Dancing and stuffs...

As someone who has taught ballroom dancing for several years, I found Professor Dancealot rather entertaining. I immediately observed the problems with a class taught in that manner. Teaching without example is just as ineffective as teaching by throwing people into the proverbial "deep end". Results will be there, but you can get far better results with a guiding hand. In the end, teaching with such a disconnection from the real world application, will read like "stereo instructions".


Teaching in the 21st Century... obviously requires a new approach. The old methods of teaching the farmers children between harvest and taking a break during the yule tide isn't a viable option anymore. The old standards of focusing the minds into standards must change. It wouldn't take a moment for an unruly showoff to correct a minor error in a date announced by a teacher. In fact, it would be all too easy to "fact check" in real time during a class session. It is better to teach children how to think, than what to think.


The Networked Student might be a good idea for some types of classes, but I don't see it working for ALL students in ANY major. I agree with the premise, students learn better by doing than by being given the information. And a guiding hand, in the form of the teacher, recalling to the first video, Professor Dancealot, seems to be a running theme in this particular assignment. A student DOES require a base to begin from. One that the professors are expected to offer. Throwing someone into the deep end of the pool and telling them they will get an F is just as counter productive as not giving the information as all.

Vicki Davis, in my opinion made a fatal error in practical application of a teaching tool, "Should". I was struck by her assertion that her students "I don't have to define terms and I shouldn't, they should be thinkers". If it hasn't been made clear yet in this blog post, I fully agree that students should be thinkers. Children SHOULD be taught to think and not WHAT to think. However, reality is significant and the reality is most children are NOT thinkers. Teaching them to think critically and examine information as it is presented, seems to me, to be a far better approach.

Flipping the Classroom isn't new to me, I have heard of this approach. I like that it introduces the material to the child before the lesson. And anything that keeps the TV off can't hurt... well, most anything. If it is used with caution I'm sure it will be an excellent tool. I doubt I would use it as I'll be a P.E. instructor.

After watching all these videos and trying to fulfill the requirements of this assignment, I have decided on a picture to use in this blog. (also a requirement) With what seems to be the main theme of these videos in mind, I am reminded of a quote that has been attributed to Albert Einstein. It can be paraphrased in the photo below.