teaching
Chapter 7“Through play, the process of learning is no longer smooth and progressive. Instead, there is a gap between the knowledge one is given and the desired end result.” I chose this quote because it rings true with me. I learn most when I realized there is a discrepancy between what I know and what I am seeing in front of me or whatever is presented to me. It can be conceptual or physical, but the realizing that I lack some kind of information is the way that I learn something. The paragraph of this quote goes on to explain that this is how we organize information. I wouldn't always say that this happens through play, but play is one way in which we can realize the discrepancies in our understanding. Question: I really didn't understand the bit about “Making”. I don’t even know what question specifically I have, but the whole part about creating context was confusing to me and I didn’t quite grasp the meaning. Connection: I realize that project based learning is a way that we incorporate some of these strategies for learning. Knowing, making, and playing (or creativity) are all parts of executing a project. Many of the assignments we have in many of our classes, not just 530, allow us the ability to do some of these things. Working in groups is also an avenue for allowing this happen. That way we can play with classmates and share knowledge and ideas of making things. Epiphany: I realized that I learn through recognizing that I don’t know something or by recognizing that there is a descepency between what I know and some new concept presented to me, but it never occurred to me that play was a way to this. In my mind I separate play and learning, but it was interesting to see play as a way to learn. Chapter 8“When messing around, young people begin to take an interest in and focus on the workings and content of the technology and media themselves, tinkering exploring, and extending their understanding.” I chose this quote because this is where I linked the idea of the badges to the names. I see how the items build on each other and how hanging out is supposed to be like a passive participation, hanging out is moving to more of an active participation, and geeking out is like an active participation with a purpose. I see why our badges are named so and why they are given the certain “items” under them. Question: It seems that now-a-days geeking out can be something somewhat embarrassing. There can be those people who see those who “geek out” as being weird or obsessive or they roll their eyes at someone who gets passionate or expressive about what they are into in. My question is why? Connection: I think the phrase they used, “Learning to be”, is completely applicable to the purpose of this whole class. I see the purpose of this class as learning how to have an online presence. Its creating ourselves online in a new way and learning how to be present and alive through the internet. This concept is an important step for a generation that has not grown up online like the up and coming generation is. We have to make this step in our lives consciously, where the up and coming generation does not. This class is helping us to do that. Even though I feel like I already have an established social identity, I am still “learning to be” even more virtually literate. Epiphany: No an epiphany but something I thought was grasping was the way that play and agency were intertwined with hanging out, messing around, and geeking out. I could see how they linked to each other and how play and agency were ways in which you could hang out, mess around, or geek out. I thought that was cool. Chapter 9“The critical idea is that the two elements-of information and experimentation-are being brought together in a way that transforms them both. It is that fusion that declines the new culture of learning.” Reasoning-see connection.
Question: In order to create a new culture of learning where flux is a the only constant, how can we support a thing like tenure? I mean, that doesn’t exactly support change if the concept is to keep the environment and the dynamics the same. It seems to me, that even when I read the type of environment that is need to stimulate and teach this upcoming generation, it overwhelms me. When I have multiple social media pages to keep up with, it overwhelms me. But I am a transplant to this era, and the students that are growing up now are the natives. I think soon, they will be the teachers and leaders, and at that point, a new culture will be more easily embraced with less of the feelings of overwhelming. The teachers will be able to talk to and relate to students better. To support this new culture, does the whole system need to change? I hope so…I think it needs a change. Connection: The quote I picked is part of the connection that I made in this chapter. The purpose of the assignments in this class is to allow both of these two things to happen. They are trying to get us to experience this new culture of learning for ourselves so that we can incorporate it into our teaching. Not just so that we have cool new internet tools to use to connect to students. Epiphany: As the author went on about World of Warcraft, a game which I used to play constantly and no longer play for very purposeful reasons, I realized why I don’t like the playing of these games. I really don’t think that they translation of the skills and experience on the game are translatable to the rest of life. Who has been a person that engaged in all these wondrous experiences on WoW and how has it helped them be more successful in their lives? I have a family full of people that have spent countless hours playing this game, and I can honestly say not one of those people who I know intimately became a better person because of their experiences on WoW. In fact, I think they became less of a successful person in life while they were actively playing the game. I realized that’s why I don’t like those kinds of games, and I disagree with the author on this point.
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AuthorI teach. I CrossFit. I like to talk about both! Archives
May 2015
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