Networked Learning

It seems to me that this class has been geared toward preparing us “preservice teachers” for the networked student, not that I’m complaining. I believe the Internet and the wide variety of applications available make for a wonderful and useful learning tool. Not only does the Internet make the world a much smaller place, but it encourages communication on all levels. It becomes a facilitator for the easy exchange of ideas, not just between friends, but also between professionals and students. The two examples that come to mind right now are the TED talks and MIT OpenCourseWare. Two resources that enable students to further enhance their knowledge, which prior to the Internet would have been impossible. I only wish this technology had been readily available to me when I was in high school or even college, as I’m slightly older. My family didn’t have readily available access to the Internet until about 1994 and even then it was only dial-up. Considering how far we’ve come, I might shrivel up and die if I had to go back to dial-up.

To that end, in order for students to be able to utilize this wonderful tool that has been given us they must be digitally literate. It is a sink or swim situation, especially in light of the future job market. If students are not prepared to use this tool to its full potential they could lose out on valuable opportunities. There are so many useful applications that can be utilized by teachers not only to increase the learning potential of students, but also make their lives easier. It does ask that the teacher relinquish a bit of control, but she is still necessary to guide the students’ quest for knowledge. The teacher is still necessary to point the student in the right direction. It is also up to the teacher to teach the student how to authenticate the knowledge found out there on the Internet. As we all know, it is not all legit. I can envision all sorts of ways to use this knowledge and hope to have the opportunity to do so in the classroom. Unfortunately, not everyone has the access necessary to enjoy the benefits. I would hope that maybe I would be at a school that has access to a computer lab where I might be able to schedule time for my students. Nowadays with the advent of cell phone technology, students would still be able to a smaller degree to remain digitally connected. Although with the new smart phones, especially the iPhone, Internet connectivity looks to become stronger, so applications like Twitter would still be useful in the classroom.

Not only that, but there is loads of information out there for teachers on how to utilize this new medium in the classroom. In my perusing, I found Network Learning which goes a long way toward offering ideas and technology toward becoming networked. It won’t just be the student who has to become networked, but the teacher as well. It will be important for the teacher to become digitally literate; they’ll have to be dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century if necessary. It is no longer about what the teacher is comfortable with, but about doing what is best for the student.

So, what am I trying to say is that the students of today have to be digital literate. Sometimes I think about the American Education System in comparison to some of the countries in the world and can only think we are seriously lacking. If we want to get an advantage it would be in our best interests to capitalize on these resources in the classroom.

Although I will be honest that during my experience in Japan, computers were not utilized at all in the school where I worked, but on the other hand students spent an unspeakable amount of hours studying. So, is this a mixed message? What do you think? Do you think the advantage might lie in gaining a technological edge?