ED 307 Prensky's Book Teaching Digital Natives, Partnering for Real Learning

In Marc Prensky's book Teaching Digital Natives, Partnering for Real Learning, there was excellent information given on properly conducting small group projects, activities, and behaviors.  I appreciated the group information and guidelines.  I can use this information in the future.    

Chapter 7 of Marc Prensky's book Teaching Digital Natives, Partnering for Real Learning is the section of the telephone book one would want to tear out and keep.  It is a wonderful resource.  Just a glance through it can inspire new activities for the classroom.  

As I read the book, Teaching Digital Natives, Partnering for Real Learning, the bell in my head kept going off.  It took me awhile for it to click--it reminded me of Paulo Freire.  For example, authority in the traditional vs. constructivist philosophies is sometimes presented as being potentially disrespectful or more respectful, respectively.  (Pun intended!)  I think an issue of respect is a misnomer.  Respect was and is present in classrooms without the discussion model of Paulo Freire.  When a student knows less than a teacher, there is no disrespect--implied or otherwise.  Is it a differentiation issue--respecting someone or treating someone respectfully?  No, because both should occur in the classroom.

Prensky, Marc. Teaching digital natives: partnering for real learning. Corwin, 2010.

ED 307 Partnering Pedagogy Investigation

Challenge-based learning was not what I thought.  It is a variation of most of the partnering pedagogies.  I thought that there would be criteria in a specific "challenge".  There are no limits, requirements or restrictions.  A challenge is just like a problem in problem-based learning.  It must be a real-world, authentic challenge/problem.

Apple produced a very nice classroom guide.  It is worth printing in full page.  I will keep it in my reproducible resource pile.

As far as researching partnering pedagogies in general, I found the information for using heterogeneous groupings was compelling.  Ability was the big factor for groupings.  Students may not benefit from mixed-ability groups.  Ability grouping has been a touchy issue in education.  This information leaves me in the same quandary that the education profession is in.   

I am going to make a disclaimer.  In the research that I found on this topic for this assignment, I found that there were several phrases that should be good--"research says . . . "positive benefits".  I don't like or feel comfortable with the phrase "research says . . . "positive benefits" when there are no articles or specific research projects actually cited.  Kagan was an exception by showing specific information from a research project in his online article, Cooperative Learning Structures Can Increase Student Achievement.

Blog Desgin Entry 5: Module Development

This may seem silly; but, it is dawning on me that teaching has a lot of up front work to be done.  I think the volume is what is clicking in my head.  I have experience in a K4 classroom.  I would prepare a head of time i.e. songs to sing, coloring, or worksheets.  The volume is going to change.

For our module development, there is volume in weaving the web of internet links and directions.  I say thank God for computers.  I am old enough to remember typing on a electric typewriter without a dictionary.  I have copied and pasted to my hearts content.  It is not so daunting of a task because there are basic instruction/directions that are repeatable with a tweak here and there.  

I am concerned about the "content" within the modules online; because, most of the content is derived from the assigned books--real actual paper.  I will use YouTube videos on the books.  I have figured out a way to use the videos so as to not give a way the story away.  I will ask the student:  "How would you do it?"  In other words, I will ask the students to critique the video based on the book.  I will figure out how to diversify my content with in the module.  

I think my course is really doable in a classroom setting!!!