Creating globally connected, rigorous and highly motivated assignments

[Learning 2.008 Conference]

Alan November

In this working session, we will combine our best thinking to create a library of creative assignments that
our colleagues can use as high quality examples of applying internet 2.0 tools across the curriculum.
Room: M-259
Session 3
Leadership

[Sam Eslamieh]

www.novemberlearning.com
Nuclear fueled assignments
Shake people up and piss them off to engage them :)
Get the non-US (British woohoo) point of view by using
altavisa > host: [country code]
Google > site: [country code]
Especially for historical topics from different perspectives.


Provide learning objects on the school website (videos, wikis, blogs, podcasts etc..) used to educate everybody.

(Global authoring)
Formulise contributions of student work on as many places as possible, but what about authenticity and accuracy of the info???

Teach to contribute to the world - but I reckon ethics need to be taught blah. Nice to share with the others.
good idea to publish in wikipedia, establishing RSS feed for updates and seeing what happens.
Avoid teaching content but instead teach problem solving skills - nice one!!

Enable students to transfer skills taught in IT in other subjects. I think I'll present that in school to the others soon.

Teacher's shouldn't be a bottleneck for students. Best to get the students to learn how to do something and teach the other. e.g podcsating or whatever.

>>>>> WINK - screencasting software (records everything you're doing on the computer - NICE!

Great presentation and very informative. *applause*

[David Larson]

What variables contribute to meaningful learning?
Authentic assessment
"Flow" Real-time feedback, read the book (google the author)
Social interactions
There's a need to learn it, there's a problem that needs solving
Sussing out the usable, crucial information from the glut of (overwhelming, ill-conceived,..) information
Mistakes are necessary
Success is not always transferable (what works with one kid, may not work with another)

Find the impact of the Pope's 2006 visit to Turkey:

Three essential skills (all self-directed):
1. Teach kids to deal with massive amounts of info, Recognize patterns
2. Global communications skills (check your sources!)
3. Be a lifelong learner

Can the teacher leave the room and still have kids get something done.

Back to the pope: altavista> host:tr islam response pope
KEY--what is the structure of a web address?

Critical thinking on the Internet.
Grammar, syntax and punctuation...crucial, boring tools.

Q: Where do I go to learn web address syntax?

Suggested: Get a debate going between two opposing sides, opposing versions of the truth.

Audio hijack pro to rip the audio out of a skype-based debate, publish to

Search: Google "country code" AND internet

2. Wings: should leave a legacy; momentum
*beyond the exam or grade that ends handily when the report card is published.
(Marco Torez)

3. Every school should have a database of student-created, student-directed information (videos of dissections, podcasts of ____, etc.) YouTube, iTunes, etc. do it already.

Issue of quality?

Assign students to add to Wikipedia.

How did he get himself to be #3 on Google?

Google tracks links between sites, not hits. Did I get that right?

nofiltr.com

Does the knowledge of the few scholars outweigh the knowledge of the many? Hmmm...

Kids update Wikipedia, teacher RSS monitors edits edits to page. Kids see changes. The mob monitors quality.

It's a great assignment. What's the strategy for a teacher in China who cannot access AND EDIT Wikipedia? Wikispaces have free spaces for teachers. Make your own.

Key concept: Problem solving. Do our schools have various processes in place to solve problems? By the end of school, do they have the process to solve problems rather than mere content? Is it organized across the curriculum?

Find myriad problem solving techniques, choose a couple. Embed problem solving across the curriculum.


Technology ought to transform problem solving and learning, not replace or decorate it.

*Teacher builds structure of the learning environment.

Revise behavior, not mere tech.

Here it is:
altavista: "World war II" host: jp hiroshima

email curator of museum, TOC of Japanese account of the bombing.

Jobs for kids:
Academic research team (bring rigorous and highly motivated information, including an email and reply for curator of ___ asking for Skype conference)
Podcast team.
Teachers need to know when to podcast, not how.
Tutorial design team (WINK), screencasting team -- at the end of the year there is a library of tutorials.


Teachers can't be bottleneck of what kids can learn.

www.bobsprankle.com/podcasts...
Weekly podcast to review academic learning of the previous week.


BTW--without dishing out the money for Camtasia, you might check out Snapzpro for Mac which will do screencasts, etc... for $69. 30 day trial for free. I receive no comp for this note.

Macromedia Captivate is another option. It's more dear than Snapz.

Others?

Jingproject.com (free!)

Efficiency is not always best. Hesitation is powerful; kids explaining content or concepts is powerful in ways that teachers cannot.

[whopkin]

What were the variables in the most meaningful learning experience?
Construct your own knowlege
authentic assesments
social interactions
clear goals
immediate feedback
organization of information life is filled with illconceved information (overwhelming incomplete or too much)
mistakes are ok problem solving
learning styles

Alan gives a problem!
teach the structures of web syntax narrow the points of view by using web address specific to any alternative viewpoints.

Assignment Design
Authentic adience
Authentic assesmemt Wings legacy that lives beyond the grade" Marco Torres" A Learning Object. Ie presentations videos podcasts Wiki aritcles

Problem solving processes that are good for any problems (algorithm?) Task: look up problem solving processes create presentation on these stratages?

Assignment concept: Students find web resources that contribute to the curriculum.
Academic research team made up of students
Podcasting team
Global pubishing team
Tutorial design team screen casting team

[rtuprod]

-the most meaningful learning experience for most people does not happen in school
-parenting/teaching/learning brainstorming: construct own learning, authentic assessment, immediate feedback ("flow" book on realtime feedback), social interaction, goals clear and able to change, need to learn, evaluate overwhelming amount of information (need to give students more tasks with illconceived information), mistakes are ok and necessary, problem-solving/trial&error, transferance is difficult
-case study: west point superintendant wants islam incorporated into the curriculum...use internet without any prior knowledge; professor's search ended up with all western sources using google, altavista can limit results from specific country using "host:tr" (or for british&american revolution "host:ac.uk"...ac = academic sources)....need to show all points of view, not reinforce the bias
-3 skills not taught in schools: (% of people who go back to live with parents are increasing because skills are not taught) 1. teach children to deal with a lot of information and understand patterns 2. global communication skills 3. must be self-directed, life-long learner
-must teach the grammar and syntax of the internet, critical thinking, in order to get good information for good conversation...need to know content, point of view, etc.......podcast of debate vs test? which is more effective?
-1. need authentic audience 2. global voice (podcasting, itunes)...has "wings" (marco torres) that will continue to fly...not about grades but of establishing a legacy and adds value to the world...hook in student-created work into school database/library catalog (wikipedia: 3rd graders can author entries [pitot house]..quality controlled by the mob to review...can create your own wiki)
-internet has a precise structure...need to understand the structure to manipulate...google = links
-schools need to establish a process for solving any problem across all disciplines
-students don't want more tech, they want to change their roles, to add to the curriculum
-teachers should create a structure upon which learning should grow, students contribute and grow
-teachers need to know what and when to use tech
-teachers should have a global publishing team made up of students...podcasting team, tutorial design/screen casting team (teachers edit).....(my note: need to deal with the legal issues of parental permissions for public display of student images?)

novemberlearning.com

[jack garstka]

Flow - real time assessment/feedback
evaluate/social/
we need to give students more problems with ill conceived meaning/conclusion??
a problem:
West Point has a problem - commander wants
Islam introduced -
host:tr -
site (google)

authentic audience - podcast
wings/legacy - what happens to the knowledge? value - make a product!!!!!!
legacy - wikipedia page
create a product that can be shared and archived and meaningful
kids need jobs - find the really good resources - academic research team/podcast team
camtasia studio????
wink
jingproject

[Matt Seigal]

Alan November

What is the most meaningful learning experiences?

Construct own learning
Authentic assessment
Social interaction
Clear goal
Need to learn
Overwhelming amounts of information - poorly organised, ill conceived information
Mistakes are necessary

Flow on realtime feedback

Essential skills-
Deal with massive amounts of information
Global communication
Self directed lifelong learning
Critical thinking of the Internet

Altavista can do host searching
' host:tr'

Upset to engage using alternative version of truth
Live debate using Skype and turn to Podcast
Need authentic audience
Needs to have life beyond grade - legacy or wings beyond learning directory of school. Eg Pitot House.
See Marco Torres
Eg. Get 3rd grade students to write article on wikipedia so they become authors with a legacy.

Students want to change role

Teachers build structure, not content
Give jobs to students.
Eg bring resources to class, student podcast team, tutorial design team (screencasting team),

www.nofiltr.com

How does Google manipulate?
See Novemberlearning.com

[Clay Burell]

Authentic assessment
Immediate feedback: FLOW - book recommendation
Social interaction
Need to learn it
Problems with ill-conceived information
Mistakes are necessary and okay
Definition: learning is making mistakes
etc. this was all group feedback on what our most valuable learning experience in life was.

Online v. webserver.

Moodle: local

Podcasts

Apple podcasting server.

Podbean

zoomit: pc desktop zoomer plus timer: free download
sysinternals.com

wfryer (Skype name)

---

Authentic assessment
Immediate feedback: FLOW - book recommendation
Social interaction
Need to learn it
Problems with ill-conceived information
Mistakes are necessary and okay
Definition: learning is making mistakes
etc. this was all group feedback on what our most valuable learning experience in life was.

West Point must introduce Islam in its classes.

3 important skills to teach to kids:
1. teach students to deal with massive amounts of information - paper is not a lot.
2. global communication skills - teachers as community builders, checking sources with real people
3. self-direction, life-long learning - not taking more classes, but designing your own learning.

If you

host:tr islam response pope - is this only on AltaVista???? Try it on Google.
site." for Google.
AltaVista is more powerful.
host + .ext = restrict results from only that country

NoFiltr.com
hidemyass.com
anonymouse.com

TEACH THE STRUCTURE OF INFORMATION ONLINE (like example above)

"When you can upset people, you've got them." Yeah, but upsetting parents as a byproduct???

host:ac.uk "American Revolution" "General Gage"
Brings British perspective of the history into the US classroom. Allow them to collaborate with British classroom in a debate (Skype)
--is better learning than the best history teacher can do with lecture/textbook

audiohijack pro

RULES FOR GLOBAL COLLAB PROJECTS:
1. Authentic audience
2. Global voice / a legacy product, re-usable learning objects ("wings") (Marco Torres is getting quoted left and right here). (Create a "learning object directory" website or wiki or whatever at the school.)


1990: 30% of all adults moved back home to parents. Unprepared to live alone.
2000: 60%
2006: 65%

I have no idea what you're talking about with "second grade" and "november learning" as number 3 on Google search for November.

Re: My question about publishing students but caring about quality of student publications.
--Assign a Wikipedia entry - crowd wisdom will improve the quality
--subscribe RSS to the article to keep up with the growth of the product
--watch the student return to his/her entry over the years
GREAT assignment for primary level - and good argument for starting in primary, before they're jaded about schools in later grades.
Pitot House wikipedia entry

DO WE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM-SOLVING PROCESSES ACROSS THE CURRICULUM?
ex. - inquiry-based learning cycle enforced in each department
- IBA
embed one or two models and embed them across the curriculum to make these skills transferable.

Marco Torres video: hs graduates discussing education and teachers and schools, and how lame they are compared to what's possible. Find this video for the Learnervoices plan with Scott McLeod.

Assignment: Each student will find web resources that contribute to the curriculum

Role of teacher: Structure the learning environment, but not the details. This is unintuitive - teacher strength is scholarship, and that's the problem. Unlearning how we teach is the hardest part.

Beginning of class:
1. Teach "grammar":
--WW II unit: assign resource collection, teaching tricks like "ac.jp
--student jobs: academic research teams,
podcast publishing teams
screencast tutorial team (Wink - Mac-based version yet?)
Skypecast organizers,
etc

It's not knowing how to podcast, but WHEN and WHAT. We waste time teaching teachers technology. Teach a couple kids. See bobsprankle's 3rd graders' weekly podcast (but forget the gear-head stuff - it's not necessary.)

West Point must introduce Islam