a view from the back row

“I think for most people, school is still seen as the (THE?) place where kids go to learn. I know that’s the way it was for me. Yeah, there was a lot of informal learning that took place on the playground, on Main Street, in the back of cars, etc. But the “real” learning, the important stuff happened at school. It was the center of learning in my life, though I never called it that, per se. But I know that’s how my mom saw it. You went to school to learn because that’s where the knowledge was. And if the teachers at the school were good, they helped you understand why that knowledge was important. And that “vision” worked pretty well for a lot of years. It was pretty easy and consistent.

Problem now is, it’s not working any longer. School isn’t the only place where the knowledge is. Knowledge is everywhere. You don’t have to go to school to get it. And now, because knowledge isn’t stuck to a time and a place any longer, knowledge is contextual. It’s not one size fits all. The whole idea that 30 kids in a classroom need to learn the same stuff at the same pace at the same time just makes no sense any longer. In this environment, we can’t keep thinking of schools as the center of knowledge and learning. Instead, we have to start thinking of schools as a part of a much richer tapestry of an individual’s learning and education. ”

By Will Richardson on The Shifts

Tags: 4Fun, ideas, learning, Technology

Our new project is all about being safe when using the internet.  What can early years, middle years, senior years, and adults do to insure their safety when using the internet?  We will be working in our groups to determine what kind of information we can find, if it is useful and how we can better communicate these messages to our various target groups. 

Tags: CyberSafety, ICT, Technology

This morning on Canada AM, there was a segment on Cyber Safety.  The website they were discussing is www.cybertip.ca.  What do you know about being safe on the internet?  Research cyber safety during class today and post informative sites here.  When you post a link, make sure that you have copied the URL address correctly!  Add a little information about the site, such as the title and what you thought was good about it.
We will making a list of sites and critiquing the information found there.

Tags: CanadaAM, CyberSafety, ICT, Technology

This week we have been working on getting our ePEARL portfolios up and running for parent teacher conferences on Thurday & Friday.  The link for ePEARL can now be found on our school website.   Remember, you can work on projects from the “workspace” as well as upload new information from home, the library or any computer that has internet service.  I encourage you to share your work with your family at home and have them comment in “parent mode.” 

I am working hard getting your marks & comments together for your report cards.  It is a lengthy process, and as I am doing this, I wonder about how the students and parents are going to analyze the information.  What do report cards tell us?  What should they tell us?  What are your thoughts about report cards, do they tell you what you want to know?  Post your comments to the blog.

Tags: 4Fun, ideas