Why This Blog?

This blog is the repository of materials I use with my students to help them think about what schools and teaching may be like in the future. I will add materials as I find them. If you have suggestions for materials that should be included here, please let me know via Twitter @drjohnhadley or by Email.

I also use these materials to stimulate an ongoing conversation with students and faculty on two questions: How do we determine whether a teacher is "technologically literate"? and Must all teachers be "technologically literate"?

The first question is the result of thinking about the second which was the central issue addressed in a 2007 post by Karl Fisch, author of The Fischbowl and Director of Technology for Arapahoe High School in Littleton, Colorado: "Is It Okay to Be A Technologically Illiterate Teacher?"

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Wendy Drexler: The Networked Student

The Networked Student was inspired by CCK08, a Connectivism course offered by George Siemens and Stephen Downes during fall 2008. It depicts an actual project completed by Wendy Drexler's high school students. The Networked Student concept map was inspired by Alec Couros' Networked Teacher. I hope that teachers will use it to help their colleagues, parents, and students understand networked learning in the 21st century.

37 comments:

  1. I am honored that you provided another reference to the Networked Student video. I welcome feedback and always appreciate comments and suggestions. I will be trying this with middle school students in the fall. It should be a wonderful learning adventure for all of us.
    Wendy

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    1. My name is Cynthia Arrington, and I am a student in the EDM310 course at the University of South Alabama. This method of teaching is appropriate at the college level, but in Middle school? I have some concerns and reservations. Please keep me posted on how well this works out for you and your students this fall. I am always opened for new ideas of ways to be effective as an educator.

      Thank-you,
      Cynthia Arrington
      EDM310 Spring 2012
      University of South Alabama

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  2. I really enjoyed your video. I think that it is a great tool. Because the student is learning so much more than from a book.

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  3. Great video it really gave me a visual understanding of how virtual and networked learning is becomeing. It just helped reinforced the information i'm recieving from my EDM class.

    Thanks
    Betty Cernosek
    USA EDM

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  4. I thought this was a good video, and explains how easy it is for you to find new learning tools.

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  5. This was a really interesting video. This course is a lot like EDM 310 at University of South Alabama. Thanks for sharing it!

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  6. Your project was great! It was a great example of how we connect with people all over the world. The use of graphics and sound to relay the information was great! It was a great way to keep the attention of your audience!

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  7. Your video was great. It sounds alot like my class EDM 310. This video explains the purpose of technology and how students and teachers can use it to learn.

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  9. I believe that this should not take precedence over certain conventional methods. Teachers could very well use networking, but they should not rely too heavily on it.

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  10. I think that this is a great way to learn.

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  11. This was a thought provoking clip. For the general public of America, I feel this is so futuristic. But for the cream of the crop students, maybe more of a reality.

    When children are networked, why do they need teachers? I am of the opinion that teachers should be the experts. Not all are. There are even some that really shouldn’t call themselves teachers. But for those that are wonderful teachers, I feel there will always be a place for them. It’s not a competition of teacher versus information network. Certainly the challenge to the teacher is providing guidance on the base skills that students should posses developmentally while providing an environment for independent discovery and vast exposure. Maybe the “traditional” teacher and classroom become less of a lecture hall and more of a fast paced, integrated lesson style where the depth variety of information offered on the web are a large part of that. Throw in independent discovery, and there the teacher has allowed them the networking aspect while providing guidance for appropriate development.


    Jackie Gorski
    EDM 310 Student
    Secondary Ed/Math
    University of South Alabama

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  12. I loved the video. Simple yet meaningful and thoughtful throughout. This will help me with my video podcast I am working on this week.

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  13. This sounds alot like my EDM 310 class at the University of South Alabama. This video was very interesting! Thanks for sharing!

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  14. This video really lays out exact;y how to use all the different tools to build a strong personal learning network.

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  15. This is exactly like my EDM310 class at the University of South Alabama. It was interesting, I enjoyed it.

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  16. It is so slightly uncomfortable to feel motivated and afraid simultaneously. I am motivated to continue learning, but it frightens me to think teachers could become obsolete. It is comforting to hear the networking student still needs a teacher, today. The learning never stops.

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  17. The networked student provides legitimate reasons for future educators to realize that teachers will not become obsolete. They simply will be teaching in a different style. The motivation is the same: to empower students to ask their own questions and search for their own answers; to instill a love of learning; and to guide and coach students toward their successes in our world.Our world now has experienced much more globalization. My reaction in regard to my future classroom is one of excitement. Instead of presenting history lessons and telling the students why this history is important (or why I or the curriculum thinks it is important), I can use a networked classroom to ask them why they think it is important. This is a simple video, but it expounds the ongoing need for teachers, and the need to network in this age.

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  19. Thank you for sharing this with us. What a great diagram of how technology helps students. It reinforces the skills I am currently learning in EDM310. As a future educator, I need to stay current on all available technology and maintain my relevance as we go further in our quest to integrate technology into the classroom.

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  20. Thanks for sharing the video with everyone!!! I thought that this film was helpful and hit on a lot of topics that we are learning in EDM 310 at South.

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  21. Hi, I am Cassandra and this video was decribing the things we do in Dr. Strange EDM 310 class. Watching the video I did being to think, what was the purpose of a teacher? Then I came to the conclusion that us teachers, present and future will be replaced by technology.
    Here is a link to my Blog http://williamssandraedm310.blogspot.com/

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  22. Thanks for sharing! This film was interesting as far as the technique you used with the little cut outs. I thought it was cute. As far as information is concerned, this course sounds identical to the one I am in at South Alabama. I am taking EDM 310 under Dr. Strange's instruction. Good job!!!

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  23. Thanks for sharing. I am taking EDM310 under Dr. Strange. It was a very creative video! I do feel that the replacement of teachers through technology is a huge possibility, but of course I wouldn't want this to happen because then why would I be in education!

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  24. Hi, My name is Amy and I am from Dr. Strange's EDM310 class. How are we going to get the best professors if we stop using them and turn strictly to technology? I do think all these new technologies are amazing but should be kept to a minimum. They need to be kept to a minimum so we will still have teachers in our schools to be there for guidance and answers. This video was a good example of how we can use technology with our students and people around the world. I do not believe teachers will just stop teaching completely. I think the way they will be teaching will change. This was a very cute video with the cartoon and cut out animations. I enjoyed it!

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  25. I thought you post was great! I wish school would have been like that for me in high school! I'm also sure that was your son who did the art seeing as how you have the same last name. He is very talented. I'm looking forward to my career ahead of me in the education field. I ponder sometimes about what technology will be like and if I'll ever enter a classroom. I am in Dr.Strange's EDM 310 class at the University of South Alabama. My name is Sarah Davis, feel free to visit my page http://davissarahedm310.blogspot.com/

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  26. Fabulous job! I loved how all the information given and everything that was brought up in the video was summed by "still needing a teacher," regardless of the technology that's out there! Perfect example of why teachers should be technologically savvy! I enjoyed the creativity, artwork and all around presentation of this video! My name is Raley Zofko and I am a student at The University of South Alabama, currently in Dr. Strange's EDM 310 class. Proud to have experienced this video! Thanks!
    http://zofkoraleyedm310.blogspot.com

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  27. I thought the video was very interesting. It made me think of myself in the since that I am learning all of these new terms have questions or need help I go to Dr. Strange for help!

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  28. This video gave interesting details as to what a network student is. There is only one negative that I see with this and that is, that If students post what they have learned like the guy in this video said he did. Then I am afraid that it will make some students lazy. I mean they might think well all I have to do is go and check out what someone else posted and copy and paste it as my own, and then that student would never have found out or researched on their own.

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  29. I thought the video was interesting and informative, but i felt that the teacher is not as hands on as I would like to be. According to this video the teacher could just show up for the first day of class and tell the student to "do a project and I'll grade it when you are done, see you in a month". I think that networking is important, but it shouldn't take the place of a teacher who is a supposed expert on the subject.

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  30. I thought the presentation was quite creative. Everyone seems to think a live person, has to be on the video, in order for it to be effective. Not so. Great presentation. I got a few ideas out of it, and will use them in the future.

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  31. Hi Wendy I watched the video several times and I'm not sure that I get it, I know that in the 21st century computers will be the main source of communication and learning. I am eager to learn more about the program, and I look forward to see how your teaching technique works out.

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  32. Hi! I am a student in Dr. Strange's EDM310 class at the University of South Alabama. I enjoyed watching your video, very cleverly done! It is good to see that a video can be effective without a ton of bells and whistles. It is hard to believe that this video was done in 2008 and still holds true. As technology continues to grow, I think the role of the teacher will continue change. The teacher will always have a role in education as long as she continues to learn so she can challenge her students. What better way to teach our students that learning is a life long project than showing them that we as teachers are continually learning as well!

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  33. Great video! This information is very helpful. This will help me as a future teacher. I will have an open mind about how to teach my students. I am a student at the University of South Alabama in Dr. Strange's EMD 310 spring class.

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  34. What a great bit of information to pass on to us new teachers.Thanks

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  35. My name is Jessica Sanders and i am an EDM310 student in Dr. Stranges class. This is a lot like how he teaches us to use the internet and other technology. This video is really going to help me with my PLN as well!

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  36. The Networked Student was an interesting video. At the beginning of the video, it seems as though the 21st Century Classroom will not need teachers. After looking at the rest of the video, you can see that a teacher's role is still very important in the Networked student's, 21st Century classroom. More technology classes for me.

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