I attended two breakout sessions during the Future Ready Summit at Sunset High School this morning. The first session was focused on transforming Language Arts and Social Studies classrooms into maker spaces. The second on different digital learning spaces. The basic idea of the first session was allowing students to access different maker space activities as tools for presenting their learning. Multiple examples were given and educators in the room were given the task of picking a learning goal and trying to figure out how to use the different activities to present their learning. The most significant part of my experience was listening to teachers communicate that they didn't feel comfortable having students access the different activities (Fakebook, MakeyMakey, 3D printing, Papercraft, Google Cardboard, etc) without having knowledge of how to use them. This same belief came out in the next session I attended focused on digital learning spaces. Teachers were worried they wouldn't be able to teach the students how to use the apps or tools. I felt our group missed the point of stepping away and allowing the students to figure out how to use the options and then how to communicate what they learned. To me, it just showed how scared we often are of moving away from feeding students knowledge instead of letting them use their own wonder, curiosity and creativity to create their learning experience. I found myself referring back to Sugata's self-teaching TED Talk. Would this session have gone differently if we had watched that video as a warm-up? Are we squashing the full potential of our students to learn while they are with us by always directing their learning?
The Maker Space idea is taking root in a couple of our schools as well. One elementary school and one middle school in particular. That middle school is also working with the Center For Advanced Learning to try to start getting kids involved in STEM work over the summers to earn HS credit so they can earn more college credits when when are in HS. I need to tell that principal about your school. I think he would probably love to come visit and see all the great stuff you guys have going on.
ReplyDeleteThe Maker Space idea is taking root in a couple of our schools as well. One elementary school and one middle school in particular. That middle school is also working with the Center For Advanced Learning to try to start getting kids involved in STEM work over the summers to earn HS credit so they can earn more college credits when when are in HS. I need to tell that principal about your school. I think he would probably love to come visit and see all the great stuff you guys have going on.
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