During my lunch conversation with a client yesterday, the subject on Online Teaching came up. She asked me in a skeptical tone, "Do you think your online classes are really an effective learning environment"? She continued to ask me a series of questions that made it very clear that she was not a believer in online teaching.
Her main concerns were around the asynchronous nature of student and teacher interactions. She did not feel that "true" learning could take place in an environment where interaction is NOT immediate. Well, I have my own opinions, but would love to hear yours!
So, what do you think? Based on your experience, is the Online Environment conducive to student learning? Are they Plugged In or Out?
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Friday, April 8, 2011
The End of the Road
In the book that I am reading "Stones into Schools", Greg Mortenson talks about his approach in deciding where to build schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The number one determinate is called the "end of the road" approach. Basically, he wants to help the people in the middle of nowhere...very much a contradiction to most NGO's which starts projects in major cities (where there is infrastructure) and then builds out from there. Dr. Greg shuns this approach since this will not provide the much needed education to the children that may need it the most. Hard yes, but very rewarding!
This approach hit me square in the face when I was teaching interviewing skills to local high school students yesterday. Like many educators, I began my presentation speaking to the students at the front of the class...the ones that were most engaged. However, as my presentation progressed I noticed two students in the very back of the classroom. They were laughing at each other's jokes and generally could care less about what I had to say. My reaction to this was to walk to the back of the room and give my presentation from there. This approach usually engages the back seat students, but in this case it did not work. Also, it made some of the other students uncomfortable and probably distracted me from my presentation.
Should we embrace Dr. Greg's approach and teach to the "end of the road", or is this not fair to the students that are ready and willing to be taught? In other words, how do we parcel out education that is both fair and involves all learners?
This approach hit me square in the face when I was teaching interviewing skills to local high school students yesterday. Like many educators, I began my presentation speaking to the students at the front of the class...the ones that were most engaged. However, as my presentation progressed I noticed two students in the very back of the classroom. They were laughing at each other's jokes and generally could care less about what I had to say. My reaction to this was to walk to the back of the room and give my presentation from there. This approach usually engages the back seat students, but in this case it did not work. Also, it made some of the other students uncomfortable and probably distracted me from my presentation.
Should we embrace Dr. Greg's approach and teach to the "end of the road", or is this not fair to the students that are ready and willing to be taught? In other words, how do we parcel out education that is both fair and involves all learners?
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Is Initiative Innate?
Is initiative innate or can it be taught? This question was asked by a group of business owners during an advisory council meeting that I attended at a local college yesterday. The purpose of this once a year gathering is to give suggestions on how the Management and Marketing degrees can be made more relevant to real world situations. There were suggestions re: Social Media and Business Ethics, but then the discussion turned to a lack of initiative among many of the young hires. The business owners complained about this and looked to teachers to instill this in their students.
This subject reared its rather ugly head on my morning walk through the park today. It started out well with an ideal lake setting, geese and rabbits abounding, but turned ugly when I started noticing the abundance of garbage strewn on both sides of the trail...way too much for me to gather on my way to the next trash can. The question of initiative was thrust upon me as I viewed a city truck pull up to a parking spot and stop with its occupants staying inside for my entire 25 minute walk. "Don't they see the trash all over this otherwise pristine park?", my mind kept saying! So, are these city employees not responsible, by title, for the trash in the park? We have all heard the phrase, "not in my job description".
So, how do we get/encourage our employees, students, and children to take initiative? Can it be taught or is there a gene that some people are born with?
This subject reared its rather ugly head on my morning walk through the park today. It started out well with an ideal lake setting, geese and rabbits abounding, but turned ugly when I started noticing the abundance of garbage strewn on both sides of the trail...way too much for me to gather on my way to the next trash can. The question of initiative was thrust upon me as I viewed a city truck pull up to a parking spot and stop with its occupants staying inside for my entire 25 minute walk. "Don't they see the trash all over this otherwise pristine park?", my mind kept saying! So, are these city employees not responsible, by title, for the trash in the park? We have all heard the phrase, "not in my job description".
So, how do we get/encourage our employees, students, and children to take initiative? Can it be taught or is there a gene that some people are born with?
Monday, March 28, 2011
Practice Makes Perfect!
Over this past weekend, the baseball team that my son plays on played 5 games (3 in one day). The Friday night game was hard to watch since the other team racked up a 20 to 0 victory. The boys were pretty "rusty" and made a fair amount of mistakes. However, every game after that they started to get better. The key was repetition in a game setting. Keep in mind that they have practiced and drilled for the last month, but there is nothing that compares to using those drills in a game.
How do we get our children out of the classroom in a theoretical based learning setting and in to a "the game of real life"?
BTW: The team won its last game on Saturday and played the same team that they lost to on Sunday and did a lot better!
How do we get our children out of the classroom in a theoretical based learning setting and in to a "the game of real life"?
BTW: The team won its last game on Saturday and played the same team that they lost to on Sunday and did a lot better!
Friday, March 25, 2011
What I Learned from Sally
This afternoon I am going to pick up Sally's ashes. She was an amazing dog and has been a constant companion of our family for over 16 years! Rather than recount the story of the pain and suffering of her last years, I would rather reflect on the lessons that she taught me.
First, she showed me how to be grateful for the little things. She was a stray that my brother found at a construction site and greatly appreciated having a roof over her head, a meal in her bowl, and a soft place to lay her head. She also taught me unconditional love. I could be disfigured by burns and she would love me still! Finally, she taught me the fragility of life. I witnessed the Vet. "putting her down" and was amazed at how fast the drug drew life from her body. In two heartbeats and one breath she was gone, but she will never be gone from my memory or will I forget the lessons this noble creature taught me!
First, she showed me how to be grateful for the little things. She was a stray that my brother found at a construction site and greatly appreciated having a roof over her head, a meal in her bowl, and a soft place to lay her head. She also taught me unconditional love. I could be disfigured by burns and she would love me still! Finally, she taught me the fragility of life. I witnessed the Vet. "putting her down" and was amazed at how fast the drug drew life from her body. In two heartbeats and one breath she was gone, but she will never be gone from my memory or will I forget the lessons this noble creature taught me!
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Learning that is Familiar
I watched a PBS show this weekend about another way to learn how to play the piano. The idea is to streamline the process by using lead sheets (not the traditional treble and base confusing sheet music) and to learn songs that you already know. This made a lot of sense. So, I downloaded a lead sheet for the introduction of Elton John's "Your Song" and sat at the piano and "hunt and pecked" my way through the notes. WOW...I actually started to play the song...and three days later played it so that my wife and 9-year old piano playing son could recognize it! I think the magic of playing a song that I know...and LOVE, is the key to picking it up so fast. There was an immediate feedback when I hit the wrong note. I know how it is supposed to sound!
How important is it to connect teaching and the learning experience to something that is familiar to the learner? If it is important, then how can we enhance learning by connecting subjects (math, reading, science, etc.) to things that are familiar to the group that we are teaching? Let me know what you think.
How important is it to connect teaching and the learning experience to something that is familiar to the learner? If it is important, then how can we enhance learning by connecting subjects (math, reading, science, etc.) to things that are familiar to the group that we are teaching? Let me know what you think.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)