active learning/teaching at the 7000 level

From: Barb Stuart (bstuart@uswest.net)
Date: Wed Jul 11 2001 - 12:38:20 PDT


Dear Mike et al
(long post)

I am trying to write a paper about integrating technology into the classroom,
through developing communities (learners/knowledge builders/practice). To do
this, I re-read a lot of literature where researcher's talk about integration
doesn't inform me about the activities, or creating community or what the
environment is like where this work is to take place.

Then, recently I've taken a number of courses at the *7000* grad level which
always seem involved in investigating breakdowns or critiquing methods for tech
integration. At one university presentation, I praised a grad student for making
his remarks so accessible. He looked at me suspiciously and told me that they
don't often hear praise in the environment. Sometimes here at XMCA I learn a
little more about the academic environment and I wonder if creating the ZonePD
can be framed in other language than critiquing or breakdowns? (failure?)

Finally, the research I'm reading seems to be about Middle Schoolers or
elementary students.

My questions really have to do with how one creates an environment as a teacher
which fosters or engenders enthusiastic collaborative learning. I think I read
here some time ago about work that Eugene and Barbara Rogoff did videotaping the
classroom and some of the subtle and not so subtle inhibitors of a collaborative
environment. (Apologies if I misunderstood)

I am working with MBAs, many of whom are brilliant international students and
would like to create authentic assignments, authentic assessments, and very
active learning *environments*. I have unbelieveable technology which supports
my classrooms. Now I am looking for info on how to make these supports part of
the way I construct my classroom activities, and part of the way that students
learn, something beyond powerPt..

> Much of the literature I read talks about
> "talking head" teachers in the classroom, didactic lecture etc. and it
> seems that a lot of research involves looking at Middle schoolers rather
> than looking at the 7000 classes where I find myself, (wishing I were
> involved in authentic, active learning).

By this I mean that it seems to me that the lit identifies that talking heads and
didactic lecture are not good, but I often am reading this literature in a
classroom which presents these readings within a didactic, talking head mode -
sort of talking about activity theory or ZPD rather than teaching about activity
theory *through* activity theory.

so thank you for letting me think out loud, and inviting me to say more. I've
amassed a considerable file of articles, reports and papers from conferences,
chapters from books and so on, and am really looking for more focus for me as a
teacher. My copy of Cult Psych is battered and tattered from frequent
re-readings. Thanks for all you do.

Barb



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