Inspiration from the Cloud

 

Sugata Mitra had very intriguing findings from his research of placing computers around the world to see what kind of learning would happen. In his Ted Talk, Build a School in the Cloud, he takes his research findings and has the extreme and radical idea to do exactly that. I think this could be a great idea for remote areas who do not have physical schools to learn in, current technology and educators. I do not like the idea of removing the human element of learning with the supportive granny via video. Connecting his ideas to what can be used to improve teaching would be presenting a central question students would enjoy investigating, providing encouragement and positive feedback and using technology to investigate the answers.

In the online learning environment, I can see how providing a central question or topic that is interesting to students will shift learning to be more intrinsic and motivating than the model we have now in education. Regarding students as naturally curious and allowing them time and space during class to follow their hearts and interests will ultimately develop the lifelong learners I aim to in my work. Combining this within our current CCSS framework remains the huge dilemma for my work. The questions they explore must ensure their curiosity leads them to 7th grade math standards so that narrows the questions down by a significant amount. Combine this with something that interests the 7th grader themselves and this space seems mutually exclusive, or at least illusive to me of what that space is.

Positioning myself in the role of encouragement, motivation and providing genuine “awe” of their progress is something I completely identify as being essential and this is something I assimilate into my work with ease. In the background of every math lesson we explore together, I am there cheering them on whether they believe in themselves or not. Actually, I am there especially in the moments they do not believe in themselves, as this is when I want to remind them that they are not alone in the “dark nights of math” where all seems lost and mysterious. Last year when we were full distance, I was the “granny” on the screen like Mitra described in his Ted Talk and I know the students could feel my genuine care and concern for them, as individuals, in this learning process.

Using technology to investigate their answers and using tech in a responsible literate way needs to be taught and embraced. As Turkle described, technology provides us with an opportunity to make the change that our lives, community and planet really needs us to. Wesch leans in and advocates that it can be used to make us more connected for that change as he showed us with his 500 student lecture halls becoming small groups divided by the map on the floor to discover their own significance together.

Lastly, the mention that Mitra makes about our reptilian part of the brain that shuts down other parts of the brain when stressed and how our testing shuts down due to this human wiring. This means creativity, passion, and free thinking can be made completely unavailable to a student as soon as we bring in a stressful environment. This makes me rethink grading in our classrooms like Wesch described, the value we place on discovery and learning in our classrooms and the community itself that we build intentionally together.