As a result of the education in the 70´s I became aware of the importance of freedom in education. I believe that teachers are instruments for freedom since we are killing the most unfair enemy: ignorance. Teacher role has to be as a facilitator and worker in developing a learning process that will guide students outside their chairs, and liberating their minds.
Online education is a challenge for me. Not only trying to catching up with the technology and its development but because I try to connect Freire´s principles with the tools young learners have nowadays.
Thanks Margie,
ResponderEliminarwell, right now I have lots of questions and I feel like I have lots of spinning wheels in my mind. I am trying to connect the principles I believe in: Freire´s with the online education.
I strongly believe that feedback will be the hey element. But we also need the self discipline that Margarita mentions in his blog, and other good habits in our students.
Spinning wheels still rolling
You’re completely right, we are going to need patience, kindness and to provide learners with constant feedback and encouragement if we are to make them feel comfortable while learning through a virtual environment; hence the necessity to master these new tools. But they’re just that: new tools to share your experience, your knowledge with your students (the board was a new tool once, too). What matters, what’s essential, you already have it. Lots of it. So worry not!!! :-)
ResponderEliminarPatience is something that we as educators obviously have.However ,how do we know if digital natives are going to be patience with us!!! Learning and using new tools is something is a process like everything in life. Let´s rid of fears and break barriers!!)_
ResponderEliminarLiberty in education....interesting...what exactly does it mean? I think it could be in terms of content, not just learning about what liberty means in theory and practice but also, having the liberty to choose what one learns about, thereby ideally giving people the opportunity to learn things that are truly of interest to them. And if the course is online, it also give the student more freedom in terms of when they sign on and engage in the course. Of course, liberty in learning will also bring challenges in terms of changing the mental models of teachers and educational institutions: teachers as facilitators, doing way with standardized testing, and allowing for construction of new knowledge.
ResponderEliminarExactly!!!!
ResponderEliminarFreedom to the student and for the student to make individual choices.
But, I also keep in mind the freedom that education gives you. As long as you learn and acquire knowledge don´t we all feel free to comment?, or to participate in a discussion?, online or face to face.
I am also thinking in the shy students, the ones do not like to participate. Computers and online courses, classes or hwks will give them the opportunity to speak with their writing.
yes, educational institutions will need to shift in their own procedures, and approaches.
The quality of learning freely will be better if students learn to ask essential questions and it is hard to guide students to ask good questions.
ResponderEliminar