I was just listening to the Automators podcast today. In the discussion, one of the hosts (David Sparks) told about the time he took advantage of the opportunity to learn from a master woodworker. In the early part of his time there, David was studying the tools in the shop. The artist stopped his work to refocus David. The artist said that the tools were immaterial. He "would use his teeth if he had to." Too often, we make the same mistake in school. We focus on the tools and design our lessons that way. When I say tool, I am talking about all sorts of things, such as devices, web interfaces, and apps. Starting to design a lesson or even unit of study by picking the tool is wrong on so many levels. I’m not saying that the tools we use are important. Far from it. What I am saying is that we should pick a tool based on how well it helps learners reach the learning outcome we are looking for. Let’s be honest. The digital tools of today are going to change and evolve soon. Who knows what we will really be using in 5-10 years. When we look at what skills are being sought after in the workplace, it’s not the technical skills at the top of the list, it is the “soft-skills.” I talk about the need for soft skills and several articles highlighting this need in my post here (link) No digital tool in existence (or in the future) is the end all, be all. What matters is the teacher designing lessons built on relationships and strong, research based pedagogy. Digital tools offer us opportunities that we didn’t have possible before. We have the ability to collaborate with others that are not in the room with us. We can design experiences and challenges that require learners to work on interdependent teams, develop stronger personal accountability skills, and interact with a wide range of people in and out of the classroom. As learners work with these challenges, they must build the necessary content skills and learning needed to solve the problem. In other words, the tool(s) should be chosen to suit the need. When we teach learners to analyze a situation and problem and then select an appropriate tool to use, we empower that learner to be more confident in any situation that arises. Links
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This morning, I was frustrated. I was going through the work my students had submitted and making not of the things done without much effort and the things not done at all. My first frustration was at the lack of effort. Then I was frustrated because it was wasting my time. Then I became frustrated because I felt like I was totally not getting it. What had I not done or not communicated that created this situation?
I didn't like feeling this way. As soon as class started, I got a few of the class leaders together and asked them. They quickly got to the heart of the matter. I didn't do a good job of setting them up for success with scheduling. I left them hanging when it came to scheduling things. They were just grasping in the dark. I feel much better now. We are back on a good track. I missed something and it made things better by just asking. This was on my mind today as I worked on my Digital Leading and Learning class today.
I can't tell you where I saw it. I can't even pinpoint how long ago I saw it. All I know is that it made an impression on me. If someone can point me to the source of this quote, I would appreciate giving proper credit. I saw this quote and it sums up so much that frustrates people who try to change the culture in an organization. "Trying to create a culture is like putting together a 10,000 piece puzzle of a 1-to-1 picture of a filed of grass... in a field of grass... at midnight... in a hurricane." Too often, I see leaders have a clear vision, and just expect everyone to get on board. They can't figure out why people get frustrated, get upset, fight back, and eventually quit. After all, they have a good, solid clear picture of the goal. How hard is to work toward a clearly defined goal? |
About me & this blogThis blog is for things related to my class, PL, coaching, or just teaching in general. You can follow me on Twitter @myakSTEM Archives
June 2021
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