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Reflection – Who Owns the Learning? Chapters 1 & 2

7/3/2013

13 Comments

 
In his book Who Owns the Learning?, Alan November talks about the importance of student centered learning and how technology is revolutionizing the ways we teach and learn. I am excited when I read about changes in education and have the opportunity to peek into classrooms (mostly virtually) where technology is used to innovate teaching and learning. But I am also a bit overwhelmed. Those are the feelings that echoed in my mind as I read the first few chapters of November’s powerful book.

What popped out at me as a place to begin my reflection was with the idea of questioning. I love that the title of the book is a question. Lately I’ve started a lot of my thinking about topics I am interested in with a question. Questioning is at the heart of any new learning and nurtures the habits of curiosity and exploration that help all of us remain lifelong learners. November quotes from a personal communication he had with a colleague who also happens to be a Harvard researcher: “The essential skill of the 21st century is knowing how to ask the most powerful questions.”

As November points out, the old industrial classroom model that most teachers use “underestimates the natural curiosity of students to direct their own thinking” (p.5). Many authors such as Debbie Miller, Georgia Heard, and Donald Graves have talked about the natural curiosity of young learners and the importance of keeping this essential trait alive. What has changed in the classroom is the fact that teachers no longer have to have all the answers. In fact, teachers share in the new discoveries made all the time. We are all a part of a global community where information is at our fingertips. Helping students to understand how to access and use information and keep that curiosity alive should be at the heart of how we teach. “The energy of discovery will drive educators and students to continue creating new goals and finding new directions” (p.19).

As a digital immigrant , what was important for me as I read (and reread) the first few chapters of November’s book was how he encourages teachers to start small. Even something as simple as a classroom blog that reaches beyond the local community can help students discover the value and importance of global communication to share their knowledge and find answers to their questions. This past year I have learned from so many wonderful educators in all parts of the country (and world), mostly through Twitter and blogs. It was a leap for me, but one that keeps me energized as I continue to question and learn.

13 Comments
Tony Keefer link
7/3/2013 01:13:16 am

Thanks for sharing your thinking Rose. I loved this line, "Questioning is at the heart of any new learning and nurtures the habits of curiosity and exploration that help all of us remain lifelong learners." I, too, agree that learning how to frame questions is an incredibly powerful skill that learners need to possess.

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Jill link
7/3/2013 02:14:43 am

Rose,

I completely agree about feeling overwhelmed with all of this. I have been experimenting but I try to go slowly because I don't want to do things just to "do things". I hope that makes sense. What I am trying to say is that I want to be sure what I do is meaningful for my students and not just a new way of doing "busy work". I worry all the time about whether the things I am doing are of high quality. So, like you, I end up asking myself lots of questions. :)

Jill

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Deb Frazier link
7/4/2013 01:20:09 pm

Jill and Rose~
I am sorry to just jump in here but, I want to share something with you that may help you feel less overwhelmed:-) I too was VERY nervous about using tech and ensuring the use enhanced our learning. Now we are globally connected and continue to work globally over our summer break, with the BEAUTY of technology! So what got me going? JUST JUMPING IN! With a deep breath and the support of my PLN I took one GIANT leap of faith and we have never looked back!
Good Luck!! I can't wait to read about your jump!

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Linda
7/3/2013 03:06:47 am

I also appreciate your thinking about questioning and think a lot about it in terms of both student generated questions and how I pose questions to students. Peter Johnston's book have had a big impact on my thinking about this. And...with limited useful technology available, I am very easily overwhelmed by thinking about adding "one more thing" to our day. High quality and meaningful are, indeed, critical and sometimes it's hard to decide until you're in the midst of the work whether it's "worth it." Thanks for giving me more to consider!

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Cathy link
7/3/2013 03:39:48 am

Rose,
I'm so glad you are joining the conversation. This statement really made me pause, "Questioning is at the heart of any new learning and nurtures the habits of curiosity and exploration that help all of us remain lifelong learners." I often wonder what would happen if we focused more on questions than on answers.

I'm fascinated by the rethinking of education. I suppose, in some ways, we're still trapped in a industrialized system of education. I think we've started to move past the thinking that education is to train for an industrialized job, but I wonder if we've moved past the fact that we're educating students for a job. I like to think we're educating students to be strong world citizens.

Much to ponder,
Cathy

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Laura Komos link
7/3/2013 04:51:21 am

Thanks so much for adding to our conversation! I enjoyed reading your thoughts. I picked up on the same quote that Tony mentioned, "Questioning is at the heart of any new learning and nurtures the habits of curiosity and exploration that help all of us remain lifelong learners." Inspiring that curiosity and sense of wonder is critical as we work with children in this age of technology!

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Linda Baie link
7/3/2013 08:46:23 am

Questions are critical parts of how the school where I teach approaches learning, Rose. One overarching question that I like students to keep at the forefront of their discovery is 'what works? What doesn't? They need to keep evaluating how their learning is going, what is needed in the short term (today) and in the long term (thinking deadlines). Considering different kinds of questions is also important. Your quoting of Alan's words from his Harvard friend is one I thought was so important in these first chapters.

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Mary Lee Hahn link
7/3/2013 12:49:04 pm

You highlighted two important points -- questioning, and not needing all of the answers.

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Michelle Nero link
7/3/2013 01:23:15 pm

Thanks for sharing your insights, Rose. I also quickly highlighted this quote: "Questioning is at the heart of any new learning and nurtures the habits of curiosity and exploration that help all of us remain lifelong learners." We need to continue to nurture that innate curiosity and creativity and through the technology advances we can continue to ask questions and search out answers.

I also like Alan's advice for starting small -- and your point about how WE are learning socially and collaboratively through Twitter, blogging, etc. -- is so important! If it's good for us, it's good for them! :)

Michelle

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Deb Frazier link
7/4/2013 01:28:30 pm

Michelle as many times as I have worked to explain why technology and collaborating outside of classroom is best practice for teaching never, have I thought to simply connect it to what it does for us working together here! Excuse the simplicity of this but, I find myself wanting to say DUH...

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Barbara Phillips
7/3/2013 11:49:27 pm

Thank you for your thoughtful post, Rose. I agree that at the heart is having students ask questions. As I was reading your reflection I began thinking about how I can help guide my students to ask questions that will help them on their journey of taking ownership of their learning.

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Amy Rudd link
7/4/2013 01:23:31 am

Rose,
A key point that I heard was starting small. We have to build on our knowledge bit by bit-questioning by us can also be a powerful model for students as we transition...thanks for giving me more to think about

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Julie Balen link
7/4/2013 09:19:57 pm

Rose,

I think that student directed learning and students as curriculum designers will engage students intellectually, and that this engagement is their natural curiosity. Too often, teachers dictate the content thinking that students will be curious about it. What we have access to now is any content at any level in any medium. Overwhelming, for sure, but the potential for students to engage in school with autonomy, for mastery and purpose is incredible.

One of the ways I have been supporting my learning and transformation is by questioning and framing my thinking around the SAMR model for tech integration: Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, Redefinition. Here is a link to a video explanation of the model:
http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2013/06/samr-model-explained-for-teachers.html

In using this model, I can start small, but I can also 'see' where I want to get to!

Julie

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