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