BP2_2009101_Anti-Teaching

“[In using PLEs, it can be possible that]…teaching is less a matter of data transmission and more a collaborative exercise in collection, orchestration, remixing, and integration of data into knowledge building. The goal for the student shifts from a need to collect information to a need to draw connections from it – to acquire it, disseminate it, and collaborate in its use.” (Educause, 2009).

Finding The Significance Of It All–

Like Wesch (2008) I also find myself questioning the significance of teaching certain concepts in my classroom. Even when I am able to connect it to “real-life” situations or current music, students still sometimes complain that the material is irrelevant to their lives. Although I can sometimes chalk this up to them being hormonal creatures of the 12- and 13- year old variety, I can’t help but think that they might be right. For example, Ragtime music, believe it or not, is responsible for many ideas we hear in rock and hip hop music today. But really, when was the last time I sat down to “enjoy” some Scott Joplin or Ernest Hogan as it relate to popular music? Therein lies the dilemma of whether students really know what they need to learn (or at least be exposed to) or whether teachers should force bits of information that they deem somewhat worthwhile down their students proverbial throats.

PLEs address much of the R2D2 model we learned about last month, where students are able to Reflect (blog), Read (RSS), Display (like Flickr in the Educause article), and potentially Do (depending on the simulations, etc. available). These ideas also tie into the theory of Multiple Intelligences, where students have a variety of stimuli from which to choose the style of learning they wish to use. It would be great for auditory and possibly musical learners to choose an RSS feed that will give them information that is useful to their learning while visual learners might subscribe to a timeline or an educational YouTube channel. However, I don’t seem many schools being open to these types of websites for student use based on the comments of my classmates in previous Wimbas. Moreover, as the Educause article suggested, I am not sure that many students know how they learn best, but I agree that the use of PLEs may help students assess their needs as learners.

Wesch’s article applied directly to Brain-Based Learning. Students would be self-motivated by incorporating their own values. Students would have plenty of opportunities for pre-exposure, whether through RSS feeds or reading a peer’s blog or other resources. Because students would be mainly in charge of their PLE, they would have the freedom to switch things up (novelty) as necessary. This would also circle back around to motivation.

Although I am enjoying Full Sail’s CMS set up, I am not sure that it is the answer for all students. There is still the potential “What do I need to do to pass this assignment” question rather than “What can I learn from this assignment?” I do believe, however, that the organizational aspect of the system is helpful to most (if not all) students.

If self-generating questions equal self-generated learning, how can we use technology to inspire curiosity? If we offer students outlets to explore subjects on their own terms, will they learn concepts that will benefit them later in life? (You know, since that’s the point of school anyway.) [side note: Wow, this sounds like an intriguing CBL project. I wish I would’ve been prompted to think about this a couple of months ago! Thanks for helping me question, Rena!]

Overall, I think that 21^st century learners can use the abundance of information available online in a more effective manner than teachers are currently allowing. I also believe that when students are engaged in something they are passionate about, they learn on a deeper level and are more likely to 1. retain and 2. apply their knowledge at a later time. PLEs, with guidance and some structure, may be the answer to fostering these types of engagement in learning. I would like to think that as students age, they would have the opportunity to contribute more media and literature for younger students to utilize.

Educause Learning Initiative (2009, May). 7 things you should know about... personal learning environments. Retrieved

from http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7049.pdf

Wesch, M. (2008). Anti-teaching: Confronting the crisis of significance. Canadian Education Association. 48(2). 4-7.

Retrieved from http://www.scribd.com/doc/6358393/AntiTeaching-Confronting-the-Crisis-of-Significance.