From Knowledgeable to Knowledge-Able

Despite the age of Michael Wesch's  video, it is quite timely and still relevant today. Wesch's (2010) video From Knowledgeable to knowledge-Able introduces ways to move students beyond "seeking meaning" and instead "create meaning". In this way they can move from knowledgeable to knowledge-able. This was more of a challenge in the 2010 classroom but still is today. However, if educators and students can embrace real world problems in the classroom and harness the relevant technologies, together they can "create meaning". The problem today even more so than in 2010 is there is more abundance in terms of tools for students to harness and often the learning curve and time are a factor. If educators want to engage students, however, we need to find the time to select the right tools so that our students can "connect, organize, share, collect, collaborate, and publish". In my own classroom, I use real world problems, but admit I need to take it to the next level. My students are connecting, organizing, sharing, collecting and collaborating, but we are not publishing. As a class, we are what Dr. White (2011) would refer to as visitors and not residents. One of my goals this year is to change this.

References:
Wesch M. (2010). From Knowledgeable to Knowledge-Able. Retrieved on September 12, 2014 at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeaAHv4UTI8.

White, D. S. (2011). Visitors and Residents. Retrieved on September 11, 2014 at http://tallblog.conted.ox.ac.uk/index.php/2009/10/14/visitors-residents-the-video/t

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Hacking school

Listening to young Logan LaPlante's TED Talk on Hacking School definitely made me happy and offers a refreshing way of thinking about the age old question, "what do you want to be when you grownup?" His ideas about including the importance of happiness, health, and creativity into education appear to be necessary for today's generation. According to Logan, most of education is geared toward making a living rather than making a life, and creativity is often killed in today's school environments. So what does it mean to "hack" school or education? Hacking school involves being innovative and creative, but most of all, requires one to take advantage of opportunities to experience what you are learning whether it be skiing, Shakespeare, or math. It's taking control of your own learning and applying what you learn to the real world.

References:
LaPlante, L. (2013). Hackingschooling Makes Me Happy. Retrieved on September 12, 2014 at https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLbRLdW37G3oMquOaC-HeUIt6CWk-FzaGp&v=h11u3vtcpaY

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