Comments on: A taste of honey http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2009/02/a-taste-of-honey.html Technology, leadership, and the future of schools Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:42:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Ben http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2009/02/a-taste-of-honey.html/comment-page-1#comment-58694 Ben Sun, 06 Feb 2011 22:50:07 +0000 http://annahein.com/2009/02/a-taste-of-honey.html#comment-58694 Have yo heard of youtube? Have yo heard of youtube?

]]> By: The Cornerstone Accolades: February 2009 http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2009/02/a-taste-of-honey.html/comment-page-1#comment-20080 The Cornerstone Accolades: February 2009 Mon, 17 May 2010 22:37:31 +0000 http://annahein.com/2009/02/a-taste-of-honey.html#comment-20080 [...] Post on Why Kids Hate School:A Taste of Honey by Dangerously Irrelevant. This is a short and to-the-point post which perfectly articulates my [...] [...] Post on Why Kids Hate School:A Taste of Honey by Dangerously Irrelevant. This is a short and to-the-point post which perfectly articulates my [...]

]]> By: JLWagner http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2009/02/a-taste-of-honey.html/comment-page-1#comment-11303 JLWagner Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000 http://annahein.com/2009/02/a-taste-of-honey.html#comment-11303 Very nice post, Scott. Question is -- have our teachers tasted the honey as well?? And do they wish to?? Very nice post, Scott.

Question is — have our teachers tasted the honey as well??

And do they wish to??

]]> By: kathy shields http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2009/02/a-taste-of-honey.html/comment-page-1#comment-11304 kathy shields Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000 http://annahein.com/2009/02/a-taste-of-honey.html#comment-11304 Scott, I agree that interactive games allow for problem solving opportunities but I'm not sure I'm witnessing any real self imposed content production going on outside the classroom. In fact I would say students are very passive consumers and seek a high level of entertainment not necessarily engagement. I teach 3rd grade and my kids still very much enjoy creating organic content over digital content. They want to use their hands. What do you think, should I sweeten the pot with more edtech honey? Scott, I agree that interactive games allow for problem solving opportunities but I’m not sure I’m witnessing any real self imposed content production going on outside the classroom. In fact I would say students are very passive consumers and seek a high level of entertainment not necessarily engagement.

I teach 3rd grade and my kids still very much enjoy creating organic content over digital content. They want to use their hands. What do you think, should I sweeten the pot with more edtech honey?

]]> By: Nancy White http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2009/02/a-taste-of-honey.html/comment-page-1#comment-11305 Nancy White Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000 http://annahein.com/2009/02/a-taste-of-honey.html#comment-11305 Kathy, I think you are right - it isn't neccessarily the technology - it is the active learning that is the key motivator. However, sometimes, the motivation might come from the ability to share what they've created with a wider audience - get feedback, and engage in conversation, or defend a point of view. Web 2.0 technology makes that possible - and it is "real world." Kathy, I think you are right – it isn’t neccessarily the technology – it is the active learning that is the key motivator. However, sometimes, the motivation might come from the ability to share what they’ve created with a wider audience – get feedback, and engage in conversation, or defend a point of view. Web 2.0 technology makes that possible – and it is “real world.”

]]> By: Joel VerDuin http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2009/02/a-taste-of-honey.html/comment-page-1#comment-11306 Joel VerDuin Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000 http://annahein.com/2009/02/a-taste-of-honey.html#comment-11306 While I tend to agree more with the generalizations than disagree about how school is like "down-shifting", I do think we need more information about what kids really do when not at school. The argument about "tasting honey" could easily have been held in the days when TV was king. When kids went home, they had rich access to video content from their tv. It would only stand to reason that we needed to make sure every kid had a tv at school - thereby making sure there was no downshift; provide that honey! Now really, wouldn't that have been silly? Is it true that kids spend time motivated by engaging in personal learning away from school? Do kids engage mostly in forms of entertainment (and now seek to entertain each other)? Do we automatically assume that it is "all good"; and therefore we must meet them on their playing field? While I am skeptical, and have no data that really drills into what they are doing while using technologies, I still would agree with Scott that schools need to be something different. I am just not sure it is because of simple abundance of technology in student's lives. While I tend to agree more with the generalizations than disagree about how school is like “down-shifting”, I do think we need more information about what kids really do when not at school.

The argument about “tasting honey” could easily have been held in the days when TV was king. When kids went home, they had rich access to video content from their tv. It would only stand to reason that we needed to make sure every kid had a tv at school – thereby making sure there was no downshift; provide that honey!

Now really, wouldn’t that have been silly?

Is it true that kids spend time motivated by engaging in personal learning away from school? Do kids engage mostly in forms of entertainment (and now seek to entertain each other)?

Do we automatically assume that it is “all good”; and therefore we must meet them on their playing field?

While I am skeptical, and have no data that really drills into what they are doing while using technologies, I still would agree with Scott that schools need to be something different. I am just not sure it is because of simple abundance of technology in student’s lives.

]]> By: John Hampton http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2009/02/a-taste-of-honey.html/comment-page-1#comment-11307 John Hampton Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000 http://annahein.com/2009/02/a-taste-of-honey.html#comment-11307 Hi Nancy, I teach first grade and the type of students I have vary from those that have computers and DSL and immediately complete anything I assign online to students with no toys that take things apart for entertainment. Most of my students own game systems, four wheelers, or even dirt bikes. I am competing against this type of entertainment for their attention. As a result, little value is placed on learning. When I look at my students, I have realized that I am teaching to 20 different minds. Consequently, I have been forced to differentiate my instruction vastly. At times, I will have ten groups with two students each assigned to tasks that engage and challenge them at the point of their need. This is a scheduling nightmare. Furthermore, our state is now posting all of the required teaching standards online with units already built along with performance activities that are supposed to show student learning. If all of my students had internet access at home and were provided guidance there, my job would be reduced to the role of a facilitator and babysitter. Technology does have its place in our classrooms but with mainstreaming and including special needs students along with regular education and gifted students, technology cannot be the only source of instruction delivery. Hi Nancy, I teach first grade and the type of students I have vary from those that have computers and DSL and immediately complete anything I assign online to students with no toys that take things apart for entertainment. Most of my students own game systems, four wheelers, or even dirt bikes. I am competing against this type of entertainment for their attention. As a result, little value is placed on learning. When I look at my students, I have realized that I am teaching to 20 different minds. Consequently, I have been forced to differentiate my instruction vastly. At times, I will have ten groups with two students each assigned to tasks that engage and challenge them at the point of their need. This is a scheduling nightmare. Furthermore, our state is now posting all of the required teaching standards online with units already built along with performance activities that are supposed to show student learning. If all of my students had internet access at home and were provided guidance there, my job would be reduced to the role of a facilitator and babysitter. Technology does have its place in our classrooms but with mainstreaming and including special needs students along with regular education and gifted students, technology cannot be the only source of instruction delivery.

]]> By: Neil Stephenson http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2009/02/a-taste-of-honey.html/comment-page-1#comment-11308 Neil Stephenson Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000 http://annahein.com/2009/02/a-taste-of-honey.html#comment-11308 I think it all comes down to the type of tasks we are asking students to engage in. I'm convinced that kids don't want glitz or technology in classroom just for the sake of technology. We need to be creating meaningful and authentic work for our kids - and mirror the way technology is being used in the world outside of our classrooms. I also agree that kids are often not making generative and productive use of technology outside out of classrooms - but are we as teachers opening up their eyes to the potential of technology? Are we inspiring them to participate, collaborate and create? You can find my humble contributions here: <a href="http://thinkinginmind.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">http://thinkinginmind.blogspot.com/</a> Thanks.. I think it all comes down to the type of tasks we are asking students to engage in. I’m convinced that kids don’t want glitz or technology in classroom just for the sake of technology. We need to be creating meaningful and authentic work for our kids – and mirror the way technology is being used in the world outside of our classrooms. I also agree that kids are often not making generative and productive use of technology outside out of classrooms – but are we as teachers opening up their eyes to the potential of technology? Are we inspiring them to participate, collaborate and create? You can find my humble contributions here: http://thinkinginmind.blogspot.com/ Thanks..

]]> By: Dave Keane http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2009/02/a-taste-of-honey.html/comment-page-1#comment-11309 Dave Keane Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000 http://annahein.com/2009/02/a-taste-of-honey.html#comment-11309 I think this is a very interesting thread. I see a great many of our students as passive consumers looking for entertainment and immediate gratification through the accumulation of points etc. I also see my children and their cousins activively engaged in quickly accessing information and passing this along to their friends, some of whom do not live in the area anymore, but are in constant communication with my children through technology. I think that we need a balance. WE need to spark student interest and creativity through the use of technology, but also be aware that at times the technology can become a distraction, in fact that is what much of today's technology is meant to be. It was created to allow us to escape from our everyday stresses. An example of this would be television, you can learn a great deal from T.V. but you have to be watching the right channels. I am not sure that Two and a Half Men would rate nearly as educational as those shows on the History Channel and Discovery Channel. I think this is a very interesting thread. I see a great many of our students as passive consumers looking for entertainment and immediate gratification through the accumulation of points etc. I also see my children and their cousins activively engaged in quickly accessing information and passing this along to their friends, some of whom do not live in the area anymore, but are in constant communication with my children through technology. I think that we need a balance. WE need to spark student interest and creativity through the use of technology, but also be aware that at times the technology can become a distraction, in fact that is what much of today’s technology is meant to be. It was created to allow us to escape from our everyday stresses. An example of this would be television, you can learn a great deal from T.V. but you have to be watching the right channels. I am not sure that Two and a Half Men would rate nearly as educational as those shows on the History Channel and Discovery Channel.

]]> By: Phil http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2009/02/a-taste-of-honey.html/comment-page-1#comment-11310 Phil Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000 http://annahein.com/2009/02/a-taste-of-honey.html#comment-11310 The general feeling I get from reading this post and comments is that most of us are not happy with a mass model of education. However, for a long time it was the only practical way of teaching to large groups. Ideally we would all like to have customized tuition, but in the past that was only reserved for the rich. I think we have all tasted the honey and see that technology may allow us to provide a more personalized, collaborative and directed education. A few of us are braving this new world, experimenting and feeling our way through the technology landscape to find the right balance, but it definitely isn't easy and often requires much more work on our part. Nevertheless, it is certainly more enriching and engages the students on their home ground. The general feeling I get from reading this post and comments is that most of us are not happy with a mass model of education. However, for a long time it was the only practical way of teaching to large groups. Ideally we would all like to have customized tuition, but in the past that was only reserved for the rich. I think we have all tasted the honey and see that technology may allow us to provide a more personalized, collaborative and directed education. A few of us are braving this new world, experimenting and feeling our way through the technology landscape to find the right balance, but it definitely isn’t easy and often requires much more work on our part. Nevertheless, it is certainly more enriching and engages the students on their home ground.

]]>