This video, “The Networked Student” by Wendy Drexler, is about a boy who attends 21st Century High School three days a week and on the other two days he takes online classes. He doesn’t use a textbook and his teacher hardly lectures. His teacher believes in connectivism, which is a theory that learning occurs through social network. His insist teacher that her students use the internet to research what they are studying.
“Why does the networked student even need a teacher?” was asked towards the end of the video. A networked student needs a teacher, because when they need help they can ask for it. The teacher can show them how to build a network explain how to create one. The teacher is mainly there for guidance. The teacher can help sort out information that is needed for the student network.
This video helped me better understand network learning in the 21st century. It showed me that you still need a teacher to help guide you. It also shows that you can still learn without using a book and hearing a teacher lecture. This also helps prepare students for their future, by using more technology instead of relying on teachers for everything. Just like EDM310. We are responsible for all our work, but Dr. Strange and the staff are there if we need any help.
In the video, a 7th grade student explains what she learns and has done with her network learning. She shows us the web page she created with all the links to the websites she uses for her science class. It shows that networking can be very helpful and benefit students by preparing them for their classes. I liked learning about how this students’ personal learning and it think I would definitely want my students to use this method too. I think this a great to teach kids how to use the web and learn how to build a network.
Amanda,
ReplyDeleteI also enjoyed the video on the networked student. It is amazing the advantages that students have these days with technology. I think as new teachers it is kind of scary for us, hearing how technology can do so much in the classroom. The fear is that one day we won't be needed. It was nice to hear that even in a network based classroom teachers are still needed.
I am glad that you found "The Personal Learning Environment of a 7th Grader" so enlightening, I think I will use this method in my teaching as well. I loved her Blogster, I think that was an awesome project. The entire system also teaches a great deal of responsibility and time management. It is much like the environment in EDM 310, this way of learning has been a major adjustment for me but I believe it will benefit us greatly in the end.
Amanda,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your post! I do disagree on one point, however, that the point of Connectivism is not solely that students learn through social networking, but that social media and networks be used to enhance the type of learning/instruction discussed in posts like "It's Not About Technology". I think you eluded to this point when you made clear that students need a teacher to guide them in creating their PLN. Without a "guide", students would be unsure how to navigate PLN's and the like in an educational way. Not that students would be goofing off, but it is up to us to make the lesson plans that incorporate the use of Social Networking.
Great post!
Carly