The Future of Learning

I thoroughly enjoyed doing this video. It is basic and incorporates an hour of lesson time with one students, Ellen. This video was made to show the process and elements of a piano lesson. It is a CTER project for EPSY556FA08.

I am looking forward the instructional video project. I’ve decided to show the weekly process of a piano lesson. I also teach piano one day a week. I go through basically the same process every week with the students. They know what is expected and are pretty much prepared to go through the routine.

I am hoping that the lessons with the camera rolling will still be as normal as possible. It will be interesting to see what happens. Keep you fingers crossed and see the results soon…

This is a movie showing the efforts and motivations of friends to assist the children of Afghanistan. Shoes, socks, and clothing were collected, sent and then distributed within 1 month’s time. It was truly “A Gift From The Heart”!

Rita wrote a post that was great! She talked about how she is able to use the information and knowledge that she’s gained from this program in “real-life”. I’ve always known that this was the ultimate goal for all the work, projects, posts, etc. but to hear it was tremendously encouraging. There is so much that is covered in CTER and so much to share. I’ve already been able to implement some of the content into my work, it’s a great feeling. Thanks Rita!

I would like to say that I felt the passion and drive that Brendan expressed in his post, I Believe the Children are the Future”. He was emphatic about the need of students with traditional curriculum to forge ahead into the new digital age. He discussed the importance of the teacher’s role in that journey out of the confines of the 4 school walls to the vastness of the global classroom. His post was motivating and thought-provoking. Check it out!

Being an “more mature” teacher, I’ve seen this “technology thing” from both sides of the road. I was not exposed to much technology as a young person. As the years have come and gone…there has been a great explosion in education and a whirlwind of change when the dust cleared. No longer sitting in a classroom, you’re sitting at your computer. No longer typing a paper, no…you’re entering a blog or e-mailing a document. It’s a fantastic and exciting time for me and I want my students to experience that also.

Working with special education students and technology can be a challenging task. I enjoy the prospect of introducing new variances on old themes. Giving them exposure to methods of doing things that are totally new to them. Some work and others don’t but the key is to give them the opportunity! That is why I embrace the use of technology and look forward to more of it in my teaching future.

Teaching and learning have become very important parts of my life. To teach is also to learn. In order to be a quality educator and worth our weight in gold, it is important that we continue to learn as we teach. If our growth as educators, or just an individuals becomes stagnant, then we become outdated and unproductive and therefore of little or no help to our students.

What does it mean to teach and what is it’s purpose?

For some it means being the individual that imparts knowledge to others, but it goes a little further than that. Teaching is the means by which we pass on tools to our students that are the seeds for their growth as individuals. They are not only learning academics but integrated into those academics are also strategies that lead to critical thinking skills for life and “the real world”. The purpose of teaching is not to “give” them information or knowledge. The purpose of teaching is to instill within them the tools (strategies) necessary for independent learning and understanding. There is an Chinese proverb, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”

What is the “Future of Learning”?

The future of learning is NOW! Technology has become a major component in education. Some teachers have come into the technological age kicking, screaming, and fighting it all the way. But, it is something that is not going to go away and in order to be a part of this educational metamorphosis, changes in mentality and understanding have to occur.

Not only future teachers but also current educators require the following:

• Training, training, and more training. Teachers can not be expected to impart information on methods and mechanics they are not familiar with. Web 2.0 brings to the table many possibilities for enhanced learning, almost unlimited resources, and collaboration.
• Open Minds. When something is new and “foreign” to people, they have a tendency to shy away from it and revert to what is comfortable. With more training this dilemma would probably open minds.
• Materials that are relevant to the needs of the students. Each students needs are specific and can not always be generalized. Therefore, it is important that not only technology be utilized appropriately but also be appropriate for the user. I would like to see districts, classrooms, and educators use Web 2.0 and other resources more consistently and with more relevance to the needs of the students.

I am ready to jump in there and work for those changes! Do I sound a little excited?…you bet I am