This course is increasing my ability to keep up with my students and meet them on their own turf. In an age where new information and innovative ideas are constantly being fed to our learners, our learners are becoming more spontaneous and accepting of diversity.
In the past, our Elders and parents were our first educators and our knowledge was very limited but also valid and practical for our communities and quality of life. Through technology, we can extend our learning due to having more sources of learning and add to this source of knowledge. Technology will allow us to contribute wisdom as well as knowledge and skills to the rest of the world.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
To Construct and to Connect Construction that is the Answer!
Wow! I am just amazed at how this course and its contents have validated the way I teach, especially as an Indigenous educator, and how I can co-learn through cyber space. It has enhanced my ability to co-construct knowledge through technology, reflect, and share knowledge. I believe that knowledge is constructed through interaction and listening to others.
The opportunity to read and interact with my classmates’ blogs has significantly enhanced my level of understanding of this course. Technology and the use of wikis and blogs has given me and endless array of cyber critical friends. My students now also have this potential.
The opportunity to read and interact with my classmates’ blogs has significantly enhanced my level of understanding of this course. Technology and the use of wikis and blogs has given me and endless array of cyber critical friends. My students now also have this potential.
Connecting My Learning
My participatory action research is raising the level of awareness in my community regarding the importance of literacy. Through this course, I have come to appreciate digital storytelling and the use of technology to share my Aboriginal ways of learning and knowing. Digital story telling, for example, is an extremely effective means of giving a voice to Indigenous peoples, especially our Elders, and extending our reach into the world in general.
By helping Indigenous educators to use technology, we have the ability to develop an appreciation of Indigenous as well as non- Indigenous ways of learning and the sources of this knowledge.
In learning more about constructivism and connectivism, I came across a related concept, which is axiology, i.e., “the study of the nature, types, and criteria of values and of value judgments especially in ethics” (Meeriam-Webster Online
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/axiology). This new concept is highly related to the concepts of epistemology and ontology and all three of these concepts are integrally related to Indigenous knowledge and ways of knowing and doing and the way I teach.
This course has not only reinforced my ways of teaching, but has enhanced my ability to learn and share knowledge interactively. Using technology significantly enhances the diversity of knowledge and sources of knowledge available to my learners, which adds to their ability to construct, especially co-construct knowledge.
By helping Indigenous educators to use technology, we have the ability to develop an appreciation of Indigenous as well as non- Indigenous ways of learning and the sources of this knowledge.
In learning more about constructivism and connectivism, I came across a related concept, which is axiology, i.e., “the study of the nature, types, and criteria of values and of value judgments especially in ethics” (Meeriam-Webster Online
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/axiology). This new concept is highly related to the concepts of epistemology and ontology and all three of these concepts are integrally related to Indigenous knowledge and ways of knowing and doing and the way I teach.
This course has not only reinforced my ways of teaching, but has enhanced my ability to learn and share knowledge interactively. Using technology significantly enhances the diversity of knowledge and sources of knowledge available to my learners, which adds to their ability to construct, especially co-construct knowledge.
My Learning Beliefs
Examining the Foundation- Where Are You Now?
My present beliefs about how learning takes place is as follow. When there is interaction, respect, shared learning, and when you can be the person that you want to be, learning is at its best. All these elements of learning will produce self-confidence, a respect for another person’s beliefs, and an openness to learning from one another.
I firmly believe that teaching should embrace a participatory, appreciative, empowering, and community based learning approach. I find that this approach to learning is well suited to our community in that it is an inherent part of the Indigenous way of life in Canada. In the past, knowledge was passed down to Youth from Elders and other adults in the community. Learning was experiential, hands on, and relevant to the children’s lives and their communities.
My current uses of technology are very limited. It is only through the community-based master’s program that I am being exposed to all the creative things we can do to incorporate technology into our efforts to produce higher-level achievers. As I mentioned in other postings, the potential for students, parents and the community to communicate with each other and partake in our learning is going to be more effective as a result and will better suit the new generation of a technological society.
My beliefs are that we need to make students enjoy what they are learning and make learning appropriate for our culture. I believe that if we use technology to enhance communication with the parents, community and other professional learning communities we would have a broader range of opportunities for our children to learn. Our learners would be more exposed to community-based education that extends well beyond just opening up our classrooms to the community. It would truly enable the whole community and its learners to collaborate in the learning process. I would say in my community we are well on our way to expanding our boarders in regards to teaching with technology.
My present beliefs about how learning takes place is as follow. When there is interaction, respect, shared learning, and when you can be the person that you want to be, learning is at its best. All these elements of learning will produce self-confidence, a respect for another person’s beliefs, and an openness to learning from one another.
I firmly believe that teaching should embrace a participatory, appreciative, empowering, and community based learning approach. I find that this approach to learning is well suited to our community in that it is an inherent part of the Indigenous way of life in Canada. In the past, knowledge was passed down to Youth from Elders and other adults in the community. Learning was experiential, hands on, and relevant to the children’s lives and their communities.
My current uses of technology are very limited. It is only through the community-based master’s program that I am being exposed to all the creative things we can do to incorporate technology into our efforts to produce higher-level achievers. As I mentioned in other postings, the potential for students, parents and the community to communicate with each other and partake in our learning is going to be more effective as a result and will better suit the new generation of a technological society.
My beliefs are that we need to make students enjoy what they are learning and make learning appropriate for our culture. I believe that if we use technology to enhance communication with the parents, community and other professional learning communities we would have a broader range of opportunities for our children to learn. Our learners would be more exposed to community-based education that extends well beyond just opening up our classrooms to the community. It would truly enable the whole community and its learners to collaborate in the learning process. I would say in my community we are well on our way to expanding our boarders in regards to teaching with technology.
Monday, January 19, 2009
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