Found this week harder to get into -subject matter less obvious. Noted a big drop in the discussion happening in Moodle, perhaps lots of people also worn out from last week’s vigorous discussion on Networks which was certainly passionate and sometimes unreasonable.
I’ve attempted to understand chaos theory some time ago, it left me cold then as well. However, this time I probably have the beginnings of some insight thanks to the parenting analogy outlined by Renata Phelps (p.6). What I’m trying to get a handle on is how any of this will impact on the upcoming “changing role of the educator”. Phelps’ article really sparked some more thoughts on how the whole paradigm of teaching must change as a result of the non linear opportunities presented by the new technologies.
Perhaps another analogy to help understand the nature of complexity is via the current global financial crisis. As stocks gyrate wildly from day to day there can’t be any Newtonian clock work mechanism in place here. The complexities surrounding the mood and emotion are immense as well as the distinct lack of reason or consideration of the so called fundamentals. Each news item or announcement from a government officer is greeted with either the expected reaction for example, a drop in interest rates helps to raise stock prices. Or the announcement is greeted by an unexpected reaction – the drop in interest rates pushes stock prices further down because the market now suspects the government is really worried about something.
In one of the readings this week (apologies for not sourcing this – I can’t remember where I read it) the author outlined the incredible complexity of each classroom. In a place where each person acts in response to the teacher and the content as well as all the other things going on in their lives, there must be complexity. So much for lesson plans.
October 17, 2008 at 2:43 pm
I also noted that drop in the Moodle discussion.
For me, I am in the reflection mode, and will stay away from the discussion for a while, due mainly to the complexities and chaotic discussion in those theories amongst co-learners. Too much jargons and metaphors, I suppose, that could hinder my learning.
When you mentioned about lesson plans, I have actually prepared an electronic lesson plan for each of my lesson, only to find that such plans could only act as a guide. There are always better lesson plans and so I kept on using the learners’ feedback as way to re-format my lessons.
This also leads me to adopt a totally different lesson plan for each learner when it comes to one-on-one training and assessment.
Do you find lesson plans useful?
See http://suifaijohnmak.wordpress.com for details
October 18, 2008 at 8:02 am
Thank you for your comments. As we react more to the possibilities afforded by new technologies the lesson plans as we grew up with will need to change. To cope with the complexities (and the chaos) as well as the non linear nature of content then personalised learning will become more the norm than the exception. We have always attempted to cater for individual differences in our classrooms but personalised learning requires this to become much more explicit – a lesson plan for each person?