AU Blogspot

                    Thanks to Olivia for permission to use this Photo. 

George Siemens is acknowledged as being one of the most innovative minds in the education field.  Through his groundbreaking analyses of how educators can use technology to their advantage rather than fearing its’ radical capabilities, Siemens has had a major impact on how teachers, students, and just about anyone involved in the education field perceives how our traditional learning models must evolve in order to effectively provide the knowledge and skills most vital in tomorrow’s “connected” world.  In the following slideshow presentation, Siemens outlines some of his main thoughts on what tomorrow may look like if we begin taking the necessary steps to reform our educational system today.  This presentation is a solid introduction to George’s theories.  We’d like to thank him for being an Ashworth University contributing blogger and would like to encourage everyone to check out his amazing elearnspace Blog.  Thanks George!

Ryan Rode
Interactive Services Manager
Ashworth University

 
             Thanks to Chunyang Lin for permission to use this Photo.

In the spirit of this blog’s commitment to providing home school parents with the most comprehensive information on today’s social media/educational technologies, we’d like to bring your attention to another series of instructional yet entertaining series of videos.  Principally developed to train librarians on the web’s most popular 2.0 resources, the “Learn More” video series serves as an excellent primer for people new to these resources, but who are eager to learn.  Click here to check out these great videos for yourself.  As you begin gaining knowledge and experience working with them, drop in for a few minutes to share your comments with our home school community. 

Ryan Rode
Interactive Services Manager
Ashworth University

 
               Thanks to Kafkaesque for permission to use this Photo.

Forbes magazine recently featured a commentary piece by Bill Gates on expanding educational opportunities.  Gates speaks very candidly about his concerns for education– which include a lack of skills based training, a shortage of qualified teachers, and his overarching belief that our education model/system suffers from what he terms a “problem of scale.”  Fortunately, Gates’ feels confident that technology and all its’ potential applications can be the most effective tool in balancing issues of scale.  Many of us often overlook the philanthropic contributions of the world’s richest man.  We must note that he has literally invested billions of dollars in educational incentive programs.  Let us know what you think about Gates’ prescription for change.  You may be surprised how inspiring his vision for education turns out to be.

Ryan Rode
Interactive Services Manager
Ashworth University

               Thanks to Jason V for permission to use this Photo.

I like John Connell’s statement in Our Duty to Protect through Education: “how do we teach our young people to make responsible use of the web tools and resources at their disposal if we are completely unable to access them in school?”

I fully understand and respect the need for security in schools.  

But, as John indicates, schools are about preparing people for the world…not protecting them from the world. My children are currently “blog-less” in school, which is to be expected as we are still in the early stages of a hype cycle (actually, we are well past the early stages in my eyes, but classroom reality suggests otherwise).  

While still young, they realize that access has been removed. (more…)

                  Thanks to Alex D for permission to use this Photo.

The Ashworth University blogging community is a big supporter of contributing blogger Steve Hardagon and his Classroom 2.0 social network for educators.  If you’re a parent of a home school student and care about the future of education, we humbly encourage you to check out Classroom 2.0 for your self.  Steve’s been very generous in sharing his insights with our Ashworth home school community and we’re proud to be associated with any project he’s involved in.  We received the following message from Steve yesterday and I’m passing it on for all of our AU Blogspot readers.  Thanks Steve!

From Steve Hardagon: 

Tomorrow I’m experimenting with a live talk show program by starting a discussion on using Ning in education.  If it goes well, I’d like to consider a regular (weekly) show on Web 2.0 in education.

Here is the link to the first educational “Ning-cast”:  http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/tscmd/tc/12083.  It is scheduled for tomorrow, January 3, at 6pm Pacific / 9pm Eastern.

(more…)

              Thanks to pizzapancakes for permission to use this Photo.

Here’s an interesting podcast interview with educational guru and Ashworth
University contributing blogger Steve Hargadon.  The interview focuses on progressive uses of technology, alternative learning methods, and the overall need to reform our current educational model.  As always, Steve makes some excellent points.  Click on the image above to listen.  Please feel free to share your thoughts with the AU community. 

Ryan Rode
Interactive Services Manager
Ashworth University

             Thanks to Phillip Torrone for permission to use this Photo. 

Teacher Magazine features Donalyn Miller, a a sixth-grade teacher and “book whisperer,” who requires students to read 40 books of their own choice “in a variety of genres such as realistic fiction, historical fiction, fantasy, and nonfiction.”

If I teach a lesson on conflict, eventually students will be asked to identify the conflict in their own book and provide evidence to support their observations. I do not “teach books”; I use the students’ independent reading to reinforce the skills and concepts that I am teaching.

Many children read 50 or 60 books; the lowest number finished is 22. When my daughter was in school, they read very few books in class but read them intensively. It seemed to me they beat each poor book to death. Of course, Allison read voraciously on her own, as I did (and still do). In part two, Miller writes about getting boys to read by catering to their interests, even if that’s vulgar humor or video-game strategy guides. (more…)