"It is extremely important to understand that teaching online is very different from teaching in a face-to-face classroom. We need to reconsider our understanding of the role of the teacher and trainer in this new context. An online teacher is not a giver of information as proposed by the modernist approach to education. Postmodern technologies require postmodern teaching, where the teacher is a negotiator of meaning, a resource, a facilitator in the process of the students’ producing knowledge, rather than a “knowledge transferrer” forcing the consumption of ideas and colonizing the learner’s mind with her own world view. "(The Golden Climate, chapter 2)
A New Pedagogy
The fears and negative attitudes of teachers in regard to online/hybrid learning are based on a number of factors:
- our training in teacher centered environments
- doubts and lack of confidence with new technology and technological based problem solving
- the unknown of technology
- lack of human interaction
- "it is a lot of work"
These fears are understandable, however, with knowledge and new strategies, best shared practices and a new outlook, teachers will be part of a new pedagogy, one in which the teacher will become "a designer of learning situations. (Kostina, LaGanza 2012)
- building confidence in students to use new skills and experiment with them
- student is kept active- creating hypothesis, project based learning
- fostering learning autonomy
- creating an exciting, inviting atmosphere.
Pulling together, we will, as the book says, "learn things along the way" and enjoy
the "journey of discovery."
The fears that are associated with online learning and technology itself have inhibited many educators from taking the necessary steps towards updating their classrooms. We have had several discussions about why people are not using LMS's and technology in their classrooms and it comes down to they are scared, for whatever reason that it. Some educators fears they don't know enough about technology, some fear what the students will do with the technology and most of all some just fear CHANGE. Education is always evolving and changing and in order to be the best educator you can be, you must always being willing to accept a challenge, take that leap of faith and CHANGE!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with the main point of your comment. Fear of change and willingness to take a risk is the most significant barrier that we face. The overwhelming list of new initiatives and accountability measures doesn't help in creating a willingness to embrace CHANGE and boldly accept RISK. Our trick is to help teachers to how the "status quo" will not get us where we need to go and how adopting a brave new electronic reality will make us more efficient and will improve student performance.
DeleteI too agree Claus... great point about risk taking and Mark many more teachers would be more willing if not for all of the new initiatives and evaluation procedures, etc. It is often tricky to even convince them to listen to a new idea that might make their life easier. I find it interesting to see that there are some teachers that are complacent in how they teach and believe their way to be the best way for our kids to learn. In an ever changing and evolving world of technology - we really need to try to recruit them to be open to new ideas and willing to problem solve without worrying about the 'what if' factor. So many teachers hesitate to use technology because of the leg work involved and the frontloading of planning that goes into it...if only they could see past that and realize how much more is opened up because of it being in place.
DeleteThe issue I feel we are facing here is that the way students are learning is changing but we have some educators that are unwilling or unaware of how to change and meet these new needs. While I understand for many, new technologies can be very frustrating and difficult to learn, but as long as we keep the student at the center of our mission, I argue this change and use of technology is imperative to the future of education. It's unfortunate that some are unable to accept the challenge of change when the end result does nothing but benefit the student. Yes it may be uncomfortable, yes it may be difficult, and yes it may be scary, but it's what's in the best interest of the student which is what we all work towards. Education is changing and technology is driving this change.
ReplyDeleteI agree, using technology in the classroom can only benefit the student. Our world requires mastery of various programs and skills, yet we severely lack the training. What about typing classes in elementary school or making a computer class a core requirement at the high school? Let's get our teachers more comfortable with this idea, and eventually, we'll see it trickle down to education at every level.
DeleteI couldn't agree more with you Christian. Education is changing because of technology, which is scary for some educators. As educators we need to embrace the change and educate ourselves so we can better educate our students!
DeleteAndrea, I second the need for keyboarding practice at the elementary level, though it's hard to imagine where we would find the minutes. It would be so wonderful to have some way to make sure that every student at early ages is learning to, for example, create documents with proper formatting, learn how to change margins, and practice keyboarding. Students who have no keyboarding skills are really at a disadvantage, and students' early opportunities for learning these skills vary widely. In fourth grade, students do a lot of composing at the keyboard; those with little exposure to this skill struggle terribly. As we head toward increasing online curriculum, I think it will be necessary to consider keyboarding skills part of early literacy programs, alongside learning to write with the pencil.
DeleteWow great ideas! Question - at what age do you think that they could handle this type of learning? Obviously, the younger the better so at the elementary would be great...but as you stated...where would we find the time? If the middle school setting had a bell schedule it could possibly fit into as an option/elective to take at some point during their time with us... but that would mean ... needing another teacher or would one of our current teachers be able to fulfill that role? Chances are slim... so how could we make this work?
DeleteAfter reading Andy's Blog I spent a few minutes reflecting on some of my own experiences as a facilitator, trainer, and teacher. I started thinking about experiences that I enjoy and experiences that feel more like "work" than "fun" (learning should be fun). Take your average staff development situation. You prepare for the event- what do we want people to learn/do. Create the obligatory powerpoint with your objectives on it. Schedule a room and deliver. Participants show up expecting they will walk away with another set of responsibilities and they are expecting to sit and get (Training is done to them).
ReplyDeleteNow take the powerful experiences in staff development (e.g., RIPPLE, some eLc experiences, etc.). The participants come, not to have a laundry list of takeaways but to immerse themselves in an experience and learn. As a facilitator/trainer I go into it expecting that I will learn as much from the experience as the participants (learning is done with them not to them). There is an air of excitement and undoubtedly people learn more than what is stated in the list of objectives. I feel fortunate that I have had this later experience more than a few times in my career. Not sure, unfortunately, that everyone has had that experience.
The postmodern pedagogy described in the quote (and Andy's Blog) matches this second style of training. Perhaps if we can help teachers link to those positive experiential trainings they have had in their lives and then link that to online learning it will help to shift their thinking, reduce fears, and increase excitement about the possibilities.
Mark, your discussion on the power in pairing "fun" and learning and making learning experiential resonate with my own experiences of providing online learning blogs and other projects for my students using Moodle. I certainly had to face my fears in creating the online courses, but the students were FEARLESS, and they gobbled up everything I threw at them. By its nature, online learning is experiential (clicking on links, watching and listening to video clips, creating documents, posting, etc.), and my observation is that kids learning online are having fun. I think one of my biggest motivators for facing my tech fears is seeing how much the students love and enjoy the online learning opportunities. So, in addition to your suggestion that teachers enjoy positive experiential trainings, I think that having teachers experience the kids' positive responses to online learning will also motivate them to face their fears.
DeleteOur fears are so often based on the unknown- we fear what we can't see or understand. It is my opinion, then, that we must allow our educators to experience how technology can enhance their classroom. We must take away the unfamiliarity of the concept--what about having PDs during our delayed start days to introduce different technologies or ways to incorporate them? Many of the teachers who do not embrace technology will not seek out this development on their own volition. So, we should provide some sort of education to start building confidence. We can't force the change for a more connected classroom, but allowing all educators to start seeing the advantage of technology could create this for us.
ReplyDeleteYour points are very valid. Educators have a lot on their plate in our current environment and often see "technology" as just "one more thing." If school districts truly want to teachers to embrace this new pedagogy, they need to produce PD's and time for teachers to learn and embrace these concepts.
DeleteWhile we do need to offer PD and let teachers explore these new technologies, we also need to find some way to motivate them to know technology is not here to destroy the classroom. I feel like there is so much resistance from some teachers to even consider the idea of bringing technology into the classroom, regardless of what's best for the students. It is so easy for some to make excuses of what technology doesn't work in their classroom or for their material when if they spent that time giving it a chance, it could radically change the way their students learn. Not all students are going to learn best in a fully online/everything technology environment - and that's OK!
DeleteTechnology is like another tool, just like using supplemental resources. However, we have to educate our people as the importance of technology as a conveyer, or platform, for learning. Just like a podium and a set of notes, the LMS we use, the way we communicate with our students can be used much differently- and we need to embrace it. Which is why I am here... I want to be ahead of the curve!!!!
DeleteTeacher fears are always going to present when new ideas, technologies, or legislation is brought into the classroom. At the end of the day, teachers need to ask themselves what is best for the kids. Online learning forces teachers to give up some control, but focuses on a student centered learning environment that features 21st century skills. Your point about the "new Pedagogy" is absolutely right. Educators need to embrace the online environment that allows students to explore and utilize these new skills.
ReplyDeleteI really like how, as authors Kostina and LaGanza point out, that in online courses the role of the teacher often changes from the direct-instruction "sage on the stage," to the "guide on the side," or the facilitator. I am struck by how the focuses on student-directed research and exploration, online project-based learning, and frequent written feedback and interaction (individual and collaborative) are considered best-practice in the regular classroom, and are necessary for gifted learners. As mentioned by others here, online learning requires refining 21st century skills, particularly online communication. The more students are required to practice producing scholarly work online, the better chances they are "college and career ready."
ReplyDeleteChange takes time as we all know and have heard and with this constant full plate of things that teachers are feeling overwhelmed with the last thing some of them want is 1 more added stress. Fears - Frightened, Educators, Able to Relate to our Students? Are they??? If best practices is learning about how your students learn and trying to include that in your teaching, then why is this technology any different? It is how they (most) of them like to learn and if excited and interested - would be willing to do so. Fostering the unknown and as Andy mentioned the journey of discovery is a very important concept that is going to be hard for some educators to accept. Professional development and exposure would be helpful to some but others would still be resistant. Like many others in our class we are the ones that want to learn and be able to be involved for choosing how this impacts our role as educators. I look forward to the journey ahead and knowingly accept that there are some hurdles and bumps along the way. I insist to my students that I too am always learning;)
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