15 | July | 2010 | On an e-Journey with Generation Y

This was the topic for Tech Talk Tuesday with Andrew Douch as our presnter. Andrew is an innovative and multi award winning teacher. His awards include Microsoft Innovative Teacher of the World 2009 and he is the creator of the popular Douchy’s Biology podcasts on iTunes. To the delight of the participants and the adding a rich element to the chat and presentation, two of his virtual students also participated in this session.
The chat was even busier than usual. Here is the link to the recording.

Andrew teased us with thought provoking questions such as:-

There is so much online material that students can use, how do they know that it is valid? Isn’t it better that it is teacher produced and directed?
What do schools do best compared with the online environment?
Students can opt to learn when they like, where they feel comfortable – not necessarily at linear desks and often on uncomfortable seats! and how they like to learn – with technology.

From the chat:-

From Douchy (samples of his work)

From the students

I listen to the podcasts when I’m walking, in my private sessions at school and when i’m laying in bed before going to sleep mostly.
They are brilliant when revising for an exam!
That is the most beneficial thing about it. If you don’t understand it, you can watch it or listen again and again until you do understand.
@Anne, I definately spend more time on biology now. It is so much easier and you can access it any time of the day or night, so it is easier to become motivated to complete my biology work.
The only thing that is better at school than online is the face to face social interaction.
I get private study sessions at school instead of a biology class. I am required to remain at school, but i can study other classes and do homework.

From the adults

webinars and podcasts allow all of us to have access to the very best teachers!
Podcasts are invaluable for adult ed too – lets folks study when their ‘real life’ isn’t so demanding
we don’t all learn best at the same time of day
So if one teacher is more suited to online forums, they could have way more kids in their classes and then the work load is not even…Just thinking out loud here… 😉
A study in July’s Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine reports that giving teens 30 extra minutes in the morning before classes leads to more alertness in class, better moods, less tardiness and healthier breakfasts.” http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2010/07/08/start-school-later-improve-conduct-grades-and-even-save-lives/
looks like the trend is: education is free, assessment costs $
I love the idea they use in “unconferences” where they use the “2 foot rule” –if you don’t find a session helpful or valuable, use your 2 feet and go somewhere else. We should all do that.
Attendance at school School does provide our remote country students with a social network and a face to face element which they may miss out on a bit online (I know that they network online too, but f2f is also important)
Technology is only a tool, not a teacher. We will always need teachers to support and guide kids in the whole kid instead of only the academic side
I love hearing Kevin Honeycutt talk about why he started offering “Artsnacks” courses on his Ning so students in rural communities could learn from an art teacher when they didn’t have access to one in their own school.
What about the Essential Learning Standards: Intra personal and communication skills?
one of the biggest reasons people give for not agreeing with homeschooling is because they think the students won’t get to socialize and learn important social skills
Tech may free teachers up to do more work with the kids in terms of developing social skills
do you worry that the free online tools that allow this sort of egalitarian teaching might be closed down sometime (a-la ning)?
backchannel is a way to process the learning and remain engaged
while free online tools come and go there are almost always new tools to take their place
almost all of the online programs have a pro/paid version for additional features
I remember when I first learned about the internet that I couldn’t believe I could access all of that information for free! Now we expect it
Heaps of screen captures and editing tools here
love tech tuesdays–even though it’s still Monday for me 🙂
often online classes are offered for advanced placement classes or makeup classes in order to graduate
@Mary B I am wondering whether if kids log into Elluminate but they are not actually attending just logged in and doing other things, how would you know?
response: @Mary B You dont. That is why it is important to make it interactive make them answer questions in chat, with mic,
make them answer polls, use the whiteboard etc
Re online labs vs f2f labs: Hmmm, but sometimes blowing stuff up for real is just so much more fun
Up to 500 participants have been recorded participating in a single elluminate session (with Steve Haragdon)
There is so much food for thought here – what are your thoughts or comments on all this? Will there still be a need for physical schools? Can there be a blend of both environments? What role might they all take?