As we celebrate Thanksgiving Day here in Canada, I took the opportunity this evening to tune into Prof. Stephen Heppell’s opening pre-conference keynote for the K12 online conference.
From the K12 Online website…
Presentation Title “It Simply Isn’t the 20th Century Any More Is It?: So Why Would We Teach as Though It Was?”
Description: We are in the throes of a financial crisis unparalleled on our lifetimes, and at the same time in front running 21st century schools around the world learning is seeing a transformation that seemed unthinkable in the dark days of 20th century factory schools.
As we move to a new tomorrow built on mutuality, collegiality, communication, community and ingenuity can we learn anything from the colossally expensive financial collapse of Wall Street, the City of London and many of the world’s financial centres.
In three sections, and in a conversational, intimate style, Stephen examines the certainties that stare us in the face from past learning projects that clearly mapped a new world of 21st century learning; he reflects on the impact on technology on the world around us, including the financial world, and ponders on what this means for education, for learning, and for the necessary pace of change as we experience the death of education and the dawn of learning.
There’s a number of threads throughout his message, but the bit that keeps catching my attention is his ideas of “us-ness”. He stresses that new learning in the 21st century is dependent on creating a sense of us-ness, where students can connect and be part of a community of learners.
Like last year, I have shared this conference with many colleagues. Tomorrow, all teachers in our district are involved in a Professional Development day in their schools. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have each school gather staff and tune in? Unfortunately, many schools and teachers hold tight to the concept of “sit and get” in both their classrooms and their own learning and don’t see developing and managing their own personal learning network and taking a chance on e-learning as critical to their professional development.
Stephen wraps by alluding to the death of education as being the dawn of learning. Let’s hope.
There is still work to be done. The next three weeks should bring more great stuff!!
tags: technology, education, whipple, learning, k12online08pc, k12online08
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