From the “Shameless Self-Promotion Dept” comes this new book 21st Century Skills: Rethinking How Students Learn published by Solution Tree and featuring a chapter that we wrote titled “Navigating Social Networks as Learning Tools.” We have to say it’s pretty humbling to be in the company of Linda Darling-Hammond, Howard Gardner, Chris Dede, Andy Hargreaves and others in trying to frame a new narrative around student learning with technology. (You can get a couple of sample chapters, the table of contents and more here.) We’ve only had the chance to skim through it since it came in the mail today, but we’re hoping to read through much of it in the next week or so. (Wish we could port it over to our iPad. ;0) )
Here is the gist of our chapter:
One thing is certain: although schools may continue to fundamentally look and act as they have for more than one hundred years, the way individuals learn has already been forever changed. Instead of learning from others who have the credentials to “teach” in this new networked world, we learn with others whom we seek (and who seek us) on our own and with whom we often share nothing more than a passion for knowing. In this global community, we are at once all teachers and learners—changing roles as required, contributing, collaborating, and maybe even working together to re-create the world, regardless of where we are at any given moment. These learning transactions require a shifted understanding of traditional literacies and the skills they employ, as well as new literacies and practices that learning in networks and online social communities demands. For educators, acquiring these network literacies is a crucial first step in developing new pedagogies and, in turn, new classrooms and curricula that prepare students for the future.
One thing is certain: although schools may continue to fundamentally look and act as they have for more than one hundred years, the way individuals learn has already been forever changed. Instead of learning from others who have the credentials to “teach” in this new networked world, we learn with others whom we seek (and who seek us) on our own and with whom we often share nothing more than a passion for knowing. In this global community, we are at once all teachers and learners—changing roles as required, contributing, collaborating, and maybe even working together to re-create the world, regardless of where we are at any given moment.
These learning transactions require a shifted understanding of traditional literacies and the skills they employ, as well as new literacies and practices that learning in networks and online social communities demands. For educators, acquiring these network literacies is a crucial first step in developing new pedagogies and, in turn, new classrooms and curricula that prepare students for the future.
We’re looking forward to diving in to what looks like some interesting thinking about change.