I believe that the greatest story (digital or otherwise) you can tell is the story of your own learning, but I don’t…

I believe that the greatest story (digital or otherwise) you can tell is the story of your own learning, but I don’t…

I believe that the greatest story (digital or otherwise) you can tell is the story of your own learning, but I don’t think that the story can be told on your own. It is a collective story, one with many writers and many perspectives. 

I am trying to tell the next chapter of my story, and I would love to hear how you think it should go. I made a video about it…

I encourage you to comment or make a video response on Youtube, if you get a chance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3H8pPTn9jK4

18 Comments

  1. I’m in a tongue-in-cheek mood, Ben, so I know this isn’t what you’re really looking for, but I’m thinking about the “Will it Blend?” videos, and then how baby food is blended for babies, and then how early learners learn without being taught how to learn, and then how schooling divides everything up into specific disciplines and frameworks and timetables and homework such that the need to integrate it and blend it again becomes necessary. 

    As I said, not exactly what you were looking for, but maybe worth a moment’s … dare I say it, rumination?  😉

  2. I’m in a tongue-in-cheek mood, Ben, so I know this isn’t what you’re really looking for, but I’m thinking about the “Will it Blend?” videos, and then how baby food is blended for babies, and then how early learners learn without being taught how to learn, and then how schooling divides everything up into specific disciplines and frameworks and timetables and homework such that the need to integrate it and blend it again becomes necessary. 

    As I said, not exactly what you were looking for, but maybe worth a moment’s … dare I say it, rumination?  😉

  3. I’m in a tongue-in-cheek mood, Ben, so I know this isn’t what you’re really looking for, but I’m thinking about the “Will it Blend?” videos, and then how baby food is blended for babies, and then how early learners learn without being taught how to learn, and then how schooling divides everything up into specific disciplines and frameworks and timetables and homework such that the need to integrate it and blend it again becomes necessary. 

    As I said, not exactly what you were looking for, but maybe worth a moment’s … dare I say it, rumination?  😉

  4. Analogies are one of the best tools we have for understanding and demonstrating learning. Thank you for your response. My question is, what is the result of blending it all again? What is the benefit of blending it all? What do you call that mixture?

  5. Analogies are one of the best tools we have for understanding and demonstrating learning. Thank you for your response. My question is, what is the result of blending it all again? What is the benefit of blending it all? What do you call that mixture?

  6. Analogies are one of the best tools we have for understanding and demonstrating learning. Thank you for your response. My question is, what is the result of blending it all again? What is the benefit of blending it all? What do you call that mixture?

  7. Ah, you draw me into the conversation — my initial flippant thought morphed into an analogy — and now I am challenged to continue.

    So the delicate flavours are perhaps appreciated within a very specific recipe, presentation, and audience, but sometimes, for initial acceptance, or for understanding within a more general context (i.e. for understanding applications within our “normal life” out-of-school experiences) we need a blended approach. 

    I don’t want to pursue this metaphor too far without a bit of careful thinking — cause now I’m suddenly thinking about pre-masticated video lessons (you don’t want to go that route) — but somehow I think we need to look at how we support learning both inside and outside the official framework of schooling, and acknowledge that learning outside of the school day happens all the time, and that leaning for life need to reflect and support THAT! So perhaps less emphasis on more school-learning outside-of-school, and more emphasis/refinement on (the process of) outside-of-school learning IN school. 

    My youngest knows a gazillion about skateboarding.

    “Where did you learn that?”  I asked him.

    Not at school.

    Not from me.

    “On YouTube,” he says.  

  8. Ah, you draw me into the conversation — my initial flippant thought morphed into an analogy — and now I am challenged to continue.

    So the delicate flavours are perhaps appreciated within a very specific recipe, presentation, and audience, but sometimes, for initial acceptance, or for understanding within a more general context (i.e. for understanding applications within our “normal life” out-of-school experiences) we need a blended approach. 

    I don’t want to pursue this metaphor too far without a bit of careful thinking — cause now I’m suddenly thinking about pre-masticated video lessons (you don’t want to go that route) — but somehow I think we need to look at how we support learning both inside and outside the official framework of schooling, and acknowledge that learning outside of the school day happens all the time, and that leaning for life need to reflect and support THAT! So perhaps less emphasis on more school-learning outside-of-school, and more emphasis/refinement on (the process of) outside-of-school learning IN school. 

    My youngest knows a gazillion about skateboarding.

    “Where did you learn that?”  I asked him.

    Not at school.

    Not from me.

    “On YouTube,” he says.  

  9. Ah, you draw me into the conversation — my initial flippant thought morphed into an analogy — and now I am challenged to continue.

    So the delicate flavours are perhaps appreciated within a very specific recipe, presentation, and audience, but sometimes, for initial acceptance, or for understanding within a more general context (i.e. for understanding applications within our “normal life” out-of-school experiences) we need a blended approach. 

    I don’t want to pursue this metaphor too far without a bit of careful thinking — cause now I’m suddenly thinking about pre-masticated video lessons (you don’t want to go that route) — but somehow I think we need to look at how we support learning both inside and outside the official framework of schooling, and acknowledge that learning outside of the school day happens all the time, and that leaning for life need to reflect and support THAT! So perhaps less emphasis on more school-learning outside-of-school, and more emphasis/refinement on (the process of) outside-of-school learning IN school. 

    My youngest knows a gazillion about skateboarding.

    “Where did you learn that?”  I asked him.

    Not at school.

    Not from me.

    “On YouTube,” he says.  

  10. Hi, Benjamin

    The first question that I would ask is, “What is Blended Learning?”  I would ask this question not of the individual who is interviewing you for the position, but of everyone that I encountered over a period of time.  I’m a visual learner.  This means that I would probably create a Wordle to show the frequency of the words that are part of the language that everyone uses.  I would also show examples in a photo story, slide show or some sort of visual.  A sort of what it “is” and “is not” is commonly used as a reading strategy with students.

    I have lots of other ideas, but this is where I would start.  It’s important to wrap you head around their ideas and perceptions before you move any further. 

    Just my thoughts…

  11. Hi, Benjamin

    The first question that I would ask is, “What is Blended Learning?”  I would ask this question not of the individual who is interviewing you for the position, but of everyone that I encountered over a period of time.  I’m a visual learner.  This means that I would probably create a Wordle to show the frequency of the words that are part of the language that everyone uses.  I would also show examples in a photo story, slide show or some sort of visual.  A sort of what it “is” and “is not” is commonly used as a reading strategy with students.

    I have lots of other ideas, but this is where I would start.  It’s important to wrap you head around their ideas and perceptions before you move any further. 

    Just my thoughts…

  12. Hi, Benjamin

    The first question that I would ask is, “What is Blended Learning?”  I would ask this question not of the individual who is interviewing you for the position, but of everyone that I encountered over a period of time.  I’m a visual learner.  This means that I would probably create a Wordle to show the frequency of the words that are part of the language that everyone uses.  I would also show examples in a photo story, slide show or some sort of visual.  A sort of what it “is” and “is not” is commonly used as a reading strategy with students.

    I have lots of other ideas, but this is where I would start.  It’s important to wrap you head around their ideas and perceptions before you move any further. 

    Just my thoughts…

  13. Andrew Forgrave I love your reframing of the “blending” by coming at it from a “outside learning” and “inside learning” perspective. We should be able to value learning happening, no matter what context and we should allow the artifacts created at home to count within the “school environment.” 

    What does a portfolio that you get to take with you everywhere look like for student learners?

    Laurie Niestrath Those thoughts are wonderful. The story that you can tell by asking that question to anyone and everyone you meet allows for a much more well-rounded understanding of the work involved. The fact that everyone has a different definition of “blended learning” also would help to create a consensus around the basic themes and move forward with them. 

    I also like starting from a question rather than an answer. What other sorts of questions should we be asking as we try to build a coalition for change?

  14. Andrew Forgrave I love your reframing of the “blending” by coming at it from a “outside learning” and “inside learning” perspective. We should be able to value learning happening, no matter what context and we should allow the artifacts created at home to count within the “school environment.” 

    What does a portfolio that you get to take with you everywhere look like for student learners?

    Laurie Niestrath Those thoughts are wonderful. The story that you can tell by asking that question to anyone and everyone you meet allows for a much more well-rounded understanding of the work involved. The fact that everyone has a different definition of “blended learning” also would help to create a consensus around the basic themes and move forward with them. 

    I also like starting from a question rather than an answer. What other sorts of questions should we be asking as we try to build a coalition for change?

  15. Andrew Forgrave I love your reframing of the “blending” by coming at it from a “outside learning” and “inside learning” perspective. We should be able to value learning happening, no matter what context and we should allow the artifacts created at home to count within the “school environment.” 

    What does a portfolio that you get to take with you everywhere look like for student learners?

    Laurie Niestrath Those thoughts are wonderful. The story that you can tell by asking that question to anyone and everyone you meet allows for a much more well-rounded understanding of the work involved. The fact that everyone has a different definition of “blended learning” also would help to create a consensus around the basic themes and move forward with them. 

    I also like starting from a question rather than an answer. What other sorts of questions should we be asking as we try to build a coalition for change?

  16. I have made a video response, however I don’t see how to add it to this comments section? Ben, would you please show me the proper way to do a video response to your question?  I just didn’t want to put it anywhere, if I could attach it to this conversation.

  17. I have made a video response, however I don’t see how to add it to this comments section? Ben, would you please show me the proper way to do a video response to your question?  I just didn’t want to put it anywhere, if I could attach it to this conversation.

  18. I have made a video response, however I don’t see how to add it to this comments section? Ben, would you please show me the proper way to do a video response to your question?  I just didn’t want to put it anywhere, if I could attach it to this conversation.

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