What are 21st century skills? Gathering, evaluating, synthesizing, and presenting information, collaboration, interaction, problem solving, all of these or some semblance of them and more show up on most lists of 21st century skills, but no two lists are the same. The only things I could find on ASD, a did a surface search, were pdfs and brochures borrowed from other groups. This may be a question a send off to Martina when school starts.
Chapter one of Web 2.0 New tools, new schools got me all revved up to open the library computers to allow students access to email, blogs, wikis, ect. ect. However, some in the building would have a fit and I think the district might shut it down entirely. So much seems to be already blocked. I know I am already behind but I feel I can't go forward fast enough. The district roadblocks seem to be neverending that frustration leads to giving up. Examples come to mind but I will withhold them to protect the innocent. I am being a bit harsh towards the district but as I reflect I feel my excitement ebbing.
Chapter 7 renews my excitement some and makes me realize that I really was a little too harsh on the district policy of block first, require reasons for unblocking later. I mean I knew all of these concerns existed but this chapter lays them out very nicely! I like that it gives some solutions to the safety concerns both from the authors and what other schools have done. The more I think about this chapter the more I realize that departments in the district are trying to be proactive and trying to make it possible and easy for teachers to integrate these tools into their classrooms. The whole Web 2.0 guidelines and permission form for one.
There is a lot of work ahead of ASD and all school districts to come close to being a new school! ASD is so big with many different community values to consider it will take a lot of collaboration and communication to get the ball rolling, hey how about using something 2.0 to start discussion? Time, time, time is always an issue!
As my chosen chapter I went for chapter 3 New Tools. Reading this chapter clarified some aspects of the tools we are learning to use in class and brought up a whole bunch of new tools like Moodle, Google notebook, JumpCut, Eyespot, Videofurnace, yikes! I am hoping to read the rest of the book before I have to send it back, I am going to find a copy to put in the school library so that I can recommend it to staff members. It would also make a great study group book for alternative assessment.
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1 comment:
I am so glad that the book is energizing you for the coming year :-) I agree that often it feels as if the blocking is really overdone but I agree that the book really helps in putting the issue into perspective and in giving some strategies.
We can only do what we can do today and work for what we want for tomorrow. I can't remember who I am paraphrasing here. Thanks for such a thoughtful reflection on the book.
Ann
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