Taking stock, looking at what we have accomplished
I’m working in a great school, modern and bold in terms of using technology. We have conferences with prominent thinkers in the field of technology and 21. Century learning/teaching. I read blogs regularly and I also read books on the subject. Delivering on the promise, Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology:
The question is; what has changed in my school? I’m attempting to answer questions from Weblogg-ed, a blog I read on a regular basis.
In class we use our textbooks as a reference only, with most subjects we work we search the net for information it is often history in the making. The Nobel peace prize, the new health reform, The Labour leadership, and so on.
Many topics we work on do not have given answers and we often discover new material working together, students and
teachers. I guess you can call it an inquiry-based curriculum, since the Norwegian system has moved from curriculum to knowledge based achievement goals. Rubrics are given with every graded assignment and students always know what to study in advance. Many projects involve students participating in global learning networks, and by doing so they learn how to create their own personal networks. My students write on blogs each week and I am careful to comment on every entry. Writing is more fun this way and I’m very pleased with their performance. A lot more is written now then in my old school 5 years ago. Our LMS helps us keep track of all assignments are delivered only for future references, no more throwing a bad paper in the wastepaper basket! If a student is uncomfortable speaking in class I allow oral assignments on wav.files. If a students’ want to take a test at a later date that is okay too. Using our LMS gives us many ways to test, we are flexible that way.
My answer? My teaching has changed and so has the activity in most of the classes at my school.
Has it been for the better? Yes! Is it enough? Probably not.