[IAEP] Communities around technology for learning (was: Re: [support-gang] When teaching restrains discovery)

[Dr. Gerald Ardito]

Christoph,

Thanks for your email.

I also got to read Claudia's article. I have been familiar with and inspired
by her research. In fact, in informed my doctoral dissertation, which
focused on the changes to the classroom learning environment through the use
of the XO laptops.

I have been participating in this community for about 2 years. I have
received much help and support and encouragement for which I am grateful.
But I have been reluctant to have my fellow teachers (who are less
technically inclined) to participate because of the frequently highly
technical and operational nature of many conversations.

I have been struggling with trying to include more teachers and students in
these conversations and in this community. I feel that their participation
would benefit many, and add to the depth you discussed.

I am now working with 5 schools in the US using XOs, and will try to find a
way for those teachers and students to participate.

Thanks.
Gerald

On Thu, Jan 20, 2011 at 5:32 PM, Christoph Derndorfer <
e0425826 at student.tuwien.ac.at> wrote:

> I finally got around to reading Claudia's article and one of the core
> take-aways for me is that building communities (plural!) which help
> disseminate knowledge about how to use "technology for learning" is a
> core challenge which hasn't been sufficiently addressed yet.
>
> To me 2010 did show the first promises of this happening within the OLPC
> / Sugar community with collaboration starting between Plan Ceibal and
> ParaguayEduca, the work of organizations and communities such as
> ceibalJAM and RAP Ceibal, a better integration of Latin American
> contributors in the global community, eKindling's work in the
> Philippines, all the time Bernie, Daniel, Claudia, Walter and others are
> spending sharing with and learning from deployments, events such the
> community summit in San Francisco and the realness summit, the
> olpcMAP.net project, etc.
>
> And with some OLE Nepal staff having started the year by flying out to
> Rwanda to support the deployment there 2011 is also definitely beginning
> on a high-note.
>
> Having said that I personally feel that at the moment this network of
> networks (or community of communities, take your pick;-) is wide rather
> than deep - often seemingly ending at people living in capitals or major
> cities, being experienced with FLOSS and/or innovative education, etc.
> rather than reaching and benefiting the children, parents, teachers,
> principals, and administrators who are really the major stakeholders of
> education initiatives.
>
> I don't have a simple answer on how to deal with this (and who knows, it
> might just be an issue perceived by yours truly) but I think keeping it
> in the back of the head might be a start.
>
> Cheers,
> Christoph
>
> Am 20.01.2011 17:24, schrieb Holt:
> > Thanks Bastien.  Back on the home front, also check out Claudia Urrea's
> > (OLPC Assoc's Chief Learner ;) article today on one-to-one edutech etc:
> >
> http://edutechdebate.org/ict-in-schools/technologies-for-learning-vs-learning-about-technology/
> >
> > On 1/20/2011 9:46 AM, Bastien wrote:
> >> Hi Christoph and all,
> >>
> >> I always enjoy those resources about education, thank you for the
> >> pointers -- and to everyone for the comments!
> >>
> >> Let me share two recent readings of mine:
> >>
> >> John Maeda : The Laws of Simplicity
> >>
> >>
> http://www.amazon.com/Laws-Simplicity-Design-Technology-Business/dp/0262134721
> >>
> >> My attention got caught when I saw John Maeda referring to Nicholas
> >> Negroponte in the chapter « Context ».  While discussing the importance
> >> of focusing, he mentions this advice from NN : "Be as an electric bulb,
> >> not as a lazer ray."  Which I found to be quite an inspiring metaphor in
> >> the context of learning: let's all learn how to shed light on things as
> >> bulbs, taking care of others and the context, not as lazer ray, only
> >> taking care of the subject matter.
> >>
> >> George Steiner - « Éloge de la transmission - Le maître et l'élève »
> >>
> >>
> http://livre.fnac.com/a1904995/George-Steiner-Eloge-de-la-transmission-le-maitre-et-l-eleve
> >>
> >> (Sorry, only published in french.)
> >>
> >> In the debate about instructionisme vs. [constructionisme, project-based
> >> method, Montessori method, etc.], most people would certainly say that
> >> Steiner -- George, not Rudolph! -- is rather conservative, expressing
> >> opinions shared by teachers with a classical-instructionist attitude.
> >> The title of this book says it all.
> >>
> >> Still, he proposes a definition for what it is to be a "master": it is
> >> someone from which students can always feel "the love behind the irony".
> >> Of course, Socrates comes to mind as a master of both irony and love
> >> towards its pupils -- I bet Steiner would agree.
> >>
> >> I like this definition.  It is general enough to escape the opposition
> >> between instructionism / [constructionisme, ...].  But still, I feel
> >> this definition captures something essential that any teacher could
> >> fruitfully think about.
> >>
> >> My 2 cents,
> >>
> >
>
> --
> Christoph Derndorfer
> co-editor, www.olpcnews.com
> e-mail: christoph at olpcnews.com
> _______________________________________________
> IAEP -- It's An Education Project (not a laptop project!)
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> http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/iaep
>
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