Comments on: Learning. Your time starts… now! http://betch.edublogs.org/2007/11/03/learning-your-time-starts-now/ education + technology + ideas Tue, 14 Oct 2008 00:47:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: mmccarth http://betch.edublogs.org/2007/11/03/learning-your-time-starts-now/#comment-800 mmccarth Wed, 28 Nov 2007 23:00:27 +0000 http://betch.edublogs.org/2007/11/03/learning-your-time-starts-now/#comment-800 It's definitely true that some of the most important and vital learning happens outside of the classroom and the school. However you also stated that virtual communities are useful because you can find like-minded people with which to talk. This is dangerous territory because if we tell kids that it's a good idea to seek out like-minded people then we are removing the chance for them to learn from unlike-minded people. In my experience, you can learn more from people that you don't understand than you can from people that you have a lot in common with. So instead of sending your students to the web to find friends and learn, you should encourage them to look around their own community. Just because you think someone isn't "like" you, doesn't mean you shouldn't give them a chance as a learning partner. It’s definitely true that some of the most important and vital learning happens outside of the classroom and the school. However you also stated that virtual communities are useful because you can find like-minded people with which to talk. This is dangerous territory because if we tell kids that it’s a good idea to seek out like-minded people then we are removing the chance for them to learn from unlike-minded people. In my experience, you can learn more from people that you don’t understand than you can from people that you have a lot in common with. So instead of sending your students to the web to find friends and learn, you should encourage them to look around their own community. Just because you think someone isn’t “like” you, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give them a chance as a learning partner.

]]> By: Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach http://betch.edublogs.org/2007/11/03/learning-your-time-starts-now/#comment-730 Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach Mon, 05 Nov 2007 10:14:27 +0000 http://betch.edublogs.org/2007/11/03/learning-your-time-starts-now/#comment-730 Thank you so much for your willingness to try.. sorry about the bandwidth. And thank you for being such an important part of my personal learning network. I learn from you every time we interact. Sheryl Thank you so much for your willingness to try.. sorry about the bandwidth. And thank you for being such an important part of my personal learning network. I learn from you every time we interact.

Sheryl

]]> By: Chris http://betch.edublogs.org/2007/11/03/learning-your-time-starts-now/#comment-729 Chris Mon, 05 Nov 2007 10:04:12 +0000 http://betch.edublogs.org/2007/11/03/learning-your-time-starts-now/#comment-729 Thanks Diane and NJtech... you're absolutely right about the sense of community that exists when you start to tap into these tools. I'm always amazed at just how willingly others offer their assistance, and how readily the blogosphere/twittersphere/whateversphere is eager to to be helpful. Thanks Diane and NJtech… you’re absolutely right about the sense of community that exists when you start to tap into these tools. I’m always amazed at just how willingly others offer their assistance, and how readily the blogosphere/twittersphere/whateversphere is eager to to be helpful.

]]> By: njtechteacher http://betch.edublogs.org/2007/11/03/learning-your-time-starts-now/#comment-722 njtechteacher Sat, 03 Nov 2007 15:33:57 +0000 http://betch.edublogs.org/2007/11/03/learning-your-time-starts-now/#comment-722 The amazing thing about hooking up with the connected teachers is the exponential learning. It's like being in an office with a team of amazing people. Sometimes I have something to offer that lends a hand. Sometimes I'm getting a heads up. Before I started really getting involved at the end of the summer, I had little paths that I was following. Now, my team helps me take short cuts that I didn't even know were there. The amazing thing about hooking up with the connected teachers is the exponential learning. It’s like being in an office with a team of amazing people. Sometimes I have something to offer that lends a hand. Sometimes I’m getting a heads up. Before I started really getting involved at the end of the summer, I had little paths that I was following. Now, my team helps me take short cuts that I didn’t even know were there.

]]> By: diane http://betch.edublogs.org/2007/11/03/learning-your-time-starts-now/#comment-719 diane Sat, 03 Nov 2007 01:58:18 +0000 http://betch.edublogs.org/2007/11/03/learning-your-time-starts-now/#comment-719 Chris, When I took my first online course last fall, I was propelled into a parallel universe that I had never even suspected existed! My sporadic browsing through professional journals, my sometimes unwilling participation in mandated PD activities - all blown away and replaced by an exciting, vital community of learners happy to welcome a new member. It's not just the blogs and twitters I read: it's the extensions they offer, suggestions of new tools to try, new ideas to examine. I feel rejuvenated and ready to participate. "A little Learning is a dang'rous Thing; Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian Spring." -Alexander Pope Chris,

When I took my first online course last fall, I was propelled into a parallel universe that I had never even suspected existed!

My sporadic browsing through professional journals, my sometimes unwilling participation in mandated PD activities - all blown away and replaced by an exciting, vital community of learners happy to welcome a new member.

It’s not just the blogs and twitters I read: it’s the extensions they offer, suggestions of new tools to try, new ideas to examine. I feel rejuvenated and ready to participate.

“A little Learning is a dang’rous Thing; Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian Spring.” -Alexander Pope

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