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[ProfessionalDevelopment 2214] Critical Thinking and Learner LeadershipBurkett, Barry Barry.Burkett at Franklin.kyschools.usTue Jul 8 16:11:15 EDT 2008
Hello All, I am worried that this might stray from the conversation about Critical Thinking and learner Leadership, but I think it holds some relevance as well. Hopefully there will be a response to this, and I hope it is relevant/useful to the discussion... Jim and Steve I agree with both of you, and Wendy I think you hit on some of this, too. Steve, I think you are right in saying, "The classroom has the great advantage of getting people together face to face. Learners and teachers have the opportunity to talk in pairs, or groups or as one large group. Communication is happening at many levels. Everything from a cafe setting, to a cocktail party, to a business meeting can be simulated with real people." Later in your e-mail you bring up innovative solutions technology allows for students to use away from the class. Looking at Jim speaking of his daughter's computer it sounds like a great asset inside and outside of the classroom. So then why does technology have to be an all or nothing way of teaching. About this time last year I created an online course for a group of low-level readers. The class met 2ce a week for 2 hrs, so 1 class/wk was doing the course online, and the other was talking about frustrations from technology/literacy tactics. B/c the technology was part of the class (group) environment students were able to ask each other for help, as well as me, the instructor facilitating. Learner leadership came in both classes by helping one another, responding to instructor questions, and in group discussion about both literacy and technology. Critical thinking was achieved by students creating independent answers to questions relevant to them, about information interesting to them, and by giving me feedback on what they were learning. In this scenario the value I found in technology is it let me use available resources that interested individual students, while they were learning skills needed to live in a literacy rich world and a growingly technology-based world. I think that technology for technology's sake is a bad thing, that can blind instruction. But incorporating technology to be a part of the class can build great discussion about learning something new, while (in this instance) students are having to read info online. I plan on making the course in Moodle soon so that I can share it with more people, and hopefully get more ideas on lesson plans, and different reading subjects. So, what do you think? Am I completely missing the ball here? Does this apply as LL and CT? Marty I hope to hear your opinion as well. My e-mail is off the cuff, so hopefully it makes sense, feel free to respond off-list if you would prefer, barry.burkett at franklin.kyschools.us Barry Burkett, Adult Educator Thornhill Education Center Frankfort, KY 502.223.3110 "Computers are incredibly fast, accurate and stupid; humans are incredibly slow, inaccurate and brilliant; together they are powerful beyond imagination" - Albert Einstein "Adult education should be viewed as a right, not as a stigmatized second-chance program for those who have failed or dropped out from school systems, at the present time lifelong learning is only being given lip service." (Askov, 2000, p. 259) -----Original Message----- From: professionaldevelopment-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:professionaldevelopment-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Lively, Jim Sent: Tuesday, July 08, 2008 10:17 AM To: The Adult Literacy Professional Development Discussion List Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 2205] Re: from Steve, Critical Thinking and Learner Leadership Technology is another tool for the classroom. Many of us have moved from chalk to dry-erase markers. Our tools change. Productive integration of technology into the classroom models productive use of technology at home or in the cafe, etc. Students must be prepared to use the Internet for research and communication, as well as the many creativity tools technology has to offer, and use them effectively. Technology gives everyone an even chance to compete for up to date information and complete assigments more quickly and effectively. I don't think we can stop the advance of the computer and the opportunities associated with it. My daughter was in kindergarten last year. She spent a period a week in the school's computer lab and many hours at home on her computer, which is more powerful and up to date than my own (I wish she would let me use it once in a while.) Sher accesses The Roseta Stone and a number of other software titles to overcome the failings of the community's unde r-performing schools. Adult learners need this advantage, as well. I am convinced that the future will see a great divide of the world population into two new distinct groups - (1) those who can access information and use it effectively, and communicate quickly and efficiently; and, (2) those who can't. Many states are either finished with, or involved in, the processes of developing adult education technology plans and technology standards. The cost of technology is, indeed, some loss of face-time; however, the benefit can mean the difference between our students having the ability to command their futures, lest they be yoked by others who command the future. Critical thinking and learning involve multi-tasking with our tools at hand. When a student has techno-literacy, he or she can move from a document to a spreadsheet to an Internet site to whatever, back and forth depending on what his/her critical analyses dictate. To me, gathering information and acquiring tools to put that info to immediate, constructive use epitomize today's critical thinking. Jim Lively livelyj at cochise.edu<mailto:livelyj at cochise.edu> ________________________________ From: professionaldevelopment-bounces at nifl.gov [professionaldevelopment-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Taylor, Jackie [jataylor at utk.edu] Sent: Monday, July 07, 2008 7:19 PM To: The Adult Literacy Professional Development Discussion List Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 2197] from Steve, Critical Thinking and Learner Leadership The following is posted on behalf of Steve Kaufmann. Please read on ~ Jackie Taylor ________________________________ From: Steve Kaufmann [mailto:steve at thelinguist.com] Sent: Monday, July 07, 2008 7:26 PM To: The Adult Literacy Professional Development Discussion List Subject: Re: [ProfessionalDevelopment 2193] Critical Thinking and LearnerLeadership I do not understand the advantages of increasing the use of technology in the classroom. The classroom has the great advantage of getting people together face to face. Learners and teachers have the opportunity to talk in pairs, or groups or as one large group. Communication is happening at many levels. Everything from a cafe setting, to a cocktail party, to a business meeting can be simulated with real people. Why introduce technology in the classroom? To me the advantage of technology lies in the opportunity to help learners do more learning away from the classroom. MP3 players are but one example. The computer is another. One can read on a computer and use an online dictionary. New words can be kept in a learner's own database. Lists of words and phrases can be automatically created and from these flash cards can be generated. Statistics can be kept of the words and phrases saved and learned. Teachers can record material for specific purposes, such as critical thinking, for learners to listen to and read and then be prepared to put into practice in class. Teachers can correct essays online and record the corrected writing. These can be part of a learners portfolio and can also be shared around. The benefit of technology is to increase the ways that learners can stay active away from the class so that they can enjoy more intensive interaction in class. Steve -- Steve Kaufmann www.lingq.com<http://www.lingq.com> 1-604-922-8514
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