Digital Learning Environment Blogs

Get the RSS feed

|

Elizabeth Helfant Archives

Educating Lifelong Learners
by Elizabeth Helfant

The following video provides an interesting starting point for asking that question.

 

However, it is far too important a question to leave the answer to semantics in a video. It is important enough to devote an entire summer to learning and exploring what it means and how best to accomplish the task. Consequently, that is exactly what we are doing. Our summer is loaded with opportunities for professional learning, 26 days of learning that we are calling the Summer Teacher Institute for Technology and Curriculum Innovation. (And yes, let me state the obvious- one thing educating for lifelong learning means is being a lifelong learner who doesn’t vacate that responsibility for an entire summer.) The sessions are a mixture of internal expertise and external, well-respected educational leaders. It is worth sharing some key insights from our program as it unfolds.

The internal sessions for the summer are opportunities for us to share what we are doing and to push our thinking with each other and with guests. This week we had two sessions internally; Literacy in the Foreign Language Classroom and Literacy in the Humanities Classroom. In both sessions we elaborated on the TPCK model of technology integration and on literacies (basic, visual/media, networking, digital citizenship/ethical, intercultural, and information) that need to be intentionally taught.

We explored the idea that as experienced teachers our pedagogical and content areas were probably strong but that the technology area needed growth to keep out practice centered and to help us develop learning opportunities (curriculum) that will truly prepare our students with the skills they need to be successful, lifelong, global learners. We then explored a variety of tools that could help revise traditional curriculum and allow for the creation of new, contemporary curriculum. Teachers need understanding of new tools and new ideologies to help them shift their practice in ways that will benefit students and these sessions attempted to provide both.

For the first external speaker, we were fortunate to share a day exploring the shifting notion of what it means to teach with Will Richardson. Will was joined physically by 25 English teachers and virtually by as many as 42 participants via Ustream.tv.

Participants examined changes in culture that impact the opportunities learners have and how those opportunities need to find their way into the classroom. Will examined how the internet and social media have allowed learners to group themselves in order to further understanding of their passions. He urged participants to engage with these tools to enable others to learn from them. He stressed that our students are not just consumers of information but creators and editors who need educators to help them navigate their way through this myriad of information and to learn how to be a participant in a networked, hyperlinked, participatory world. We, as educators, must design engaging learning experiences that prepare our students for tomorrow.

We also had another educational opportunity for Math Teachers. We had a four day training session on the use of Maple and Maple TA, software applications that we believe will allow us to make customized, differentiated, interactive, self-grading materials for students and will replace textbooks in many cases. Traditional math needs to be taught and the Maple applications will allow us to do this in a more powerful, more visual way. The instantaneous feedback that Maple allows will give our students feedback on their learning as it is occurring. There is a lot of work to do as we blend basic mathematical knowledge with a new, powerful delivery system. In this instance, we are taking traditional content and pedagogy and adding technology to do things better and more efficiently, but we have much to learn ourselves to make this shift for our students.

It is interesting to note that we are entering our 150^th year, an anniversary that officially started in May. This has us looking at tradition and history quite a bit. I found an interesting quote from T. S. Eliot who is the grandson of our founder, William Greenleaf Eliot.

“I don't believe one grows older. I think that what happens early on in life is that at a certain age one stands still and stagnates.”

There is much wisdom in what Eliot says. Education can’t be about business as usual. Educators must continue to learn so their practice evolves and their TPCK circles get larger and have greater overlap. A closely related sentiment can be found on the Demotivators poster for Tradition.

 

I have a healthy respect for tradition. Tradition does not preclude change. In fact, the mantra that I’ve adopted for the Upper School is “Making Innovation Tradition.”  Our Summer Institute is our way of supporting change and moving us forward, of helping us identify what it means to be a master educator.

If you’d like to follow along and learn with us synchronously, you’ll need to move to participation with social media tools- you’ll need to watch twitter for updates on ustreaming sessions of the external speakers. All of the sessions will also be archived on an open wiki.  

About Elizabeth

Elizabeth Helfant is the Upper School Coordinator of Instructional Technology at Mary Institute Country Day School, a JK-12 institution embarking on a 1:1 adventure. using Tablet PCs and DyKnow.