Chapter 4 - Learning in the Collective
Quote/explain - “The power of a blog rests in part with the author or authors who start it; in part with the readers who leave comments; in part with those who link to, cite, references, or respond to it; and in part with the readers, who may do nothing more than have their presence recorded by a web server.”
The reason that I chose this quote is because it helps me best understand the “collective” frame of mind that this chapter talks about. In order to have a “collective,” there must be several participants with a variety of skills and talents that they can offer to the group.
Question - How can we create a “collective” type of classroom?
Connection - I love having my students work in groups because it allows them to see multiple perspectives. I have encountered a minor problem at my current school site... I chose groups for students during one of my teaching periods, and they were not pleased with that decision. I had them write comment cards to give me feedback on the activity to which most of them replied that they hated working in groups with people that they did not know. It actually made me pretty sad that students didn’t want to work with classmates because they felt uncomfortable. In order to make group work possible, a positive and inclusive classroom environment must be practiced from the beginning.
Epiphany - I think that the collective type of environment would be a difficult thing to create within a classroom. Students would need to first feel a connection with the people in their group. Making the connection will make students more willing to participate and have a feeling of comfort. Students also have to be self-motivated to be active participants in their groups - when it comes to group work, some students feel as though they can hide behind stronger group members, which would not make a collective possible.
Chapter 5 - The Personal with the Collective
Quote/explain - “Blogs give an individual the chance to interact with and become part of a collective that both shapes and is shaped by his or her thoughts” (64).
Blogs are a great way to get your ideas out there, with the chance of someone responding, thus sparking a deeper conversation.
Question - Will students be more willing to write and share their thoughts if they can do so using a blog?
Connection - Let’s be real, I was a bit unsure about blogging all of my assignments for EDSS530. I honestly thought that it was tedious and that people really didn’t care what I had to say. But as I continue to do it, I have realized that, honestly, I don’t care if people read it or not (oops). Blogging is a way to get my ideas out and about. I love to write - it’s my passion. Perhaps students will be more willing to write if they can post their ideas on the internet for others to read and respond to, without the fear of being publicly shamed.
Epiphany - Blogs! As I was reading the portion of this chapter specifically on blogging, I had an interesting idea. As an assignment (perhaps accounting for in class work, homework, etc.), have students form blogging groups in which they can discuss their thoughts on the unit of study.
Chapter 6 - We Know More Than We Can Say
Quote/explain - “Tacit learning happens not only in the brain but also in the body, through all our senses" (77).
Tacit learning is all about making a connection, using all senses, to what is being learned. For example, as the book explains, the experience between a child and a parent. The parents tells the child not to touch the flame, because it is hot. The child touches the flame anyways, because the only information on the flame is that given by the parent. The child gets burned, and experiences the flame in a different way. Now the child knows not to touch fire or anything that looks like fire. As the text said, “From that one experience, a finger touching flame, a person learns countless things” (77).
Question - How can we encourage students to actually EXPERIENCE their learning instead of just being passengers, along for the ride?
Connection - I think of tacit learning this way - I can have someone explain to me how to crochet. The methods, the yarn to use, the hooks to use, etc.. I can read countless books. The real satisfaction does not come from just learning, but experiencing crocheting. Feeling your hands work the hooks to create something. Feeling the yarn between your fingers. It is the best feeling making the connection between learning to do something, and actually doing it. Fulfilling.
Epiphany - Curiosity. We have to teach our students to actually be curious...in order to experience, you have to be curious in the first place. I feel as though students are not curious so much anymore - they just go through the motions of school. It’s sad, and it needs to be changed!
Quote/explain - “The power of a blog rests in part with the author or authors who start it; in part with the readers who leave comments; in part with those who link to, cite, references, or respond to it; and in part with the readers, who may do nothing more than have their presence recorded by a web server.”
The reason that I chose this quote is because it helps me best understand the “collective” frame of mind that this chapter talks about. In order to have a “collective,” there must be several participants with a variety of skills and talents that they can offer to the group.
Question - How can we create a “collective” type of classroom?
Connection - I love having my students work in groups because it allows them to see multiple perspectives. I have encountered a minor problem at my current school site... I chose groups for students during one of my teaching periods, and they were not pleased with that decision. I had them write comment cards to give me feedback on the activity to which most of them replied that they hated working in groups with people that they did not know. It actually made me pretty sad that students didn’t want to work with classmates because they felt uncomfortable. In order to make group work possible, a positive and inclusive classroom environment must be practiced from the beginning.
Epiphany - I think that the collective type of environment would be a difficult thing to create within a classroom. Students would need to first feel a connection with the people in their group. Making the connection will make students more willing to participate and have a feeling of comfort. Students also have to be self-motivated to be active participants in their groups - when it comes to group work, some students feel as though they can hide behind stronger group members, which would not make a collective possible.
Chapter 5 - The Personal with the Collective
Quote/explain - “Blogs give an individual the chance to interact with and become part of a collective that both shapes and is shaped by his or her thoughts” (64).
Blogs are a great way to get your ideas out there, with the chance of someone responding, thus sparking a deeper conversation.
Question - Will students be more willing to write and share their thoughts if they can do so using a blog?
Connection - Let’s be real, I was a bit unsure about blogging all of my assignments for EDSS530. I honestly thought that it was tedious and that people really didn’t care what I had to say. But as I continue to do it, I have realized that, honestly, I don’t care if people read it or not (oops). Blogging is a way to get my ideas out and about. I love to write - it’s my passion. Perhaps students will be more willing to write if they can post their ideas on the internet for others to read and respond to, without the fear of being publicly shamed.
Epiphany - Blogs! As I was reading the portion of this chapter specifically on blogging, I had an interesting idea. As an assignment (perhaps accounting for in class work, homework, etc.), have students form blogging groups in which they can discuss their thoughts on the unit of study.
Chapter 6 - We Know More Than We Can Say
Quote/explain - “Tacit learning happens not only in the brain but also in the body, through all our senses" (77).
Tacit learning is all about making a connection, using all senses, to what is being learned. For example, as the book explains, the experience between a child and a parent. The parents tells the child not to touch the flame, because it is hot. The child touches the flame anyways, because the only information on the flame is that given by the parent. The child gets burned, and experiences the flame in a different way. Now the child knows not to touch fire or anything that looks like fire. As the text said, “From that one experience, a finger touching flame, a person learns countless things” (77).
Question - How can we encourage students to actually EXPERIENCE their learning instead of just being passengers, along for the ride?
Connection - I think of tacit learning this way - I can have someone explain to me how to crochet. The methods, the yarn to use, the hooks to use, etc.. I can read countless books. The real satisfaction does not come from just learning, but experiencing crocheting. Feeling your hands work the hooks to create something. Feeling the yarn between your fingers. It is the best feeling making the connection between learning to do something, and actually doing it. Fulfilling.
Epiphany - Curiosity. We have to teach our students to actually be curious...in order to experience, you have to be curious in the first place. I feel as though students are not curious so much anymore - they just go through the motions of school. It’s sad, and it needs to be changed!