My Masters program was based on those three types of learning – self, community, teacher. The first year was very challenging as we are so conditioned to teacher-based learning. The experience changed me as a teacher, as a person.

It was an MA in Human Systems Intervention at Concordia University in Montreal.

If you’re reading and taking notes, isn’t that still “learning from” someone? Isn’t that still “social”, even though you’re not face to face with the author?

And the bike riding – perhaps that’s self reflection? Self assessment and self guided improvement? More in terms of a physical skill, as opposed to thought processes and self knowledge, but similar…

I’m thinking that the three types of network/learning I described could still fit the dimension you added, without adding a fourth category. What do you think?

Thanks for the push back, Brian!

And, as you point out, independent of titles or positions! I wonder how the business world will change as our kids move into it without the same preconceptions about hierarchy? Right now, traditional business complain about the “lack of respect” from this generation. But perhaps we’ll all learn to navigate that dynamic better over time?

Thanks for your comment!

This includes our personal reflection, which often requires the variety of “imperfect mirrors” that our human community provides. This is the advantage of, say, blogging a concept before writing an article – the process of “talking to yourself in front of an audience” has great advantages.

What I find even more exciting is diigo educator account:
http://help.diigo.com/Diigo_Educator_Account

Cheers:-)

Now what about creating an environment where kids will engage with each other? How do we get them interested in connecting & learning about each other?

What if we got schools from all over the world to connect with the purpose of learning about each other? Could we get teachers to use such a site for a class assignment? What would that look like?

I’m thinking about something like the “penpal” projects we used to do in elementary school. I had a penpal in England. We would tell each other stories, ask questions, talk about our families, etc…

How do we use technology and social media ideas to remove the limitation of pen & paper, snail mail, etc…? What if they could be more interactive – commenting on each others’ blogs or poems? What if they could post their artwork or photography? What if they could search for other kids with the same interests? Or what if they could browse through profiles of kids that are quite different than themselves – perhaps in a very different part of the world, different culture, different beliefs.

Kids connecting, learning about each other, learning to appreciate differences, getting curious about how other people live or what other people think.

I think it could be really powerful!

Thanks for stopping by!!
Heidi

I’d get parents (and teachers & concerned adults) online with their kids. Even if a kid-only internet existed, the real internet still won’t go away and kids will need to learn how to navigate it safely.

Do you let a 7 year old play in a park out of sight from you, or do you keep them within your sight? Do you ask your 14 year-old where they are going, who they are with, etc.? Do you meet the parents of your child’s friend before a sleepover? Well then you should know where they visit online too. Your kid should know that you have a right, and a responsibility, to know what they do online.

…and as they get older?

We trust a 16yr old with a car, but protect them from the ‘grown-up’ internet? Hmmm… That said, when a kid learns to drive we have graduated licenses with more restrictions early on… that sounds like a good plan with the internet too.

I think Scott is right that it is legitimate for leaders at all levels to set expectations for our teams. So, if we believe that the world of the 21st century is different than the last century, if we feel the kids have changed, that literacies have changed, and that the tools of work and learning have changed. I believe it is important to create the expectation that what goes on in classrooms should reflect the best of those changes, also.

In addition, (not either/or) I believe we need to have revolutionary new staff development programs that focus on opening teachers so they are more present and connected to their students, so that we don’t let our personalities get in the way of their learning.

These programs can re-inspire even the most jaded educators. In my experience, if you get just below the surface with most teachers, you’ll find a deep passion for service, professionalism, and doing what’s best for kids.

It’s our job to create programs that are not just focused on technology, curriculum, and pedagogy; but focus on developing the human beings that spend most of their lives interacting with our children.

pete