I just wanted to give a hearty congratulations to my colleague Tom McHale who has an article in this month’s Technology and Learning magazine titled “Portrait of a Digital Native.” Tom took over most of the journalism courses here at Central after I got my supervisory role a couple of years ago, and he’s continue to move it into the realm of the Read/Write Web with great skill. I know it sounds kinda silly, but I’m really proud of what’s he’s accomplished.
In his post today, Tom posts some goals he’s set out for his teaching this year, and I think they are definitely worth noting:
-to honor the knowledge that students and their parents can bring to the classroom
-to find ways to make the learning more meaningful to them by offering them choices and giving students the tools needed to take control of their learning.
-to provide opportunities for collaboration with different communities of learners, educators, and experts in the field
-to provide opportunities to write for a real audience
-make the planning process transparent – encouraging student and parent involvement
-making reflection (from both student and teachers) a regular part of the learning and teaching process
All of those attempt to maximize the power of the Web and the new tools that have been changing the ways we teach. It’s obvious that he understands the potential, and it’s inspiring to watch.
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