Teaching Tech-Savvy Kids

Although written primarily for an American readership this book represents a breakthrough in making sense of an often mysterious and arcane world of Web2.0 and Digital Media. It should be compulsory reading for all involved in the education of our children throughout the world. Although, frustratingly, the book does not mention ePortfolios, all of the references to digital media can be seen as tools and artefacts which can be so eloquently presented through the medium of the ePortfolio.

The book is of equal benefit to parents, teachers and educational technologists. It brings into sharp contrast the massive potential that young students have today and the often sad failure of educationists to recognise it.

The two strap-lines, 'Bringing Digital Media Into the Classroom, Grades 5-12' and 'Students are plugged in, powered up, and connected. ARE YOU?' says it all.

Based on well-researched materials Jessica Parker writes with the expertise of a classroom teacher (as she was for many years) combined with that of an assistant university professor (as she is now - BA Media Studies, MA and PhD in Education).

Liberally appended to each chapter are impressive lists of references and helpful resources along with a very useful glossary and a comprehensive index. As one reviewer states:

"Until we understand the powerful learning, collaborating and producing that teenagers do with their cell-phones, MP3 players, laptops and the Internet, we won't understand how we can best utilise those technologies in our classrooms. Whether you're a digital native new to the classroom or a veteran teacher struggling to learn your students' Internet lingo, this book is your guide to 21st-century teenagers, literacy and learning. After 17 years of teaching middle-school English, I know that I can't teach literacy today without this book."

Eportfolios for Lifelong Learning and Assessment

Darren Cambridge's latest book is not meant to be an easy read but, as far as academic books go, Darren has made a detailed and wide ranging study quite addictive. He writes authoritatively and, what's more, each chapter is full of up-to-date examples of case-studies and a real understanding of the new approach to teaching and learning.

Despite writing primarily for the higher echelons of academia, much of what he writes about can equally be applied to all levels of teaching and learning:

"Lifelong learning is an ongoing process of developing knowledge, skills and strategies; putting capabilities and self-understanding into action over time; and thereby establishing an identity. To support lifelong learning, higher education needs to look beyond the content knowledge, practical techniques, and professional capabilities that have been its primary focus. Colleges and universities need to commit to helping students craft identities that reflect their own values and equip students to put that self-understanding to work in their communities and the rest of the world."

At €39.36 the e-book is not cheap and the format does not easily lend itself to the annotations and hyperlinks I usually like to add to a document that I am studying. For further details click here. However, that one slight grumble off my chest, I found the book to be informative, challenging and quite encouraging. Further to Darren's comment, (see comments below) check out the Amazon pre-order offer, click here. UPDATE (13 Oct): The book in hardcover format is now available direct from Wiley at £26.99 (much better value for money!)

One last quotation must suffice which exemplifies Cambridge's clear sense of the convergence of teaching and learning, the wider world, present technological developments and the place that ePortfolios must take:

"Rather than simply supporting their students ’ learning, colleges and universities should put their expertise and infrastructures to work in partnership with other institutions — schools, employers, government agencies, community service organizations — to improve the quality of learning in the many distributed contexts in which it must occur for individuals to prosper in our rapidly changing world. Through helping individuals articulate their distinctive identities in order to chart the paths of their learning and influence the shape of the institutions in which they learn, eportfolios have a central role to play in the learning society that higher education can help bring into being."

Learning Through Life

I've just started catching up on my 'holiday reading' and feel most remiss in that I have not previously read 'Learning Through Life' despite it having been published last year. On almost every page there are profound observations which, when added together, create a storm of conscience. It is the well-know scenario of "The rich get richer and the poor get poorer." or in this case, the educated continue to learn more, and thus enhance their lifestyles, whilst the less well-educated find themselves falling further behind. Is this really the right response to the Leitch Report?

I particularly like the abiguity of the title - ie Learning Throughout Life, or Learning From Life.

However, as regular readers will recognise, I keep on feeling a sense of frustration in that, in my opinion, the solution to many of the issues raised is THE EPORTFOLIO ! It talks (p5) of 'Local Learning Exchanges' but fails to recognise the place of virtual communities and thus the place of ePortfolios as supporting 'Communities of Interest'.

I cannot find any references to 'Learning Styles' or 'Multiple Intelligences'. This, again, is important. We need to understand how people not only of different 'attitudes' or life-styles learn but how age might influence learners' preferred learning styles.

RAPEL The Recording and Assessment of Prior and Experiential Learning appears not to be considered. Again, the ePortfolio is an excellent way of encouraging a learner to document a wide variety of experiences and accomplishments that a mentor might recognise as worth recording and submitting through one's ePortfolio in order to get a foothold on the 'Learning Ladder'.

Above all, I get the feeling that the authors still feel that institutional teaching and learning is the only solution. We read (P8) of the 'personalisation' of learning, ie as delivered by the institution, but not of 'personal learning' as devised by the individual. - See Wendy Drexler's article.

Building Communities and Networks

I am very grateful to Jeff Utecht for releasing as a free copy, his book 'REACH - Building Communities and Networks for Professional Development'. The book is easy to read and is an excellent introduction to what the 'C' in ICT is all about. I would think that the book could easily be used as a pre-reader for a staff development day or series of workshops. My only wish was that this book could have been available some ten years ago!

Although the word 'e-Portfolio' is strangely not mentioned in the book, the whole mind-set that Utecht describes is that of the e-Portfolio user. It is not surprising, therefore, that he has written another book, 'Blogs as Web-Based Portfolios'.

Developing a Networked School Community

A guide to realising the vision – edited by Mal Lee and Glen Finger.

This book is a first in its class and should be found on the headteacher’s desk of every school. Its well-paced and easy read style presents a profound array of research in its twenty chapters from around the world. The authors argue for the application of ‘flat world’ thinking to all areas of teaching and learning. The extensive bibliography substantiates the combined wisdom and experience of a host of authors.

At 355 pages the book demands serious responses from its readers. Schools will never be the same again. Pedagogies must change, infrastructures and digital tools will inevitably change. Communities will emerge or be strengthened in ways never previously imagined.

Although digital technologies in industry, commerce and the home have become increasingly outward looking it is generally the case that where schools have become increasingly digital they are still slow to engage with the wider world. One quotation from the book must suffice:

“Notwithstanding, across the developed world education authorities, schools, and indeed national governments that have moved to a quite different digital operational mode, have begun to remove the traditional school walls and disturb the traditional conception of timetabled formal lessons, and use the opportunities provided by the networked technology to move into a third distinct phase of schooling, which is strongly networked and collaborative in nature and is starting to involve the students’ homes more fully in teaching and learning.”

Here, yet again, is a perfect example of where eFolio can provide that safe interface between the world, the school and the home. Anyone reading 'Developing a Networked School Community' must see the value of the e-Portfolio as the perfect Lifelong and Lifewide solution.

Contacts:

Australian Council for Educational Research
19 Prospect Hill Rd, Camberwell VIC 3124
t: 03 9277 5447
f: 03 9277 5499
e: sales@acer.edu.au

w: http://www.acerpress.com.au/

UK & Europe:

The Eurospan Group
3 Henrietta Street
Covent Garden
London WC2E 8LU
T: 020 7240 0856
F: 020 7379 0609

W: http://www.eurospan.co.uk/

The Amazing Web2.0 Projects Book

Terry Freedman has done it again! An excellent .pdf document at 121 pages is well worth downloading. A mine of information on various Web2.0 projects with honest descriptions by actual users. Go to the ICT in Education website for your FREE copy!

I prefer reading the .pdf on screen as there are many useful hyperlinks to chapter headings, the individual evaluations and also to the products listed. As Terry Freedman lists:

• 87 projects.


• 10 further resources.


• 52 applications.


• 94 contributors.


• The benefits of using Web 2.0 applications.


• The challenges of using Web 2.0 applications.


• How the folk who ran these projects handled the issues...


• ... And what they recommend you do if you run them.


• What were the learning outcomes?


• And did I mention that this is free?!