Global Learner Training and Other Thoughts

I absolutely agree with the other global learners who posted that this was an excellent training. I feel like I have had my eyes open to many things. For example, I had heard the term "skype" before but now I hear it everywhere and actually know what it means. Oprah used skype today to talk to a doctor on her show.

Here is a link to my wiki with notes from the training. http://christinelmac.wikispaces.com/ Dorothy Lo also took some excellent notes, which she posted on the adams14schools google docs.

What continues to blow my mind is the idea that students now in the digital age can do a multitude of things at the same time and also process them all. I am a one track kind of person, I can have many projects going at once but I can only really give my attention to one thing at a time. This revelation that students can divide their attention better than me is making me rethink how I know if a student is engaged.

On this same tangent, I remember a story from npr where a professor banned the use of laptops in his classroom http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/06/AR2007040601544.html
I remember when I first heard this I thought, "I can see where this guy is coming from," and now that I have this insight about today's students I feel sorry for him. He could have harnessed this power for good instead of just having them close their computers.

a reflection...

WOW! What an intensive yet entertaining workshop! These three days have helped set a new direction for my teaching. I want to thank all of you since I learned from each of you. Special thanks to Joe and Dave, as well as the veteran global learners. This has been one of the (if not THE) best educational opportunities that I have participated in my 16 years in SD14. Best of luck to all of you, see you this summer in cyberspace! Doug