Thursday, September 23, 2010

A Learner is Like A ........

I always like the idea of a learner is like a sponge...it can soak up just about anything and thus you can also squeeze anything out of it with a little pressure.
http://www.glitter-town.com/sponge-bob-myspace-glitter-graphics/sponge-bob-myspace-glitter-graphic-5.gif

I always liked the analogy of a learner as a sponge because it represents so much of what a learner can do. I see a student as one who can absorb vast amounts of knowledge. And when you pressure (challenge) that student they can release that knowledge. Where I see constructivism fitting with my sponge analogy is that the sponge already contains substance (knowledge) and we are just adding to it and making meaning out of it. Think of the hand holding the sponge, it sees something and wants to wipe (absorb) it up. The hand is our brain and like
George Siemens (click here for article) says; "learners are actively attempting to create meaning. Learners often select and pursue their own learning. Constructivist principles acknowledge that real-life learning is messy and complex.'' This quote has a lot to do with what I see education as, a space for students to create meaning. I feel assessments need to provide students with the opportunity to create. The sponge should not just dump the water into the sink but use the water to water the plant.

In the video The Impact of Social Learning (click here for video) the idea of social networking and the use of flicker in the classroom is something that is directly connected with the idea of constructivism in that but post an image and having other people comment on that image you are creating and learning in a way that is not just feeding one facts. Technology and websites like flicker are like providing the sponges with an upgrade, like instead of using a sponge we are using a shamwow (sorry about the overuse of the analogy). By using technology like flicker, like facebook, like myspace as the video states we are taking something that the students are already familiar with and giving them an opportunity to construct meaning. I can just see an assignment where I put up a picture on flicker of Andrew Jackson dressed like a king and let students discuss what they see. The possibilities are endless. Students are connected on so many levels that they need to be connected. "
Learning is a process that occurs within nebulous environments of shifting core elements – not entirely under the control of the individual." The closest we can to staying connected is through these social networks and as educators why not take advantage of them? I would rather see my students comment on a picture online and enjoy themselves than sitting there staring at an overhead thinking about the next Twilight movie. Lets let students take control of their environment and their learning.

1 comment:

  1. Well said. We need to use all the tools available to us to keep students engaged and making connections.

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