Global EdTech

The Future of Education – 21st Century Learning – Redesigning our Schools

All of these are phrases being heard in the Ed Tech world…globally. The Xi Hu conference on 21st century learning in China, The Education Project in Bahrain, Global Learn Asia 2010′s Global Conference on Learning and Technology, Google’s Breakthrough Learning in a Digital Age…just a few of the conferences and forums being held around the world as we all rethink education, the use of technology for teaching and learning, global connections and collaborations, and 21st century skills.

What are the common themes being discussed at these conferences? And, once the discussions have taken place, presentations have been given, and connections have been made, what action plans are developed to inspire and assure the redesign and change that is needed in our schools today? Oh, and what will “schools” even look like in the future? Ahhh….so much to think about, so much to do, so little time!

Change at any time is difficult. In this case, the case of education, it is more than difficult. It is critical. We cannot continue to educate our students and prepare them fully for their future if we continue to utilize the methods that were implemented when we were in school. And, it is difficult to affect change when our accountability for a student’s success lies in state test scores.

So, the ideas and thoughts and dreams for the schools of the future are all there. Conferences are being held, committees are meeting, ideas are being shared, and partnerships are being formed. But, what is our action plan? How will we truly make change happen?

It starts today. It starts with each of us. And, our collaborative, collective actions can and will make a difference. But, as we all continue to meet and discuss and plan, let’s not forget the action part of this. Let’s leave our conferences and our meetings with firm plans for how to take the first steps of many that truly will make a difference. And, after those steps, we’ll take a few more…and a few more…and yet a few more. But, we will, indeed, succeed in leveraging technology to enhance teaching and learning and affect real change in our education system as long as we remember to keep our actions at the forefront.

Wow! Change is hard! And, when you work in the field of education, it can be really hard! But, when you see the rapid ways that technology and the Internet are changing, then we are obligated to not only adapt and change personally, but to also make changes professionally. It is our duty to engage these 21st century learners with meaningful instruction, resources, and projects that truly relate to the changing world of today and their future (as best we can predict it).

I love many of the quotes from Seth Godin’s book “Tribes” that Will Richardson shares in his blog post today (January 22, 2009). It is as if we are hearing John Dewey’s words in a new way.

Dewey’s quote “If we teach today as we taught yesterday, we rob our children of tomorrow” can be directly related to Godin’s quote “When the world changes, the rules change. If you insist on playing today’s games by yesterday’s rules, you’re stuck.” One problem is that with technology, the world and the rules are changing at an amazing speed! How do we, as educators, sort through all of the changes and determine the best ways to utilize these changing resources with our students? We can’t afford to remain stagnant. We can’t “teach today as we taught yesterday” and adequately prepare our students for a life in the future. 

We must redesign education because the future is already being redesigned every day! “The classroom of tomorrow can’t be our parents’ classroom” if we are to successfully send our students out into the world of tomorrow.

We must keep learning. We must read, research, and engage these technologies ourselves so we can understand them and apply them both personally and professionally. Once you truly do that, it is an exciting journey of discovery and learning! If only we had more time in our days, weeks, and months. So much to learn, so little time! How do we decide what and who should comprise our “PLN” (Personal Learning Network)? And, how do we help to create PLN’s for our students that will educate them…all the while being sure that they are digitally literate and can accurately evaluate the plethora of information that exists on the Internet today? And, how will we assess students’ learning outcomes within the constructs of the new instructional strategies and pedagogy?

There are no easy answers to all of these questions. At least, the quantitative data is hard to find. But, the anecdotal, qualitative results are so easy to see by those of us who are actively engaged in harnessing the power of the Internet, web 2.0, new technologies, and PLN’s to help students learn at much deeper, complex levels. Students actively design their learning process. They are publishers of content, sharing what they learn and know. Their work is meaningful and authentic. And, “Wow,” they are making a REAL difference in the world!

So, after reading these ramblings, think about how YOU learn. What is engaging you? What excites you to really grab hold of knowledge and do something with it…and share it with the world? And, how are you teaching your kids today? Are you teaching them in ways that are meaningful and active and engaging?

Okay, you can’t “do it all.” But start with yourself. Start by doing one new thing. Teach using one new strategy that engages students in the ways they really learn. Celebrate your successes. Learn from your failures. Take risks. And…yes…scary as it is…embrace change!

I am often presenting keynote speeches and workshops on global education. I now have about twenty different versions of a global ed presentation on my laptop. Change is good, but sometimes it is hard to keep up!

In past global ed presentations, I have quickly shown several excellent online resources for projects, partners, and ideas related to global education. I always seem to run out of time when I get to this part, yet it is one that the audience is hungry to see and hear. So, in an effort to be more efficient in my training sessions, I have created a wiki for “Global Ed Resources.” I have a del.icio.us account at julener that has websites tagged with “global.” Yet, I felt that just wasn’t quite the most beneficial resource for educators to visit and revisit.

So, welcome to the launch of the “GlobalEd Resources” wiki. I have created topic sections in an effort to guide visitors to the site to the links that best match what they want to find. I hope you will find this efficient and of benefit. I’d love for you to post suggestions, add other resources, etc. in the comments here so I can keep this resource updated. It is not intended to be a full compilation of resources, but more a “best of the best” to make it easy for educators to quickly find quality resources, then move forward with great projects.

Welcome to the journey! It’s a great ride.

I continue to be impressed…amazed even…by the power of youth today. I am constantly meeting and working with youth who are actively involved in global issues and making a real difference in the world because of their involvement. No, not all youth are so driven or have a global vision. But, for the those who do, the possibilities to really impact change are without limit.

Take Manoj Gautam of Nepal, for example. This young man of about twenty-one is a Roots & Shoots leader in Nepal. Manoj rescues endangered animals (he is currently raising a cougar and helping a bear, but he also works with vultures, dogs, snakes…he is a real Dr. Doolittle!), he educates youth about environmental concerns, he helps provide educational opprotunities for youth, he works to stop child slave labor in Nepal, and he is constantly involved in environmental issues. While Nepal has been politically volatile the past few years, Manoj continues to work to gain the support of the government for his efforts. So, what have you done today?

Then there is Jessica Rimington. Jessica took a gap year between high school and college to start the One World Youth Project, an organization of youth who travel the world to promote cultural understanding and global collaboration between youth in all parts of the world. Jessica is now a student at Georgetown University, but during her gap year she traveled to remote areas of Africa and South America organizing youth to participate in the One World Youth Project…sometimes alone or with another young girl. That, alone, takes great courage and a lot of determination! Jessica sees the world through lenses that most of us don’t have, and the work she has already done at her young age is amazing! By the way, did I mention that she has spoken at the United Nations? So, what have you done today?

In both of these cases, it is interesting to see how the use of technology has also enhanced the efforts being made. Manoj sent me video and photos that were used to create a documentary on child slave labor in Nepal. He has started a blog to share information about the work he is doing. And, he is holding meetings in Nepal where he is able to project photos on the sides of buildings using a laptop and LCD projector to share his message. Jessica has a website that is used for communication, collaboration, curriculum, and much more. And, each of the participating youth groups has created a brief video that highlights students talking about their country and their culture. E-mail is, for both of these youth, critical to the relationships they are forming and the work they are doing. With the ease of today’s communication through technology, youth today are more empowered than ever to make a difference.

Both Manoj and Jessica were my houseguests a couple of months ago. Manoj stayed with me for a few days and worked with the students at St. George’s Independent School – teaching them about conservation, animal rescue, endangered species, Hinduism, and much, much more. Jessica attended a global conference that was held in Memphis in conjunction with the celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life on the anniversary of his death. At that “green” conference, she filled her mind with even more ways to change the world…and she developed a new network of friends with whom to do it. Relationships are, after all, the key part of so much of what we do. I was once again totally blown away by the passion in these young, but very wise, individuals. Their passion is contagious, and their energy creates more energy. They are a gift in my life.

And, reflecting back even further, another gift I have received is from a former Tanzanian student named Nsaa-Iya Kihunwra (second from the left in the phtoo) who visited me several times when he was pursuing his Master’s degree at Stetson University. During his visits, NK spent his time working with students at St. George’s and teaching us all about life in Africa, environmentalism, animal rescue, Swahili, and even art (“NK” is a great artist). We also taught NK something…how to play basketball! NK was a member of the very first Roots & Shoots group in Tanzania, and he has been actively involved in efforts there for many years. Nsaa-Iya is now married and the father of two young girls. He was recently hired as the National Coordinator for Roots & Shoots in Tanzania, and is starting a new chapter in his life, one in which his strengths will lead him to continue to do great things. What have you done today?

Well, we may not all be young and ready to take on the world at the level these amazing three have done, but we can each make a difference in some way. Whether locally or globally, one person at a time, one thing at a time, we can effect change in the world. What problems do you see that you could help remedy? What issues exist in your community? Start locally, then grow globally. What global issues most concern you? Find something that interests you…hopefully, something you are passionate about…and in the words of the band, the Eagles, “Do something!”

One of Dr. Jane Goodall’s favorite quotes is, “Every individual matters. Every individual has a role to play. Every individual makes a difference.” I believe that, and I hope that if someone were to ask you, “What have you done today?” – you would have an answer…and a really good one!

So, I embark on another journey to Tanzania on June 3rd to work with Nsaa-Iya and his family and Roots & Shoots leaders in that country. My fellow traveler is a former student, Charlie Crawford. Our hope is that when we return, we will be able, when asked, to tell everyone what WE did during our trip…and that it will be a very, very long answer. Ah, the power of youth can, indeed, be ours…if we choose to make a difference and do something.

Evidently there is some confusion among even knowledgeable technology educators regarding the basic differences between Web 2.0 and Internet2. We hear so much about Web 2.0, social networking, the read/write web, and everything associated with it that when many of us hear “Internet2,” we immediately translate it to “Web 2.0″ in our heads. But, alas, they are not one and the same. I am in no way an expert on all things technology or Internet or web, but I do think it is important to know the difference between these two terms.

So, what follows here is a quick and basic explanation/description of these two terms. And, yes, I am certain there will be some who disagree and see these in a different light, so please comment and share your thoughts and ideas!

Tim O’Reilly gives this compact definition of web 2.0: “Web 2.0 is the network as platform, spanning all connected devices; Web 2.0 applications are those that make the most of the intrinsic advantages of that platform: delivering software as a continually-updated service that gets better the more people use it, consuming and remixing data from multiple sources, including individual users, while providing their own data and services in a form that allows remixing by others, creating network effects through an “architecture of participation,” and going beyond the page metaphor of Web 1.0 to deliver rich user experiences.”

Web 2.0 includes a variety of applications such as Facebook, Flickr, Ning, MySpace, Second Life, blogs, wikis, etc. The way we use the Internet today with social networking and the democratization of content creation is what has comprised this new digital frontier.

Internet2, on the other hand, is a higher bandwidth, higher performance physical network that is used primarily by a group of universities and colleges for research and videoconferencing. Public libraries are beginning to tap into this “super network.” The state of California is doing great things in the educational realm with Internet2. The clarity of videoconferences conducted over Internet2 is excellent.

On the Internet2 website, the following information is given:

“Internet2 is the foremost U.S. advanced networking consortium. Led by the research and education community since 1996, Internet2 promotes the missions of its members by providing both leading-edge network capabilities and unique partnership opportunities that together facilitate the development, deployment and use of revolutionary Internet technologies.

By bringing research and academia together with technology leaders from industry, government and the international community, Internet2 promotes collaboration and innovation that has a fundamental impact on the future of the Internet.”

Michael Stephens has a post on his blog, “Tame the Web: Libraries and Technology,” that discusses the differences between Internet2 and Web 2.0 in a very concise manner.

So, the next time you hear “Internet2″ or read about it, hopefully you will now know that it is not synonymous with “Web 2.0,” and you will have a basic understanding of the differences between the two. And, yes, it does make sense that Web 2.0 applications could use Internet2…at least it did make sense before I started this whole discussion.  

More resources on this topic can be found on my delicious account using the following URL: http://del.icio.us/julener/internet2

I have considered a blog for quite some time, but I always wondered who would read it and who would care. Well, here I am, and we shall see!

To be a credible presence in the field of educational technology in the world of the Read/Write web (web 2.0), one needs be networked, they need to be participants in the “culture,” and they need to publish and create. So, I am creating and publishing in lots of different ways, and this blog is yet one more way to share and communicate. Let me begin with a brief conversation about my interests and passions that have led me on the path to where I am.

My interests are ever-changing. I am always learning, and I am always trying to grow. But, my primary professional passions remain constant.

I am passionate about the incredible benefits that technology can provide for teaching and learning. I see it every day, and I love to share the message with other educators around the world.

I am also passionate about global education and making a difference in this world. My passion here comes from a long connection with Dr. Jane Goodall who helped me to see the world through different eyes. My perspective is always growing and always changing, but the world I see is one I in which I am passionate to make a difference.

The connection of these two passions has always been easy for me. Technology enables global communication and collaboration. It helps to connect people from different countries and different cultures, and relationships are created and nurtured.

I am very fortunate that I love doing what I do. And, I have wonderful opportunities to share my passions with other people around the world. I am an Apple Distinguished Educator, which allows me to travel, give presentations, conduct workshops, and write curriculum for education. I am a Roots & Shoots leader (Jane Goodall’s educational outreach organization) and am on their advisory council, which allows me to work with people around the world who are doing amazing things.

I have other interests and passions as well, but those are for another day, another blog. I have taken the big “leap” now, and off we all go. And, oh yeah, we’ll see “who will read it and who will care.”

So, what drives you? What passions have led you on the path to where you are? I’d love to hear your story. And so it begins…