance is what is needed. Blending traditional learning/expectations with a networked classroom/21st century skills is what will be the most beneficial for my students and myself.
After beginning my personal learning network just a few short weeks ago, I have already learned a tremendous amount information and changed my way of thinking quite a bit. This journey started out out scary and very much out of my comfort zone. Now, it has surprisingly turned into an experience in which I have enjoyed the connections I have made thus far. I am also impressed with the amount of resources/knowledge I have been exposed to. I realize that this new way of teaching and thinking is very doable in small steps and will only lead to greater things. A good way to begin is to take what we are already doing well, and re-envisioning it (Richardson & Mancabelli, 2011, p. 81). I have always been one that likes to change things up a bit each year. (Although, I have to say I like little leaps and not gigantic jumps!) This chapter on implementing a networked classroom has inspired me to try new things. I am looking forward to changing up my classroom this year and beginning the first stages of a networked classroom.
To ease into becoming a networked classroom, I will open up my line of communication with both parents and students. At the end of the school year, I began to set up my classroom webpage. I foresee myself using the features of this webpage to blog, communicate, and update my students and parents. I also am interested in exploring more of what Skype has to offer. I envision myself using this to communicate with parents when an in person conference is needed, but not possible. I also will be willing to use Skype or Google Hangouts to collaborate with my students and my students to collaborate with others. When reading a lit set, I would like to connect with other classrooms to share in a book discussion. Furthermore, I plan to maintain and use my Twitter account and resources. Twitter has already exceeded my expectations as a useful and valuable educational tool. Also, I could see how networked classrooms could make meeting the needs of diverse learners a lot easier. Simply having access to the myriad of tools that allow students to individualize their learning to meet their particular needs is a huge bonus. In addition, the ability to connect with other teachers that have students with similar needs can have a significant impact on my ability to meet their needs. We could collaborate and share resources with each other. Likewise, students could connect and establish a relationship with others that they can relate to. This could have a positive impact on their attitude and willingness to learn and try new things. Sometimes, I have seen my sped students, gifted students, or ELL students feel like they don’t quite fit in. A networked classroom would maybe give them a sense of belonging and inclusion. That’s where my thoughts are now. I could go crazy thinking of more, but I have to remember to take small steps to keep it manageable.
I found a resource by Wendy Drexler from the University of Florida on this topic. It’s a little wordy, but nonetheless has some useful information about networked classrooms. I particularly liked the pictures and explanation it gave for what a networked teacher and student looks like (see below).
Remember:
- it starts with me.
- to start small.
- that failure is okay.
- to model for my students and co-workers.
(Richardson & Mancabelli, 2011, p.81-82)
References:
Richardson, W., & Mancabelli, R. (2011). Personal Learning Networks: Using the Power of Connections to Transform Education. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
Drexler, Wendy. The Networked Student Model For Construction Of Personal Learning Environments: Balancing Teacher Control And Student Autonomy. 1st ed. Gainesville: Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 2016. Web. 17 July 2016.
Lindsay,
ReplyDeleteI agree with your idea of blending the networked classroom and the more traditional style. You made a very important point, that the educational system is not yet set up for a networked classroom. The students are tested in a very specific way over very specific skills. We should defiantly begin preparing out students for living in a networked world, but at this time it would be very difficult to have a full on networked classroom and still adhere to all the Missouri standards for our students. Students learning through PLNs and Projects is great, but takes more time. If we switch to do the majority of our teaching using these methods, we will fall short of getting through all the required content before state testing begins.
Lindsay,
ReplyDeleteI also agree with your statement about having a blended approach of both a traditional and networked classroom. I have had the same experience in that the education system is very far behind in the technological and networked world. I also agree with your statement "this type of classroom takes a commitment and understanding from all people involved, teachers, students, parents, and administrators." If we don't have the support from these critical contributors, this road will be much more difficult. Thank you for your thoughts from both sides of the situation. I appreciate your honesty and I too am going to have to remind myself many times to take small steps and not jump in just to be over my head and overwhelmed.
RE: "This is a big adjustment to my understanding of the role of the educator where the teacher is the expert/leader in the room. I always thought it was my job to put out the information and lead my students to the knowledge I wanted them to know."
ReplyDeleteEducation is moving away from "the sage on the stage" model that has been prevalent since the Industrial Age. Even the "guide on the side" model of teacher as facilitator is changing. In the Digital Age, teachers are expected to assume the role of co-learner and utilize a "meddler in the middle" approach.
RE: "We, students and teachers, are still judged by how well we perform on these assessments, both at the state and district level. I worry that I will not be preparing my students for these tests and therefore, they will not score well. Potentially, this could have a negative impact on my career at this point."
Hope is on the horizon (although distant horizon) for eliminating the testing frenzing that has overtaken our schools. Schools are beginning to redefine what student success actually means, and the new definitions have little to with standardized tests. Rather than proficiency indicated by test results, student success will be demonstrated with student learning products produced using problem/project-based learning.
Dr. Dell