The learning environment was largely social, which is a common theme in this group. A vast majority aligned with social learning which allowed for successful lessons in class for all. This day in age with a new amount of up-and-coming technology allows for even more ways to be assessed in class. From obvious ways of asking direct questions of us to giving us free terrain with lessons and seeing how we do all play critical roles in the relationship between student and educator. Each activity was another branch or theme in the learning concept map that make us more cognizant of all the variants we, as striving educators, have for our next stages in our careers. The learning and education never end, it is a continuous cycle of give and take that ultimately lead you to prosper as a teacher. Each of us will learn more and more from each other and what all of us can bring to the table to improve each other as future educators.
In a society that is very technology and communication savvy then there are more opportunities to have learning variables that are mainly social because there are so much in this lifestyle that enables this learning through these communications.
Kelly,
ReplyDeleteI agree that much of our week 1 class was social. You wrote: "A vast majority aligned with social learning which allowed for successful lessons in class for all."
Question: what of folks who don't feel comfortable being social when they first meet? How were they "successful"?
GNA
Good question GNA. I thought about this as well, and the fact is yes they might not have learned from interacting with others constantly since some people are shy initially but there were other ways that they were about to be successful. These students were able to be successful by the individual learning that they took in after hearing everyone else. It might not have been what they were thinking or wanting to vocalize out loud, but that they used their logical and solitary styles and were able to internalize their thoughts from the discussion around them and their own thoughts. They might not have felt comfortable but they were able to gain knowledge of other viewpoints that helped them ground their own views on things.
ReplyDeleteSuccessful is a loose term that might not have been the exact same type of learning that social learners took away, but successful in handling a situation they were not comfortable with and being able to learn from those situations.
Kelly.
ReplyDeleteA thoughtful response. I'm leaning toward using optimal vs. successful. I want each student to experience optimal learning. To me that focuses more on the subjective experience of each student. What do you think?
GNA
GNA, good distinction. I like the idea of using optimal instead of successful. It does make it sound like the experience of learning is not just about winning (successful) and losing (unsuccessful). In the instant that students are not terribly comfortable in the situation they might be getting optimal learning, being that they are obtaining information from the lesson but not in their most favorable condition. It focuses then the learning not on what the teacher is able to do but what the student is able to take away from the classroom.
ReplyDelete