Re: [IAEP] Communities around technology for learning (was: Re: [support-gang] When teaching restrains discovery)
I have suggested creating a walled garden Web site for all OLPC children. We can discuss whether teachers should be allowed in, but definitely no parents. ^_^ They should have their own place to discuss whatever concerns them. Education, poverty, government corruption, international e-commerce... On Thu, Jan 20, 2011 at 17:32, Christoph Derndorfer e0425...@student.tuwien.ac.at wrote: I finally got around to reading Claudia's article and one of the core take-aways for me is that building communities (plural!) which help disseminate knowledge about how to use technology for learning is a core challenge which hasn't been sufficiently addressed yet. To me 2010 did show the first promises of this happening within the OLPC / Sugar community with collaboration starting between Plan Ceibal and ParaguayEduca, the work of organizations and communities such as ceibalJAM and RAP Ceibal, a better integration of Latin American contributors in the global community, eKindling's work in the Philippines, all the time Bernie, Daniel, Claudia, Walter and others are spending sharing with and learning from deployments, events such the community summit in San Francisco and the realness summit, the olpcMAP.net project, etc. And with some OLE Nepal staff having started the year by flying out to Rwanda to support the deployment there 2011 is also definitely beginning on a high-note. Having said that I personally feel that at the moment this network of networks (or community of communities, take your pick;-) is wide rather than deep - often seemingly ending at people living in capitals or major cities, being experienced with FLOSS and/or innovative education, etc. rather than reaching and benefiting the children, parents, teachers, principals, and administrators who are really the major stakeholders of education initiatives. I don't have a simple answer on how to deal with this (and who knows, it might just be an issue perceived by yours truly) but I think keeping it in the back of the head might be a start. Cheers, Christoph Am 20.01.2011 17:24, schrieb Holt: Thanks Bastien. Back on the home front, also check out Claudia Urrea's (OLPC Assoc's Chief Learner ;) article today on one-to-one edutech etc: http://edutechdebate.org/ict-in-schools/technologies-for-learning-vs-learning-about-technology/ On 1/20/2011 9:46 AM, Bastien wrote: Hi Christoph and all, I always enjoy those resources about education, thank you for the pointers -- and to everyone for the comments! Let me share two recent readings of mine: John Maeda : The Laws of Simplicity http://www.amazon.com/Laws-Simplicity-Design-Technology-Business/dp/0262134721 My attention got caught when I saw John Maeda referring to Nicholas Negroponte in the chapter « Context ». While discussing the importance of focusing, he mentions this advice from NN : Be as an electric bulb, not as a lazer ray. Which I found to be quite an inspiring metaphor in the context of learning: let's all learn how to shed light on things as bulbs, taking care of others and the context, not as lazer ray, only taking care of the subject matter. George Steiner - « Éloge de la transmission - Le maître et l'élève » http://livre.fnac.com/a1904995/George-Steiner-Eloge-de-la-transmission-le-maitre-et-l-eleve (Sorry, only published in french.) In the debate about instructionisme vs. [constructionisme, project-based method, Montessori method, etc.], most people would certainly say that Steiner -- George, not Rudolph! -- is rather conservative, expressing opinions shared by teachers with a classical-instructionist attitude. The title of this book says it all. Still, he proposes a definition for what it is to be a master: it is someone from which students can always feel the love behind the irony. Of course, Socrates comes to mind as a master of both irony and love towards its pupils -- I bet Steiner would agree. I like this definition. It is general enough to escape the opposition between instructionism / [constructionisme, ...]. But still, I feel this definition captures something essential that any teacher could fruitfully think about. My 2 cents, -- Christoph Derndorfer co-editor, www.olpcnews.com e-mail: christ...@olpcnews.com ___ IAEP -- It's An Education Project (not a laptop project!) IAEP@lists.sugarlabs.org http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/iaep -- Edward Mokurai (默雷/धर्ममेघशब्दगर्ज/دھرممیگھشبدگر ج) Cherlin Silent Thunder is my name, and Children are my nation. The Cosmos is my dwelling place, the Truth my destination. http://www.earthtreasury.org/ ___ IAEP -- It's An Education Project (not a laptop project!) IAEP@lists.sugarlabs.org http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/iaep
Re: [IAEP] Communities around technology for learning (was: Re: [support-gang] When teaching restrains discovery)
Christoph, Thanks for your email. I also got to read Claudia's article. I have been familiar with and inspired by her research. In fact, in informed my doctoral dissertation, which focused on the changes to the classroom learning environment through the use of the XO laptops. I have been participating in this community for about 2 years. I have received much help and support and encouragement for which I am grateful. But I have been reluctant to have my fellow teachers (who are less technically inclined) to participate because of the frequently highly technical and operational nature of many conversations. I have been struggling with trying to include more teachers and students in these conversations and in this community. I feel that their participation would benefit many, and add to the depth you discussed. I am now working with 5 schools in the US using XOs, and will try to find a way for those teachers and students to participate. Thanks. Gerald On Thu, Jan 20, 2011 at 5:32 PM, Christoph Derndorfer e0425...@student.tuwien.ac.at wrote: I finally got around to reading Claudia's article and one of the core take-aways for me is that building communities (plural!) which help disseminate knowledge about how to use technology for learning is a core challenge which hasn't been sufficiently addressed yet. To me 2010 did show the first promises of this happening within the OLPC / Sugar community with collaboration starting between Plan Ceibal and ParaguayEduca, the work of organizations and communities such as ceibalJAM and RAP Ceibal, a better integration of Latin American contributors in the global community, eKindling's work in the Philippines, all the time Bernie, Daniel, Claudia, Walter and others are spending sharing with and learning from deployments, events such the community summit in San Francisco and the realness summit, the olpcMAP.net project, etc. And with some OLE Nepal staff having started the year by flying out to Rwanda to support the deployment there 2011 is also definitely beginning on a high-note. Having said that I personally feel that at the moment this network of networks (or community of communities, take your pick;-) is wide rather than deep - often seemingly ending at people living in capitals or major cities, being experienced with FLOSS and/or innovative education, etc. rather than reaching and benefiting the children, parents, teachers, principals, and administrators who are really the major stakeholders of education initiatives. I don't have a simple answer on how to deal with this (and who knows, it might just be an issue perceived by yours truly) but I think keeping it in the back of the head might be a start. Cheers, Christoph Am 20.01.2011 17:24, schrieb Holt: Thanks Bastien. Back on the home front, also check out Claudia Urrea's (OLPC Assoc's Chief Learner ;) article today on one-to-one edutech etc: http://edutechdebate.org/ict-in-schools/technologies-for-learning-vs-learning-about-technology/ On 1/20/2011 9:46 AM, Bastien wrote: Hi Christoph and all, I always enjoy those resources about education, thank you for the pointers -- and to everyone for the comments! Let me share two recent readings of mine: John Maeda : The Laws of Simplicity http://www.amazon.com/Laws-Simplicity-Design-Technology-Business/dp/0262134721 My attention got caught when I saw John Maeda referring to Nicholas Negroponte in the chapter « Context ». While discussing the importance of focusing, he mentions this advice from NN : Be as an electric bulb, not as a lazer ray. Which I found to be quite an inspiring metaphor in the context of learning: let's all learn how to shed light on things as bulbs, taking care of others and the context, not as lazer ray, only taking care of the subject matter. George Steiner - « Éloge de la transmission - Le maître et l'élève » http://livre.fnac.com/a1904995/George-Steiner-Eloge-de-la-transmission-le-maitre-et-l-eleve (Sorry, only published in french.) In the debate about instructionisme vs. [constructionisme, project-based method, Montessori method, etc.], most people would certainly say that Steiner -- George, not Rudolph! -- is rather conservative, expressing opinions shared by teachers with a classical-instructionist attitude. The title of this book says it all. Still, he proposes a definition for what it is to be a master: it is someone from which students can always feel the love behind the irony. Of course, Socrates comes to mind as a master of both irony and love towards its pupils -- I bet Steiner would agree. I like this definition. It is general enough to escape the opposition between instructionism / [constructionisme, ...]. But still, I feel this definition captures something essential that any teacher could fruitfully think about. My 2 cents, -- Christoph Derndorfer co-editor, www.olpcnews.com e-mail:
[IAEP] Communities around technology for learning (was: Re: [support-gang] When teaching restrains discovery)
I finally got around to reading Claudia's article and one of the core take-aways for me is that building communities (plural!) which help disseminate knowledge about how to use technology for learning is a core challenge which hasn't been sufficiently addressed yet. To me 2010 did show the first promises of this happening within the OLPC / Sugar community with collaboration starting between Plan Ceibal and ParaguayEduca, the work of organizations and communities such as ceibalJAM and RAP Ceibal, a better integration of Latin American contributors in the global community, eKindling's work in the Philippines, all the time Bernie, Daniel, Claudia, Walter and others are spending sharing with and learning from deployments, events such the community summit in San Francisco and the realness summit, the olpcMAP.net project, etc. And with some OLE Nepal staff having started the year by flying out to Rwanda to support the deployment there 2011 is also definitely beginning on a high-note. Having said that I personally feel that at the moment this network of networks (or community of communities, take your pick;-) is wide rather than deep - often seemingly ending at people living in capitals or major cities, being experienced with FLOSS and/or innovative education, etc. rather than reaching and benefiting the children, parents, teachers, principals, and administrators who are really the major stakeholders of education initiatives. I don't have a simple answer on how to deal with this (and who knows, it might just be an issue perceived by yours truly) but I think keeping it in the back of the head might be a start. Cheers, Christoph Am 20.01.2011 17:24, schrieb Holt: Thanks Bastien. Back on the home front, also check out Claudia Urrea's (OLPC Assoc's Chief Learner ;) article today on one-to-one edutech etc: http://edutechdebate.org/ict-in-schools/technologies-for-learning-vs-learning-about-technology/ On 1/20/2011 9:46 AM, Bastien wrote: Hi Christoph and all, I always enjoy those resources about education, thank you for the pointers -- and to everyone for the comments! Let me share two recent readings of mine: John Maeda : The Laws of Simplicity http://www.amazon.com/Laws-Simplicity-Design-Technology-Business/dp/0262134721 My attention got caught when I saw John Maeda referring to Nicholas Negroponte in the chapter « Context ». While discussing the importance of focusing, he mentions this advice from NN : Be as an electric bulb, not as a lazer ray. Which I found to be quite an inspiring metaphor in the context of learning: let's all learn how to shed light on things as bulbs, taking care of others and the context, not as lazer ray, only taking care of the subject matter. George Steiner - « Éloge de la transmission - Le maître et l'élève » http://livre.fnac.com/a1904995/George-Steiner-Eloge-de-la-transmission-le-maitre-et-l-eleve (Sorry, only published in french.) In the debate about instructionisme vs. [constructionisme, project-based method, Montessori method, etc.], most people would certainly say that Steiner -- George, not Rudolph! -- is rather conservative, expressing opinions shared by teachers with a classical-instructionist attitude. The title of this book says it all. Still, he proposes a definition for what it is to be a master: it is someone from which students can always feel the love behind the irony. Of course, Socrates comes to mind as a master of both irony and love towards its pupils -- I bet Steiner would agree. I like this definition. It is general enough to escape the opposition between instructionism / [constructionisme, ...]. But still, I feel this definition captures something essential that any teacher could fruitfully think about. My 2 cents, -- Christoph Derndorfer co-editor, www.olpcnews.com e-mail: christ...@olpcnews.com ___ IAEP -- It's An Education Project (not a laptop project!) IAEP@lists.sugarlabs.org http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/iaep
