21st Century Literacy Video

I found this video from a post on the Brevity is the Soul of Wit blog via a tweet from Angela Maiers. Anyway, the video is a pretty good supplement to my previous blog post.

A Revolution in Learning

I have learned more in the past year than in any year of my life.

One year ago today:

• I did not blog...I just thought about a bunch of stuff
  
• I did not use Google Reader...I used my computer's bookmarks to read a few websites
  
• I did not use Delicious...I saved everything for my eyes only
  
• I did not use rss feeds...I didn't even know what they were???
• I did not have an online professional learning network...I learned from only a few teachers I worked with on a daily basis

Today:

• I use blogs to reflect, share, and simply to think
• I use Google Reader as a continuously updated and personalized magazine
• I use Delicious to organize, share, and view websites tailored to my interests
• I use rss feeds to passively search for topics of interest to me
• I use my blogroll, Delicious, Classroom2.o Ning, HarrisburgU Ning, MiddleTrojan Ning, Diigo, LinkedIn, and Twitter as engines that connect me to passionate learners from around the world

I do find myself on the computer more, but most of the time it is either replacing or supplementing the boobtube. It is also obvious to me that I am more restless when I have to be a passive observer. This restlessness is most apparent when I sense my time is being wasted and my input is not valued.

• Are we wasting our students' time?
• Do we value their input?

This revolution in learning is driven by technology, but is only realized by curious individuals who value knowledge.

• Are we teaching students to be curious?
• Are we teaching students to value knowledge?

If so, great!!!
If not, why not?

Class Discussion at 10:00 pm???

Why not?  During the Vice Presidential and 3rd Presidential debates over 40 of my students watched while almost 20 students took part in a live blogging session hosted by me using Coveritlive.  I embedded the Coveritlive  session in my Moodle course to provide a bit more security and to monitor who showed up to watch.  

The quality of the dialogue was impressive for 8th graders discussing serious national issues. Having nearly half of all my students  show up at night to voluntarily discuss political debates illustrates the power of technology to foster learning.  It also reaffirms my faith and optimism in this generation that barely remembers 9/11, and doesn't remember a time before the Clinton's, the internet, or cell phones.  

Next up--live blogging election night with 8th graders!