Closing digital gap empowers students

Technology can transform learning into real life, relevant experiences.

Not too long ago, it was absurd to say that every Tom, Rashid and Baba should have access to the Internet. For what? Now, since 2011, the United Nations considers it a human right, "underscoring its unique and transformative nature not only to enable individuals to exercise their right to freedom of opinion and expression, but also a range of other human rights, and to promote the progress of society as a whole."

And while access to technology is not "the great equalizer," that Ontario Education Minister Liz Sandals proclaims will level the playing field for all students, it does close the digital gap and empowers students from low-income families in learning.

Take, for example, educator Sugata Mitra's experiment in an Indian village. In 2000, this professor of education technology at Newcastle University installed a computer in a wall and documented illiterate, slum children (with zero English) figuring out how to use it, and then actually using it to learn and share knowledge.

Mitra has since designed a learning lab in India, where children can explore and learn from each other — no teachers present — using resources and mentoring from the cloud.

Access to the Internet offers children from all backgrounds opportunities to work together and communicate and do research in areas that interest them. It's a platform for developing personalized education and even individual networks that go beyond a classroom setting, offering possibilities only dreamed of before.

Still, "Back in my day, we used paper and pencil!" is a common reaction to the idea of iPads, tablets or other technologies in the classroom.

Reality is, "back in your day" has vanished into the swirling mists of time.

It's a new era, baby. The times require that students be drivers of their own learning.

Healthy Relationships Nurture Learning

I was reading a piece in Good asking 'Why do we write off the things that matter to kids?' (Don't have to look too deeply. The answer? School is about getting kids through school).
What I find of interest is that the writer—as a mentor/tutor to those kids who are likely to drop out of school (without necessary one-on-one support)—writes:

“So much of the work we do relies on our relationships as mentors. The comfort and trust that comes with constancy is something many of the students at schools in the Los Angeles school district are lacking. Using honest conversations as ultimate motivators helps pave the way for a more cohesive transition from class, to class, and on to our after school program. Because I am able to be their mentor and tutor, I can lend them lessons that extend beyond the classroom.”

One of the most significant benefits to unschooling is that we can nurture learning in our children from a strong foundation of the relationship we have with them.
As in the example above, the young folks responded to the mentor even when they were not interested in the material they had to cover in order to pass the test.
Why? Because she was genuinely curious about them as people with unique passions and interests. When there is someone who genuinely takes an interest in a child and what that child is interested in, well of course they (the children) are going to be responsive.

And so it is with self-determined learning where learning is built on the foundation of respect and caring for the individual. Part of that includes conversation, frank and honest discussions about getting to what they want to do, taking young people’s dreams seriously. We are mentors to our children. And we find other mentors for them. As they get older, they begin to seek out mentors on their own (some still need our support to do so).

All the while, the relationship is the most important focus and springboard off into that big, old world of ours. That’s what we need to keep checking back on. Always provide space for the young people in your life to talk to you—even when it’s not necessarily convenient to you.
Sometimes, my 16 year old is grumpy as ever but often, around midnight, she’ll want to lay next to me and chat about her dreams and plans for the future.
It’s the time she likes to open up to me and if I want to connect with her, I’d better wipe the sleep from my eyes. There will be time enough for sleeping when she’s all grown up.
How about you? What do you do to nurture your relationship with your children?

8 obsolete ideas in education.

I bet you can think of a tonne more but here are my eight ideas on 'unhelpful education.' Thanks be, these beliefs are starting to fall by the wayside.

1. The idea that the earlier you 'teach' kids skills like reading, the smarter they will become.

This is not true at all. If a kid shows interest in learning how to read, for instance or doing math then by all means, don't stop them. (My 3 year old nephew is keen to do addition and is always asking about numbers and what they add up to. My own daughter taught herself how to read at 4, after showing a natural inclination towards letters). But to believe that hammering their heads full with your agenda to get them 'smart' is likely to have the opposite effect--and worse, it might even cause undue stress and lack of self-confidence in children whose work is after all, to play.

2. Learning that is dolled out in bite sizes.

This is a pet peeve. If you think about the way you approach something you are keen on, it is with a wholeheartedness that doesn't stop just because the clock says it's 10.30. That interest is alive within you--you reflect a lot on  it, you see connections and synergies evolving because you are primed to learn more about it; your radar is up and at the ready. When a kid is learning naturally, you will notice much the same: they want to learn in gulps!

3. Constantly interrupting the learning process.
We all do it. We especially interrupt ourselves! But when children are in the midst of exploring, examining, playing, we would do well to try to avoid worrying the process. Just watch a little kids' face when they are concentrating--it's a joy to behold.

Urggh.

4. Learning has to be evident and measurable--by a certain standard. Our standard.

Hence homework and testing because if you can't prove it, you don't know it.

5. Learning anything without context.
Without real life, tangible context, how can education be meaningful?

6. Well roundedness.
The danger is that you are likely to end up with mediocrity in everything and mastery in nothing.

7. The school day.
The school day, we all know is based around the 9 to 5 schedule but as work evolves and changes, school will have to keep up as well.

8. The school itself. The classroom setting. The bell ringing.
Break it open, let the family and the community be part of educating our children.

Let's hear it from our readers now!

Learning, Learning Everywhere!

When will they ever learn?
My daughter comes down the stairs, her face flushed with frustration. "What's wrong?" I ask.

It's her friend she tells me. She has spent over an hour explaining to her best friend of 7 years (they are both 11) about the idea that you don't need to be sitting at a desk to be learning.

"She keeps saying that if you aren't at a desk studying you're not learning," my poor daughter cries out in despair.

They agreed to disagree (and preserve their wonderful friendship) but I assure my daughter that her friend is far from being the only person who takes that view.

In fact, if my life long work hasn't been about exploding this myth I don't know what it is about!
What does it mean to learn? Let's look at a dictionary definition.
From http://www.thefreedictionary.com/learning

Learning is the act of gaining knowledge
Knowledge gained by study; instruction or scholarship
The act, process, or experience of gaining knowledge or skill.
Knowledge or skill gained through schooling or study.

As you can see from the definitions, learning at a desk (schooling) is only one way of gaining knowledge.
Learning happens all the time, everywhere. We can not not learn. We might learn good things, or bad things but we will learn.

Gaining knowledge can be done by active study anywhere; it can be a process of becoming 'aware of' through frequent observation it can happen watching tv, going on a hike and observing, reading a book, talking with people, exploring, experimenting, sitting under a tree and reflecting. Not doing anything can result in learning.

Another thought on learning:
We are going to be changed by what we learn.

http://webhome.idirect.com/~kehamilt/psydef5.html

Learning is a process by which experience or practice results in a relatively permanent change in behaviour or potential behaviour

You are not going to store the knowledge in your head for the sake of storing but for the sake of engaging in the world, hopefully contributing.

Comment, thoughts welcome!

Open it up!

Okay, so I am on a John Taylor Gatto roll. You will be seeing, listening and reading more of Gatto on this blog because what he has to say is of greater urgency than ever before. Our physical world is threatened by our stupidity, yet we keep educating (read 'schooling') our kids based on the same principles we've been upholding since state education became compulsory 150 years ago.

In this really long video you will listen to Gatto talk about a strategy of learning called Open Source Learning. Inspired by Linus Tovalds's Open System (in contrast to Microsoft's hoarding approach) Open source learning is another name for unschooling, interest based, learner directed education.

Open source learning "allows everything under the sun as a possible starting point on the road to self mastery,"says Gatto.
"Nobody can give you and education. Education must be taken by those who want one. The will and dogged persistence of the seeker are the only essential tools needed to become educated. Teachers, text, money play only minor roles and papers, pencils, tests play no role at all."