Monday, April 20, 2009

2 Articles

Skills 2.0 :Web 2.0 gives learning professionals an aptitude adjustment.
By Harold Jarche

The Main message was... there are fewer "experts" these day with information so easily accessible on the web. Now it's not WHAT you know that is valuable... but WHO you know. More specifically... your network. Blogging is one important way to stay current, relevant and marketable in any field. Staying informed and contributing to the "whole" ( a professional network) is essential to staying a life-long-learner.

Skills essential for the "learning Professional" are:
1. accept I will not know everything- but focus on knowing who to connect to .. network with
2. continue learning- don't rest on my past projects or accomplishments
3. Collaboration- continue to share, communicate with peers in my profession

WEB 2.0 Learning Platform: Harnessing Collective Intelligence

One of the Main things I felt stressed in both articles is the idea or point-of-view that regardless of teacher or student role... everyone is a learner& teacher in this new era.

At one point in the article they mentioned the goals from the 19th, 20th and 21st Century- that the 19th Century the goal was simple survival, moving to being able to acquire gainful employment to now.. life-long learning skills. I see how these are all similar goals though- having personally watched a parent be pressured into retirement because she couldn't keep up with computer technology. ( My mom was a school librarian- a big change from the old card catalog system of keeping track of books to movement to computer. Schools now wanted their librarians to be computer savvy and even technical support.) For my mom, not being able to adapt and continue to learn limited her surviving in her field and the loss of long-time employment.

The big case study in the article in a project from BYUH using technology and web 1.0 &2.0 mediums to create an elearning opportunity among international students. I find this interesting and complex as they challenge to meet standards in these classes, yet keep it dynamic and interactive as well.. (not just one-way communication: video recorded classes, power point presentations etc... but introducing chat rooms, blogs, and also interactive by having games and assessments. )

I personally like classroom learning, text books, hands on projects. I see the value in e-learning but I hope that in the future the classrooms wont be entirely replaced. That actual- physical connections and contacts aren't over-stepped because we can simply chat on line... there is something to actually being there...not just virtually that cannot be replaced. We are human.. and need human touch, human interactions. Because- don't get me wrong- I LOVE to blog- and chat with my blogging friends. I can spend hours at the computer doing this.. but when it is over- I feel an emptiness... while a simple.. "out to lunch" with friends or "chat at the mailbox" with neighbors is completely satisfying and uplifting...

1 comment:

  1. Laura,

    Perry really likes this site. I've done it a little and so has Josh and Adam. http://www.livemocha.com You can even chat with people from other countries and help them with their English and they help you with their language.

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