BP6_2009122_Anti-Teaching

This class, as the first somewhat, has been very hard for me thus far because of the way I learn. From my early childhood I have not been a reader or a writer. The educational system is based on reading and writing almost exclusively. I didn?t want top go back to school because of the structure that I knew education is. I have always just made it. Not because of the content but because of the delivery system. Full sail has been hard, it has been frustration, it has been exhausting, but most of all it has been very rewarding. I love it even when I want to quit. I have never been pushed so hard but I also have never pushed myself so hard. It reminds me of art school but in an academic way. Why? It?s the way I learn. Is the education system broken? I say no ? Not for everyone. There are members in my graduating class now that would excel if it were all reading and writing. I am so envious of those who consume that type of education. Wow! So were does that leave people like me in the present educational system ? NO WARE!!! Can we give students a way to not only learn what they need to in a venue to will cause them to hunger for more. Full Sail has given that to me at 51 years old. I wish that it was at 10 or 12. The change seems daunting to say the least but I found hope in an article that I read. They gave the example of the automotive revolution that took place. The industry of the day said that the automobile would be short lived because of the things that would be needed to sustain it. Manufacturing of the automobiles, parts, roads, gas refineries, gas stations, mechanics, and so on. Is the task in education any less overwhelming or discouraging. After 3 months I know that my perspective has changed.
So how would I change my world; my classroom? Give my students different venues of expression. What is wrong with the spoken word (garageband) or even the sung word of maybe a rap? In art the projects are hands on and not reading and writing but the assessments are. There is nothing that I do to encourage my students to reveal what they have learned. A written critique or a live verbalization in front of the class is all that I have offered them. Well now I am looking , learning , exploring and asking what if. I have seen and experienced group collaboration through Lucidcharts, Google Docs., Ning, and other platforms which students can use to show me that they have learned. I have seen that collaboration can be extremely engaging and educational. It will be a part of my next classroom. I already have plans to make it part of my AR project. In my research for this blog I came across an university that is already going down this road.

The Loyalist University in Ontario Canada. They are using Second Life as a platform to teach several of its classes. WOW! I've been there. But not just an introduction but the whole course. I have place a call into them already to talk to someone who has designed it. I can't wait to pick their brains and get some ideas.

I hope that they will be forth coming.

It has taken me almost 3 days to sit and write this blog because of that wite page that sits before me but I wanted to share what inspired me to tears and to write. Please watch this video. I hope that it will do the same for you because I don't know about you but I don't want to be left behind any longer.

Bennett, Fred (1999). Education and the future. Educational Technology & Society, 2/1, 3. Abstract retrieved December 2, 2009, from http://www.ifets.info/journals/2_1/fbennett_short_article.html.

Means, Barbara, Olson, Kerry (1997). Technology and Education Reform [Electronic Version]. Washington, D.C.: Governmenrt Printing Office.

Burton, George B. (2009). Meeting Learners' New Value Equation in Education Through the Virtual World.. International Journal of Learning, 15/12, 169-173. Abstract retrieved December 2, 2009, from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=10&hid=108&sid=5e3be543-b575-48c2-89ff-d03cffe446f4%40sessionmgr10&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=ehh&AN=40825490.