Blind as a bat I am.
It’s been how long?

Thanks for the link to my pst and thanks for the high five! I completely missed your high five till now.

Blind as a bat I am |-)

Ka kite
from Middle-earth

Ken Allans last blog post at http://newmiddle-earth.blogspot.com..Procrastinating can tire the brain

(a) I really like that tweet, though I don’t know that I’d totally agree – some professors who I speak to about education would pretty well deny the notion of ‘digital literacy’, on the basis that its a false split from ‘literacy proper’. Of course, when they talk about ‘literacy proper’ they’re really referring to going to the library and reading books

(b) I think something that is often missed in the discussions about modes of literacy, is that ‘digital literacy’ is not a guarenteed prerequisite for success. Sure, it can arguably be massively helpful, but there are many very successful people who don’t have email, don’t own a cell phone, and don’t own a computer! What do those success stories have, what MAKES them a success? I would suggest that it’s an ability to critically engage with their environment, and achieve an understanding that allows them to reflexively approach the situations they find themselves in and realize a favorable outcome.

I think we mostly agree. It’s hard to deny today the importance of being able to use a keyboard and understand the Internet. But, school and education are bigger concepts.

I reviewed Ted McCain’s book Teaching For Tomorrow some time ago. One of the things I said was that I came to resent McCain’s continued reference to employment as the purpose of education. My fourth and fifth graders are future adults, not just future employees…

The 21st Century Learning Initiative is not wrong about what we need to do with our schools, but it is an incomplete picture. And as you climb down the ladder from high school to kindergarten, the lower you go in the elementary grades, the less complete of a picture you get from the Initiative.

Greg Crueys last blog post at http://gregcruey.edublogs.org..So What EXACTLY Is Dyslexia?

Scott McLeods last blog post at http://www.dangerouslyirrelevant.org..Superintendents panel on ethical dilemmas

There are different kinds of learning outcomes – content outcomes and fundamental, or overarching outcomes – the essential questions for learning. The list I included above hint at what I perceive as fundamental outcomes and would be tempered depending on the subject I teach. For example, how does the study of history help to develop a sense of community?, or where do I fit within history? Or how does (insert character here) teach me about kindness and compassion?

Using tech – or any other methodological skill – needs to be tempered with the question – why am I doing this? – where does it fit within the big idea, or fundamental learning outcome(s) of what I am teaching.

Tech is not a ‘big idea’ in itself, but a way of exploring big ideas.

(And to get back to the notion of culturally imposing ideas of literacy on others…I think that by re-framing the idea of ‘digital literacy’ back to ‘learning with technology’ – a collection of methodological skills – and not the equivalent of ’21st century literacy’ – I’ve reduced that fear for me.)

Have you switched gears from the focus of your last post? ‘Cause that seemed to deal with the idea of culturally imposing ideas of literacy on others…

Scott McLeods last blog post at http://www.dangerouslyirrelevant.org..Superintendents panel on ethical dilemmas