Web 2.0 Online Course

I have been out podcasting and blogging in other spaces. Mainly I have been over in the Ning universe. This is a closed social networking site that some schools are using for classroom and school use.
I am now starting another journey with some colleagues in Monroe county. We are participating with the NY State Education Department through a Grant with the Federal DOE and AT&T who worked with EdTech Leaders Online, a non-profit organization, to create a Web 2.0 online course.
We are now going through this online course, with yours truly as the facilitator. I thought that over the next 6 weeks I will provide some view into not only what we are learning and discussing, but also some of my thinking as an online facilitator.
So a quick update from the course. We are introducing ourselves right now and here are some of the questions and ideas that have popped up so far:

• Many of us have heard about and seen Web 2.0 technologies, but few of us use them regularly either for our own professional growth or for classrooms
• Those that have used these tools for classrooms, the projects or use have not taken off very successfully
• Wide variety of skills and experiences from teachers and administrators mean that the connections between needs and use of the appropriate tools fall on a limited group of people.
• Everyone is excited about the connective power of this type of technology. Some have mentioned that local connections can be just as powerful as the global ones.

Well, this is where our conversation is right now. We will be starting the full course this Saturday with a discussion on the Read/Write web.
Happy exploring,
J:)

"we won't be raising our hands anymore..."

Another sign that the shift in teaching and learning is happening comes with the release of Student 2.0. Sighting a video introduction on this new website and concept on Will's post I went exploring.


Students 2.0 Launch Teaser from Sean on Vimeo.

I have to admit....I cheered. Sitting here in my office on a Sunday afternoon trying to plan out how to bring about this exact shift in my region and I realized that the shift is already happening. Students are not staying silent, waiting to be called on, invited in, etc anymore. Yes, for my pessimistic friends out there, I realize that this is a very small group to be suggesting that the world is changing...and yes I know others have been out there doing this already at Taking it Global, GlobalKids, and others.
It was the way they said it that hit me. They recognize that they have been the 'silent majority' and they are asking politely to be let into the conversation.
WOW....The world is ripe for the new ways of learning. People are starting to do it.
Its a very exciting time to be in education.
Keep exploring,
J:)

Preaching and Practice

*Beware- metaphor of Will as a Blogvangelist carried throughout this post* :)
*Second warning- Ranting to follow*
So, I am sitting here as just mentioned in my last post in a day of discussion around Web 2.0.
'Brother' Will just delivered his message on the shifting of the world due to technology and where we are in education. (or better to say where we are NOT).
He was 'preaching to the choir' and our many amens were heard.
He suggested that as we, the converted, helped to convert others eventually it will change education.
The real problem is that everyone is looking to someone else to get this started. Peter over on Ed Tech Journeys has also recognized the spinning of Ed Tech Blogs. So who is going to help the change truly happen?
It seems that the practices are what need to change, this is a tough process and should not be glossed over. BUT, the commitment has to be there too.
Perhaps we need to start creating models of real learning as Will is starting to do with his own kids.
Just a thought,
J : )

Web 2.0 take 2

I talked about the projects surrounding Web 2.0 that I am involved with in my last post. Today is very interesting for me. I woke up early so that I could catch-up on my online course for using Web 2.0. Our conversation on the discussion boards in that course, using Moodle, we talked about some exciting options, but spent a lot of time discussing the barriers to really moving this forward in a region or state. The key to this was that the energy within this course is around how do we help people participate in this type of technology and convince them to use it. This is a very specific way of addressing change. How do we, as those who get it, change those who don't get it. Now don't misunderstand, I feel that there is a place still for almost any type of interaction, but this is about a mindset--- a way of thinking. So why does this type of course still exist? Quite simply, the technology has made possible for new types of learning. However, we were trained in a certain way of learning. So this is a very appropriate way to structure a learning experience....for now...
....but.....
Here I am sitting in another type of experience. This is the launch day for Powerful Learning Practices. this is the launch day for a year-long experience. What are we doing? We have invited those who are passionate about teaching and learning AND are willing to change. Those were the requirements...not to know already, but to be passionate and willing to learn. So what is the approach here? A group of well-networked individuals are going to lead an experience to help others to develop their own learning networks. Yes, there are sessions on how to ... (as I said we still need this), but what has been continually said is that this is just to experience/view the tools. The real learning how to use it will come later and then there will be online resources to truly deliver the just in time learning.
So--- what am I seeing? The new learning is now driven by people who are passionate, willing to learn and connect with others. The change is from people who connect, not people who know and teach other's in a linear, specific pattern.
So now how do we connect? The truth of the matter is that those who are truly passionate want to talk and interact regarding their passion. I challenge myself and others to truly begin to connect.
So less of an exploration of eLearning and more exploring how we begin to change the way we address and learn about it.
Keep exploring,
J : )

Web 2.0 and Teaching

It seems that this year is the true explosion of trying to make Web 2.0 happen in the classroom. 2005 seemed to be the year of the educational blog, but many of these crashed and burned.
I am in 3 different initiatives which are all looking to figure out how to help teachers bring Web 2.0 into the classroom.
Powerful Learning Practices: Lead by Will Richardson and Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach this initiative is a year long professional development with teams from schools (required that it be a team). The idea is to help teachers work on their own professional practice and then through the 'aha' that comes to all who use these bring to the classroom.
EdTech Leaders Online: This course is a more traditional online course (ironic that I am calling it a traditional online course...isn't it. We have already moved into the time when an online course can be considered traditional). Structured in Moodle, we are working through a set curriculum and interacting through the discussion forums and then we have added a wiki. The elluminate session is optional. The idea is for us to learn a curriculum and course and then teach this course to our teachers/leaders in our region.
Class-centered initiative: This is just developing, but the idea here is that the students should be helping to lead the way. The teacher is a co-learner and together the use of the technologies and how to learn from it are discussed with the students. Right now, this is only being done with blogging in 5 classrooms. This is more of a concept than a true initiative. We have a number of districts heading this way. The idea is to get the technology into the classrooms as quickly as possible. The teachers 'dive-in' and then are supported as they go in whatever way they need.
So three approaches---which is better is the question many may ask. I think that it is more of a match of the approach, teacher, and system they are working within (ie school district/building).
There are negatives and positives to all three. It seems the positive aspect with the first, is that the teacher becomes connected and has made the mental shift needed to be a lead learner. The second approach is more comfortable and helps a larger group of teachers move forward. The final is wonderful for the speed at which we move into the classroom and the students help inform our understanding of the way that learning shifts for not just teachers but also students.
I tend to not talk about the negatives yet, until I have really thought about these and if the issues I see are true negatives or merely different approaches.
Keep exploring,
J:)

Exploring on Superintendent's Day

I had the wonderful opportunity to present at a Superintendent's Day with teachers who are interested in eLearning. Feel free to check out the presentation. It was my first time creating a presentation from nothing on Google Docs. I found the presentation templates very easy to use and with the added benefit of being online, I could embed links and allow those who were interested in moving ahead or staying on a certain topic, they could do just that. BIG negative, it isn't easy to export it back out to a PowerPoint or Keynote. So if you see yourself wanting to have an online and offline version, it might be good to start offline and move online. BIG positive...I didn't do this in this particular workshop...however, imagine presenting with a group and sharing the presentation with them. You could group author your day. Talk about truly constructivist.
We started with a conversation on what is eLearning and why we are talking about it. The beautiful aspect of this day was that by the end we were talking about what each person wanted to do to move forward and how we would work together to meet those goals. I would say the primary goal was to connect with other classrooms or experts around the world. How do we do this? Well....share your ideas with me and I will keep all updated on the progress. To date, I am pursuing those presenters who I know that are international and asking that they share out my name and information with anyone who asks the same question I am: How do we connect with others around the world who are interested. My collegue, over at Streaming Thoughts has the right way, IMHO (in my humble opinion). Start connecting with Web 2.0 blogs, wikis, etc. on those things you are interested in and participate!!! Send emails, skypes, talk with those in second life, etc and talk about the projects you are interested in. You will find that those who have time to work with you will also be the ones who respond. Finally, you should start your own blog or some other way to get your name out there. Once you share your success about yoru first project or two you will start to get heard about and people will come to you. The truth of the matter is that those who actually follow through and DO this whole global connect thing are few. So, if you become one of those, then others will want to connect with that success.
OK....so that was my wonderful opportunity beginning to connect directly with the teachers in the region.
Happy exploring,
J:)

Exploring eLearning

I am headed for a fun-filled two hours at a district today. There are some 30 individuals who have elected to discuss What is eLearning? on their conference day. I hope that some choose to follow-up and I will definitely share our wonderful ideas.
Feel free to look at the presentation over on Google Docs--- What is eLearning?
J:)