There’s much to write about EduCon Day 1, but here are just some quick thoughts before heading over for the final sessions:
*Science Leadership Academy is a special place. There are tons of schools out there that have more technology, better facilities, etc., but I think we’d all be hard pressed to find a school that has a more positive, deeply connected culture than this school. You talk to the teachers here and they tell you they feel like the luckiest teachers in the city of Philadelphia. They are passionate and committed to the principles that they have developed together. When the students talk, they talk with empowered voices. They don’t just attend this school; they live this school when they are here and when they are not. This culture of caring and respect is sticky in their lives, and they too seem to sense the uniqueness of what’s happening here, at the school and at the conference. And then there is Chris, who is just one of those unique individuals who is smart enough, charismatic enough, caring enough and invested enough to pull it off. I don’t know about the rest, but he’s coming closer to hero status in my eyes, someone who embodies totally what educational leadership is all about and has no agenda, none, other than to do well by his students, his teachers and his community. And, by us.
*I sat in on Tom’s session that made the case that School 2.0 is not far afield from the principles set forth by the Coalition of Essential Schools. We didn’t even mention the word “technology” for the first 45 minutes, and I was struck by how problematic, in my mind at least, the whole “2.0” piece is because of the obvious ties to technology. (Does that make sense?) As the second sentence in the description about this conference says, “This is not a technology conference.” But it is, because in large measure, technology is what is driving the conversation that schools must change. Tom talked about how in the 70s and 80s, we were discussing these same ideas, and now, after an interlude where school reform has been beaten down by NCLB and standardized assessments, there seems to be some heat building under that reform fire again. It is, I think, because of what is now possible in large measure to these tools. As Chris says often, “Technology is not additive; technology is transformative.” So the question becomes, how do we square great principles with great technology to make great schools as SLA? And the bigger question, the more frustrating question that many of us kept coming back to throughout the day, is does it scale? I asked Chris last night if Philadelphia is now looking at SLA as a continuing experiment or a model. Without hesitating he said “Oh, god, I hope it’s not a model.” Grrrr… I understand why not, but I think there are a lot of folks here who are looking for those concrete takeaways that help them get from where they are closer to here. And, that are at their core hoping the answer is that it’s just not possible to do without building from ground up.
*Finally, the one real head twister that I got yesterday was during Chris’s own session when he was talking about how his thinking is moving away from the “having kids publish globally to the world” product piece of all of this a “let’s focus on the process of community building and publishing within the walls” approach. (Not his quotes btw, just my attempts at paraphrase. You can always go to the videotape.) Using Moodle, SLA has established a vibrant, important ongoing discussion that extends not only what happens in the classroom but also deepens the sense of connectedness that these students and teachers feel. The culture of sharing and participation that is created within the local community is more important almost that making those connections outside. (I asked one of the students in my session about how connected he felt outside of the school, and his answer was all about his connections inside the school…interesting.) On some level, this is an “a ha” moment for me that I’m going to be writing more about at some point.
What a cool world it is when you can bring a couple hundred passionate educators together in a special place like this for two days of really rich conversation without ever printing up a flyer, buying an ad, creating a marketing piece or making a poster. In all of our conversations about Twitter and blogs and Second Life and whatever else, the pure power of network connections that can make face to face connections like this happen is never far from our minds, at least, certainly, not mine…
Technorati Tags: educon20, educon, learning, educaton, SLA
Powered by ScribeFire.
Hi Will,
I spent the conference really sitting back and doing a great deal of listening and observing & then spent the 2 hour drve home pondering all this – specially this comment:
And the bigger question, the more frustrating question that many of us kept coming back to throughout the day, is does it scale? I asked Chris last night if Philadelphia is now looking at SLA as a continuing experiment or a model. Without hesitating he said “Oh, god, I hope it’s not a model.†Grrrr… I understand why not, but I think there are a lot of folks here who are looking for those concrete takeaways that help them get from where they are closer to here.
which is my question, as well – especially being a school administrator in a larger system – and a very traditional one. Another thing that struck me – when you talked about your frustration as a parent . . . I am frustrated as an educator that I do not have parents like you pushing for real learning for kids and for environments like SLA!! Lots more on my mind about this!!! But . . . also a thank you – for your “teaching” at SHU has led me down this path to a parge degree! Always a learner!
I’m interested to hear more of your thoughts on the shift from publishing globally to within the school walls.
Part of me thinks that there is an initial motivation and excitement for students publishing their work for a worldwide audience and, perhaps, that excitement is starting to wane. Maybe the students are realizing that despite publishing globally the best discussions, thoughts, and collaborations are still coming from within the school walls.
Will — Like you, I’m noting a shift away from the “must go global” to legitimize student blogging (et al), with an increasing focus on enhancing the conversations and community of those that share the same spaces.
My own initial blogging project with my (4) 10th grade English classes that just started last week is entirely focused on increasing conversations and writing technique between students in the same class (or between the 4 periods)…with little to no focus on global links (or even outside commenters). I’m using the blogging platform to facilitate a ‘writers workshop’ and extend in-class dialogue with the sole purpose of these students showing definitive skill improvement, not just an ability to demonstrate linking beyond their building at this point.
What I can say from what I’ve seen so far is that my students are submitting higher quality work in this format than if I relied only on in-class writing or their handwritten homework assignments…and for this reason alone, I will continue to use it to continually sharpen their blades internally. If — over time — there appears to be a more profound goal and outcomes that are only facilitated by virtue going ‘flat’ and seeking global links, then perhaps the students and I will expand the network for this assignment.
Side Note: the work I saw Allison Campbell (SLA student) and her ILP mentor, Peter Brown, showcase in their EduCon 2.0 session — using all the 2.0 tools in reach to facilitate a long-distance mentoring/research project strikes me as showcasing the real value of using said tools in an ‘external’ and strategic manner. Ultimately, perhaps, it’s a matter of aligning the goals with the tools, not simply going global to go global.
Thank you for sparking the conversation, Will. Great seeing you in Philly this past weekend.
Without the entire context of this conversation I may be missing something but the idea of down playing global connections almost appears like “been there done that” and now the need is to change because ideas of publishing and global learning is passé.
Deepening local connections is great and ultimately they potentially can be most lastly but I really don’t understand why you would want to diminish global connections. It just seems to me that the work of people like Clarence Fisher and Clay Burrel point to its importance because of their isolated and perhaps sheltered situation.
I just want to be clear about what Chris and Christian seem to be saying about devaluing global connections and publishing. They also must realize that publishing their work is entirely about making a connection or adding to their personal learning network. I see it as somewhat of an obligation(maybe too strong a word but I’ll use it anyway) to share their learning. I’d love to see the work of Chris’ kids but it appears their Moodle site is protected. As someone who is trying to point the way to others, I need to share and I perceive moves to closed environments as a step backward.
Will, you will need to blog about this further because I’m sure I’m missing something here.
Dean — Thank you for the opportunity to clarify. One key thing. I’m only speaking a) for me (not the network) and b) for a specific choice to finally incorporate blogging into my classroom.
As an individual and ‘educator at large’, I am entirely at peace with the global side of connections. Likewise, as an audience member and lifelong learner, I am equally passionate about specific projects that utilize the global tools/links in profound ways (I’ll use what Karl Fisch is doing with his students/colleagues and Dan Pink as well as the example I mentioned above about the mentoring program).
Here’s where I am finding myself pulling back a bit (as and individual): in my classroom with my students.
While it would be tempting to work doggedly to ‘open’ up my classroom blog to the world, likewise the voices of my kids. What I’m finding — in an organic way by simply trying to focus on what helps my kids write better each day first and foremost — is that I’m THRILLED by the way blogging (as a platform) is helping my kids really engage the textbook/class and become a better writer in the process.
My question (to myself): Should I — by default — make our class blog global simply because others might enjoy interacting with my kids…or to use it as a case study to further a similar effort in their school/community?
Back to what I’ve seen at SLA and heard Chris (and his colleagues/students at SLA) speak about, I do find it ironic that the power of the Net may (and temptation to label everything as being globally-charged) in fact better (or just as good as) reinforce the relationships of community members within reach of each other.
Dean — keep pushing on the conversation. Want to keep thinking about this…and have your voice push on my thinking.
Christian,
Thanks so much for engaging here. It was good to see you this weekend as well…sorry we didn’t have more time to catch up.
I appreciate these comments from the trenches. And they resonate in the context of EduCon. More today than last week, I feel the importance of nurturing these connections in deeply caring ways locally, but not at the expense of the global connections that are possible. I think kids need both, and in many ways those outside the walls are easier. (See my other comment below.)
Regardless, what is most important for teachers at this point is this: understanding what is possible, modeling what is possible, and choosing what is possible when it is appropriate. Every educator, and I mean every single one, must have the contextual understanding at minimum and, ideally, the practical expertise to make that appropriate pedagogical choice, and to make safe, ethical and effective practice using these connective technologies transparent for their students.
Whew…
Christian,
Not sure why you have to choose? Even if you want to focus solely on improving their writing which is indeed a worthy goal, why do you need the walls? What could it hurt to let others watch and observe their growth as writers?
Unless you can think of some reason that it may deter from their growth as writers, I don’t see why you can’t simply choose the “Public” button.
Hey, I’m all for focusing on building community in your building but I also think if we can simultaneously help others without adding anything extra, we ought to.
Dean — Philosophically, I agree with you. No reason not to push the “public” button on some level. And true, it might not hurt to let others observe.
My focus, however, is about the kids…not the network. Not an permanetn “either/or” choice, just a “not this time” choice.
Let me share 2 things that come to mind, both with “my kids deserve to be central” as the underlying mantra:
Scenario #1:
I’ve spent years and years in experiential or outdoor education programs…and am trying to imagine what would shift if the kids I worked with and guided in these programs were suddenly expected to blog (et al) their entire learning process while ‘on trail’.
True, it’d be a fascinating experience for many, create a lovely data package, allow the kids to recall the experience in profound ways years from now, and also allow othes to live vicariously through their adventure/program. That being said, I’m also thinking about the end-of-the-day campfire moments, the struggles mid-way on a steep climb, the unexpected growth moments that aren’t always well packaged…and what would shift if these were all broadcast via a “pubic” button.
Value would still occur either way. And it’d be possible to filter specific moments to protect the integrity of the kids as well. Just as importantly, however, the kids would be more focused on the world beyond our community (and their reactions) than the real-time experiences they were having (and deserved to have).
As I think about the ‘raw’ act of learning — especially when a small group of committed individuals begin to trust each other to go on that learning journey — I wonder why we need all learing in this day and age to be broadcasted. Might we be better served to not lump our choices in to an “either/or” camp, and instead opt to match process with intent each and every time?
Scenario 2 (much shorter)
My kids are doing precisely what you are talking about…but it is happening entirely within their own community. The administrators and teachers and parents that otherwise would not know what they are working on…now are. The students sitting 2 rows away that normally don’t have to really worry about another kid is thinking…now are (between class periods, too). And the quality of writing is improving in the process.
All the conversation loops and fedback threads and ‘linking’ (from kid to kid, class to class) that is possible IS taking place…but at an intentionally smaller scale.
***
Perhaps, Dean (and others), what is different here for me isn’t the issue of local vs. global. Perhaps its a matter of scale and marketing. And simply matching the tools, the scale and the purposes in unique ways every time…and challenging every choice with the “Is it right for my kids today?” question before you make a choice.
I’m really excited by what my kids are doing…but not because it has to go global to be valid. This is me as teacher in my 2nd semester. My big-picture blogger identity has other thoughts, but that guy doesn’t get to make choices about my students’ welfare at the end of the day.
Your thoughts?
I’m understanding your position better and would extend what you say about raw learning to the identification of learning and work. The blog for example can be used as a place to publish a more polished, thought out piece that represents hours perhaps of editing and revision. Yet many use it as a storehouse of ideas much like many use twitter. The problem there is that the outside audience checking in doesn’t have this context and often judges the work out of context. I think we have to get better at that.
The comments of Gary Stager of late, would suggest he’s thinking any work posted by students needs to be exemplary. I just think we’ll have to continue to find ways to tag and categorize our work for what it is. And yes, you may or may not want to share the “campfire” moments and I understand that but wouldn’t it be cool if somehow you could share your soccer practices with aspiring soccer coaches and players? What if they could tune in to see how you run a practice or provide feedback to a player? As long as we see these moments and tools for what they are, this can get really interesting and fun and no doubt a powerful learning experience.
So thanks for clarifying, that for you, it’s about priority and focus and I’m with you on that.
And thanks Will for letting us use your space. Christian and I will help pay your bandwidth costs. Maybe I’ll treat you to a large Kale shake at NECC 😉
Dean — I’m sorta diggin’ the “treat Will to a Kale shake” thread you’re weaving. Perhaps that’s the best take-away of all.
Had a curious moment as I (funny timing) walked back to my desk/laptop from 8th grade soccer practice 10 minutes ago, my friend. A teacher I work with (who only had scant knowledge of the blogs I’ve started with my (4) classes) had left a comment for the students. While a minor moment in the larger edu-blogosphere that you and I have been blessed to call ‘home’ for quite some time now, it struck me just as wonderous as the first time I received a visitor comment at my personal blog 3 years ago.
Sure, my colleage who followed in the footprints of my kids by choosing to write a 7-sentence ‘story’ this afternoon — using (10) of (25) of this week’s vocab words inspired by a handful of ‘romantic’ era poety gems — that was idea-sparked by one of (3) beautiful Flickr images I imbedded (ah, the convergence; wink, wink) wasn’t really that focused on the power of blogging. And he isn’t in Timbuktu or even on Twitter. And he’s not subscribing to our RSS feed or simulcast-viewing/live-blogging it via ustream. And he’s not thinking about a reverse embrace of link-love or Google juice. And he’s not trying to integrate it in Second Life or parse out the 2.0 genetic code either.
Nope. All he did was honor kids in his own school building in a way that might not have otherwise been possible if we had relied entirely on the F2F time we take for granted in our classrooms. And put a little intellectual skin on the table, too.
I’ll tell you what, Dean…
…if this little blog-project-that-could gig inspires even a few of my colleagues to do this on a semi-regular basis with kids we see in the halls every day, then it’ll be the epitome of what I believe all this is about at the end of the day.
Just next door. Or around the world. By any means necessary.
Late to this thread, apologies, but I want to respond to Dean’s original question. I had a bit of a shift this weekend that I’m trying to let settle before I write about it, but it certainly isn’t of the “been there done that” flavor. Chris’s school is such an amazing place, and he’s doing things with culture and community AND technology that I really think might be unique. And when you do it to the extent that SLA is doing it, the global connections kind of take care of themselves. They are an outgrowth of the local connections that technology facilitates. I’ve always felt like the focusing on the global aspect of these technologies is the way to start the conversation, and I still feel like that. But I guess in my travels and in my thinking, I’ve minimized the importance of the local aspect. I think, and this is what I’m trying to think through, that it’s easier for schools that aren’t built from the ground up and have a shared vision to effect the external connections more easily than the internal. The technology isn’t the hard work; the culture is. The leadership is. The sense of caring is. Asking a public school to re-envision it’s use of technology is a lot more palatable than asking it to re-envision it’s reason for existence…
Does that make sense?
Will — Just saw your response near the top, so I’m a bit late to the dance as well (in spite of the flurry of responses earlier).
I agree that all kids and educators need to be agile in both contexts — local and global — in this day and age. Even more, I appreciate your reminder re: educators’ roles specifically:
“…understanding what is possible, modeling what is possible, and choosing what is possible when it is appropriate.”
Amen! Especially to your 3rd point.
Looking forward to grabbing more time with you next chance our paths cross. In the meantime, enjoy the quiet moments at home and continued great work on the road.
Will–
This very issue of community/conversation-building at a more local level (classroom/school) vs. global has been on my mind a great deal. As I have thought about how you might set up blogging “across a curriculum”, in a fairly traditional school structure that I’m starting with, I think there may be different applications of the “tool” to foster varying levels of community and understanding. In particular, there is a place for the global connection piece that amplifies the conversation and the learning when you’re trying to get at differing perspectives on perhaps specifically “global” issues, or just different vantage points from various cultures.
However, I’ve been taken with the notion that one of our most important roles as educators is to encourage the development of “voice” in our students and provide a safe place where that voice can be exercised. I daresay there are many students who don’t feel comfortable exercising their voices at home, and they are yearning for a place where they can feel affirmed and supported. If the culture of my classroom and my school does not support individual voices, then how difficult for the students to “trust” any community and take flight/grow.
The first “public” step of writing to an audience beyond the teacher’s “in-box” is potentially frightening for some. (We are not all wanna-be ‘journalists’ or ‘performers’.) If we were to move ever too quickly to the “community-beyond”–well, for some that is overwhelming. I was with an 8th grader earlier this week, who writes well and passionately about global issues, comment: “I’m not sure I’m ready to have someone else out there (on the other side of the world) reading and commenting on what I have to say.”
There is a balance and perhaps a need for scaffolding the experience over time. Most of all, we need to be clear about our “end game.” I wrote a little more about it on my blog today–http://thenetwork.typepad.com/architectureofideas/2008/01/please-understa.html
Thanks for always pushing the thinking, Will.
The paradigm shift is to an educational environment that is not about technology. The technology is embedded so successfully that it’s use is not the salient feature. So there I agree the educon was not about technology. Was technology in use? Totally.
SLA has the unique ability to create community within the school. Most of us cannot. I am the sole person in my school (there are little changes here and there). Most of us are on the edge of the wave of change. Chris & the SLA learners (teachers, parents, students, staff) are the wave.
I hope the paradigm shifts quickly.