Author: abendelow
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"Long live rock!" sang the Who in 1972
when rock music was starting to take over the popular culture. Now, in 2009 as internet-based social networks are starting to take over the global culture, I want to sing “Long live the Web!” and champion the connected, cooperative future of mankind possible therein–socially-produced content and a collaborative spirit that transcends nationality and holds promise…
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Among his other "firsts," Obama can point to a more wireless democracy
We all know how his Facebook page (where he’s my friend), twitter posts, youtube videos and coordinated email-mobilizing got him elected. The same tools have begun making government more instantly available to the people–the people it is supposed to serve. Hail to the chief for that, at least. This article by Anil Dash in the…
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An argument for cell phones in schools, starting now!
Thanks to fellow Google teacher Juliette LaMontagne, who posted this down-to-earth rationale for adopting cell phones asap. One of the things I trust about her approach is its stress on practicality, on dealing with the learning tools already in the hands of students. Why wait to develop this nearly ubiquitous “portal to learning”? She writes,…
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In Iowa, a high school sees the function in Facebook
An enlightened view that I have suggested in this blog–that instead of banning it and fleeing from it, we might use the communication tools already in our teens’ hands, and look at it less suspiciously.
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Multiple Intelligences need to be considered
in curricular design. And by that I mean the multiple intelligences of the learners and the curriculum designers. The theory of multiple intelligences put forth by Howard Gardner (1983) has been generally accepted by educators as a more accurate portrayal of human intelligence than the traditional, general intelligence theorized by proponents of the Stanford-Binet and…
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Knowing "how" and knowing "that"
In a robust curriculum, one finds at least two sorts of planned lessons: one that teaches students how to do something (process) and another that teaches them to express their content knowledge in un-prescribed, open-ended ways (expressive activities). In an English classroom, the writing process may be explicitly taught, so that students can express their…
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A Dewey-an, Progressive "Philosophy of Education"
The aim of education is to enable individuals to continue their education … (and) the object and reward of learning is continued capacity for growth.” –John Dewey What makes Homo sapiens sapiens distinct is the capacities of their relatively large brains. It is on nurturing the healthy growth and maximizing the productive potential of our…
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The President of the USA wants to talk to the students of the USA
And that’s causing all sorts of furor? I think I can explain this. Let us suppose that the initial lesson plan for following Barack’s speech tomorrow, the lesson plan that Arne Duncan said was “poorly worded” and that many Americans have reacted to so negatively, were still there. In that case, after hearing what is…
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So, I'm finally getting the chance to take a "blended" class
and so far, so mandatory. But that’s not a bad thing, necessarily. I bet that I learn a lot. My expectations were for something more exotic, I guess, but our prof had a lot to impart in a little time, it being only one of three occasions that would find the entire 12-strong class together.…
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Take heed, classroom teacher
Your days are numbered. One can see the evidence accumulate. This article in the NY Times backs up what Don Tapscott (1998) and this post of mine (and this, and this)have noted earlier: online learning may not merely be a substitute for, but actually superior to, conventional classroom education. The article says that it is…
The Wikiness 