Think different?

This is a very interesting article "A Silicon Valley School That Doesn’t Compute" , that  publish the NY times. In one point said that computers kills childs creativity. I dont belive that computers kills creativity on childrens. I think in this case could apply what I call the Think Different effect. If it is true that much of children attending these schools came from parents who work in Silicon Valley (where it produces much of the technology and applications we use) are certainly more exposed to computer and tecnological themes, that others children's.  To be fair the article never said that all children that goes to Waldorf schools have tecnological parents. But if hints that al childrens that goes to Waldorf School of the Peninsula, came from tecnological parents ( the first line say " The chief technology officer of eBay sends his children to a nine-classroom school here. So do employees of Silicon Valley giants like Google, Apple, Yahoo and Hewlett-Packard") , so let keep the article firts line. Let's think that all childrens of this schools are geeks sons that came from a technological enviroment. To get away from them they will find it entertaining not uses computers, but not for a boy attends class regularly and reads a book with little or no visual stimulation, while listening to a teacher giving a monologue as a class. The reality is that everything is that done to extremes, is wrong. Let's thinks different, really different when we talk about education. Pluralism and inclusion is what kids need in schools. A diverse and comprehensive education that enables children gets exposed  to many experiences as possible, that allow them acquire and develop their skills. Check this image titled The absurdity education educational system of schools.

The teacher said to his students: "to be fair, all will have to perform the same test : everyone Will Have to Climb That tree".

PE6 Twitter

Twitter allows posting any message, annoucement, idea or opinion. The user has the opportunity to communicate anything, in a short and precise way. This is because to Tweet (abbreviated term used in Twitter. Refers to post a message) only have 140 characters. For this reason might be perfect to be used as a tool for education.

Twitter allows teachers communicate almost immediatly any messages and share any announcement to their students. Like the material that  will be discussed in class, a post of his blog, an article from a newspaper or tell them to watch a documentary. If the material that the teacher wants to discuss,  is available on a digital version, he simply also post the link were the student could find it, on the same Tweet.

Twitter is great for helping to maintain and comply with an agenda, but can also help when  by any reason or circumstance our plans changes. If for example one day the teacher feel unwell to gather the class, just Tweet saying to their students, that he is not available for give his class that day. This prevents the student reaches the room, and find that the teacher did not came. Also the teacher could put additional material, following people or organizations. For example if the class is about art, could follow the MoMA or the Guggenheim museum. If the class is about economy could follow news at The econosmist, WSJ  or even check what Joseph Stigliz, George Soros and Paul Krugman have to said about a particular situation. Put also the opinion of Noah Chomsky and Francis Fukuyama to add a anarchist and a liberal conservative view on the situation.Very traditional? then added to Steven D. Levitt, Chris Anderson, Warren Buffett, Slavoj Zizeck or Stephen Colbert. With them you can always count on to discuss any subject, on a non-traditional way (and regularly, are very intelligent with their comments).

So far I've only told one side of the academic usefulness of Twitter, the teacher, but students can also be very helpfull in the enriching of knowledge.Previously, I said that the teacher can refer the material that will discussed on class. At the same tweet the student can tell if he likes (and select it as a bookmark), or do not like and indicate why. Also, can post some alternate version of the material (a link where the film looks better, or where to find the document in another language or discussed by any other academic or expert). Possibly this will generate reactions, comments and discussions between the community following the teacher's tweet, and even can be extended to the students accounts, if they decide retweet it. These actions will enrich the debate and awareness, generating different views and even versions of the same subject.

PE5 Blogger

Blogger
Have not you ever felt the need to write about some fact or event, that you know or have lived? Would you like to write about recipes, art, economics or science, and know what others think? Blogger is all this and more. Blogger is not just a simple diary or a place to write about trivia, you can do if you want, but the program gives you tools to get more useful in several areas. One such area is in education.

In a classroom, rarely, the teacher completely covers the material. Worse almost nevercovers the material that the teacher loves. Blogger allows the teacher to publish thisadditional knowledge without major obstacles. In this paper, the student can provide feedback for this to be answered by a peer or teacher himself. The material is only availableto current students of the teacher. Students taking the course with another teacher, former student or expert knowledge of the subject can provide.






In my action plan blogger plays a fundamental role. This is because the teachers can use as an archive or a collection of ideas and opinions on any subject that they want to bring to discussion. That creates the opportunity to expose it to a wider environment that can nurture and increase even more the publish theme. Also it is very easy to use, just write on any topic and publish it. You can add links, photos and even videos from youtube. You can create a network of tailing and even limit the availabilityof items (not all necessarily have to see it). You can follow other people's blogs, or anyorganization. You can even make a list of other blogs you follow, and make them available for others to see the bllogs you follow, and watch your topics of interest.

PE4 Issuu

Why Issuu?

Issuu is perfect for digitizing and publishing academic papers existing or in creating process, thats allows a refreshing and modern look.To some extent, one could say that to create a publication issuu iconoclast,and also very eclectic. For these reasons it becomes the key tool for my proposal.

The program is very simple to use. Surely the hardest part is register. After the person registered you can begin to upload documents in any format and convert it into a magazine, book or any format you want. The program has several interesting tools. For example you can publish your writing on a blog, using an application from issue will be seen in the page like a book and you can even select a specific page.

where I am, where I'm going? and Why?

BP6 A Collective Journey With Donna Packard

Check out this blog A Collective Journey With Donna Packard. Donna have a great review from scribblar, a web 2.0 application, is excelent for professors and teachers.

The article is very good not only read it,  you could suggest it  to a friend. Also you can see the comment I posted.

http://donna-packard.blogspot.com/2011/10/bp4-review-of-scribblarcom.html?showComment=1318220164059#c295651722624163241

BP5 media[by]design

I suggest  this blog media[by]design. Kat Thorenson makes an excellent explanation of how to use Wordle, short and precise. This program is excellent, I recommend that after seeing the video of Kat, play around with it. Surely youwill find hundreds of utilities for your benefit. Here is the hyperlink for Kat Blog:

and for Wordle

Also check out my comment on that blog