Educating the Dragon » wfryer

So, what is Digital Literacy?

Dragon09 — Tue, 19 May 2009 09:19:42 +0000

I know by some peoples standards I’ve not been around education all that long and I’ve certainly been around the edublogosphere a fraction of that time. But I have just reached my 365th post, which must count to something. Regardless I have, as yet failed to find an answer to my question: “What is ‘digital literacy’?
However I did com across a slideshare by Dr Tabetha Newman who quoted Allan Martin and suggested it as being one of the most broad, flexible but still tangible definitions out there.
“The awareness, attitude and ability of individuals to appropriately use digital tools and facilities to identify, access, manage, integrate, evaluate, analyse and synthesise digital resources, construct new knowledge, create media expressions, and communicate with others, in the context of specific life situations, in order to enable constructive social action; and to reflect upon this process”
Hardly a bumper sticker so question being:
Can you come up with a better definition? In less than 55 words?

Training monkeys?

Dragon09 — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 20:59:39 +0000

I have been listening to Wes Fryer’s podcast on K12 Online, trying to catch up from a summer unplugged. There was much in this talk of merit, as there is in many of his podcast, but a statement he made just seemed to jump up and slap me about the face, he said:

“I don’t like the word train….who do we train? Animals. Teachers aren’t animals. Both teachers and students are both learners…. treating them as professional learners is very important.” (Wesley Fryer, 2008-02-06-speedofcreativity)

I concur.

If teachers stop learning, adapting, developing and changing their practice over time than that has got to be bad for the students.

If teachers do not remain current in their knowledge of the profession and the wider world then that has got to be bad for the students.

If teachers are weighted down by the burden we call ‘Admin’ then the enersy they have for classroom practise is drained, that has got to be bad for the students.

If teachers are overwelmed by the enormity of the work through sheer numbers of students they have responsibility for that has got to be bad for the students.

But if the teacher is,

….free from the shackles of unnecessary paperwork,

….free to support and nuture the relationships within a supportive, moderately sized classroom,

… free to seek out learning opportunites for themselves and develop professionally in a direction of their choosing,

…. free to ENJOY their chosen career.

…that has got to be good for the students.

We have got to pass on the passion, model the ideal of being a life-long learner.

After all,

“Teachers make all other professions possible.”

-Annie Belott

I don’t get out much….you?

Dragon09 — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 09:14:33 +0000

create your own visited countries map
or vertaling Duits Nederlands

Thanks to Wes Fryer for the point toward the map. Mine looks positively bare in comparison. Mental note- gotta get out more!

2007 Insomnia Film Festival

Dragon09 — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 21:09:14 +0000

Copied this from Wes’ blog post. The whole idea sounded so cool. Wish I had access to some high school students to give it a go. Maybe you do!

Got plans for Saturday, October 13th? If not, consider getting together with some buddies and shooting a 3 minute film masterpiece in 24 hours for the 2007 Insomnia Film Festival! If your film wins top votes from either the public or the professional judges, “each member of your team will receive a MacBook Pro, Final Cut Studio 2, Logic Studio, and Shake.” Wow.