Digital Pioneers and Links of Interest

Kathy asks: Immigrant or pioneer? - NeverEndingSearch - Blog on School Library Journal

Kathy asks: Immigrant or pioneer?

I read this on Joyce Valenza's blog. It appeared several postings ago. However, she and Kathy Shcrock responded to something which everyone has read in the 1st CFF course we had. It's the"Digital Native vs the Digital Immigrant". I agree with Kathy Schrock's point of view on this concerning those who have been cognizant of the continual digital changing landscape for education. Joyce Valenza's original post rebutted some of Marc Prensky's "Digital Native vs the Digital Immigrant" and his idea that we must "engage me or enrage me(the student)" point of view about how they learn through gaming and all things digital. Kathy Schrock refers to some of us as being "Digital pioneers." I think I fall into that category. I haven't quite gone to the full avatar in SecondLife as you see in Kathy's video. I do have a SecondLife avatar but I've never taken the time to use the avatar in the way she has done here. Afterall, you do need a real reason/purpose for doing that. Using all of our digital tools at hand requires judicious thought about when and where to do this. This certainly is one of our tasks for Social Studies teachers. The mini video might give some of us the idea to try it or pass it on to our students so they know that this is out there for them to show their understanding and learning to us in a creative fashion. To create is the top of the 'new Blooms taxonomy' Rob Holmes gave us in the binders. Check out the video and maybe even Joyce Valenza's original response to Prensky (Prensky's Immigrant vs. native) She echoes my thoughts and sentiments which I've expressed to a number of you.

Links of Interest

Create, Express, Learn with Primary Source Material

K12 Online Conference 2008 - Prove It - "Student Creation of Digital Documentaries in History Classrooms: Research Findings"

Voicethread - If you haven't seen how this works and how you could use it with your students, check it out. Accounts on Voicethread are free. I've had one since 2007.

Educause - An interesting link that looks at trends in Education and the technology that is impacting it. They do a report every year and choose 7 items you should be aware of. They give you a brief overview of why they are important (seemingly) technologies that we should be aware of. Click the tab with the year 2008.

Screen Toaster - This is a Web 2.0 technology (in the Clouds) that allows you to record anything that is on your computer's screen. Windows, Mac, Linux it doesn't matter.


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