Comments on: Thinking out of the box https://www.k12handhelds.com/thinking-out-of-the-box/ Mon, 20 Dec 2010 02:56:54 +0000 hourly 1 By: Bonita DeAmicis https://www.k12handhelds.com/thinking-out-of-the-box/#comment-367 Mon, 20 Dec 2010 02:56:54 +0000 http://www.k12handhelds.com/blog/?p=772#comment-367 I am excited about the idea of a hybrid elementary school that takes babysitting needs of parents into account. I can envision a library-like open space with online laptops and ipads as well as hands-on exploratory materials in math, puzzles, art and music. In that space could be non-credentialed people (college tutors, aides, paraprofessionals, etc) that would be available to spark conversation, help students with materials, technology, and even learning problems. It would be a relatively unstructured space where children could move about based upon interests. In that space, students could access online instruction and could be assisted, where needed, by non-credentialed people in charge of supervision. From this space, teachers could come and collect varied sets of students for areas of instruction in classrooms or learning spaces nearby.

In this way, babysitting would be provided (since parents have become dependent upon the babysitting services of schools), but it would not interfere with teaching priorities. Teachers could serve students at given times in varied parameters, and online computer assisted learning could occur as well.

What do you think?

]]> By: Russ Knopp https://www.k12handhelds.com/thinking-out-of-the-box/#comment-366 Mon, 20 Dec 2010 01:07:20 +0000 http://www.k12handhelds.com/blog/?p=772#comment-366 You are on target, in my view, to think we can do better than we are doing. We are continuing, in most cases, to prepare information-age students for the industrial age.
I believe politics has ruined public education–now perhaps beyond repair. Ignorance, lack of imagination, ‘commitment’ to status quo (including, but not limited to the belief that real learning can be measured by standardized tests), lack of vision, and the grossly mistaken notion that only the schools, perhaps only the teachers should be held accountable for student learning.
Online learning or a hybrid of online learning and classroom learning could be successful. However, for online learning to be successful, we must have decisions as to which sites to allow made by people who deliver instruction. By continuing to block learning sites, continuing to ban cell phones, etc. we are continuing to inhibit learning and the desire to learn.
Outside the box thinking: What if we had students high school age (perhaps even younger) involved in the decision-making process regarding the opportunities for and methods of learning we practice? What if we stopped trying to measure success in learning by seat time?
I am not sure how to generate interest and resources for teaching students what they need to learn for the future they will face, rather than preparing them for the ‘future’ we faced, but I do know that if we keep doing what we have always done, we can expect to get the result we have always experienced.
It is my hope, Karen, that you will continue to pursue the generation of interest in providing students the learning experiences they need for success. Thank you.

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