A learner is...

A learner is like a scientist, there is no exact rhyme or reason to it.  Learning (and science) can be messy, you may fail dozens of times, and you need to work with new data and problems as they enter the real world.  There is no exact recipe for success, but we all can achieve it in our own way.  

In George Seimen’s video, he states “I had a dramatically different type of a need for knowledge than what I see learners having when they come into higher education today.”  A student can do more with a computer than they have ever been able to in the past, thanks to the advancements in science and technology.  

In his article about the theory of Connectivism, he states “Learners as little as forty years ago would complete the required schooling and enter a career that would often last a lifetime. Information development was slow. The life of knowledge was measured in decades. Today, these foundational principles have been altered. Knowledge is growing exponentially. In many fields the life of knowledge is now measured in months and years.”

Students need to be prepared for their futures.  Current facts may be refuted by the time they enter the working world.  For example, when I was a student in elementary school, I was taught there were 9 planets orbiting the sun.  Due to new evidence and data, we now know that Pluto is no longer considered a planet, making the planet count 8.  If we capture our students curiosity  and encourage creativity and imagination, they will be more willing to stay current with their knowledge and become a lifelong learner.  What you learn today, may not be the same as what you may learn tomorrow.  We need to be receptive of change and know that this information will only allow us to grow and keep learning.  

Connectivism allows students to use their prior knowledge to create discussions with others.  It draws attention to the role of social contact with technology to enhance learning.  Students are now expected to supplement their learning with outside sources.  Websites that allow for discussion, such as Facebook or Twitter, should be allowed to be used in the classroom.  It allows student to connect with more than just their own classmates and get involved in a conversation on an important topic.  

Whose to say what is the best?

←Would you rather be in this classroom?









          Or this one? →

I recently watched the video Educational Change Challenge and it presents a lot of different educational perspectives.  One quote that stuck out to me was "If you put a doctor of 100 years ago in today's operating room, she would be lost, yet if you placed a teacher of 100 years ago into one of today's classrooms she wouldn't skip a beat."  We as teachers should be adapting with the times and education our students to better prepare them for their future endeavors.  Basing our lessons around a lecture with a chalkboard is an ineffective way to educate students.  This archaic version of education is boring, does not accommodate the many learners in the class, and does not create life long learners.  The video ended by asking the question, "Am I preparing my students for my age or theirs?"

Education is all about adapting to the ever changing world.  We are preparing our students for jobs that don't exist yet.  In New Brunswick, Canada  teachers are making learning student centered and personalized.  They are creating projects that help them learn and providing them with opportunities to apply their newly found knowledge.  This shift in education needs to be happening all around the world.  If the world's teachers can adapt to the ever advancing world, then maybe we can change the world for the better.  If we can teach our students to communicate effectively and appropriately, maybe we can create a more positive world, one without so much hatred.  We teach our students to collaborate and learn from one another, why can't that continue outside of the classroom and between different countries?