Response to InnovativeLearningDesigns.ca - To Gel or Not to Gel

I read the blog post noted above, and posted a comment.  After seeing what I was able to articulate, I thought it was worthy of its own post....


1.  Living, Learning and Teaching in Transformation is tiring and uncomfortable.  I believe that new learning doesn't occur unless we are a place of transformation.  If we are not uncomfortable, we know it already and are not motivated to learn.  Equally though we may learn every single day; we don't need to be learning every moment of every day.  Everything I know says if I want to learn French, I need to be immersed in French and not have English as an option.  Certainly uncomfortable but I would learn the language better than being a 'Language Tourist' where I can step back to being comfortable.

2.  Digital is a language.  Many of our students are Digital Natives and speak Digital fluently; however, just like our classrooms, not everyone comes to school with the skills to speak and learn with the language proficiently - even though it is the expected norm.

With Marc Prensky's work came the term Digital Immigrant and Digital Native.  The concept was native speakers and second language learners.  Research shows learning multiple languages is easiest before 6 years and dramatically difficult after 10 years old.  If we remain as a Digital Tourist that can use the language for 'excursions' of learning but return 'home' and revert to our old language, then students lose the immersion experience and we actually make it harder for students to learn the language as they get older.

Many students are bi-lingual with English and Digital; most teachers are too old to be Digital Native speakers.  Rather than being a Digital Tourist, some teachers have chosen to immerse themselves in Digital.  These teachers can become fluent in Digital and English.  Ideally all teachers will be fluent in both languages, but the most impact would be for helping students be bi-lingual by the age of 10.

Impressive Starting Points

I have had the privilege of working with SFU's Field Program - Learning and Teaching Through Technology for today - March 7, 2009. One of the activities that they have been working on is sharing "Who am I as a learner?"

What a great question.  I remember a similar activity several years back that I was involved in.  I will have to go and find what I wrote for that.  I highlight wrote since my work was written.  Since Graduating from TLITE in 2002, I have thought a lot about reflection, my practice, but I haven't had to make it salient.  

The rich thinking that went into the presentations was inspiring.  I will likely redo my thoughts of who I am as a learner.  (A key part of that is that I can see something and I will want to accomplish the same thing. )

It was impressive to see the learners reflected through their presentations.  From Blogs, to Movies, to warped photos, to PPT, to Keynote....  I can't believe the strength of technology use to produce amazing presentations, but more importantly that none of it was gratuitous glitz.  The technology tools chosen enhanced each of their presentations.  While I am tech savvy, I will have to strive to match the depth of reflection about themselves as learners.

Kudos LTT 2009

Surrey TLITE 2008

I have been working with Surrey and Simon Fraser University for the past 8 years on an incredible program called TLITE - or Teaching and Learning in an Information and Technology Environment.  During August 11 to 22, I will be making some posts that might be a bit different than my usual posts.  

I wanted to warn you that as part of the coursework for the cohort everyone is blogging regularly.  I am including myself in this process.