Shanghai EduBloggerCon…

[Live blogged.  Please forgive typos and awkward wording]

I’m sitting at the Shanghai EduBloggerCon at

Classroom teachers are currently standing and explaining how they are using collaborative tools in their classrooms for teaching and learning.  I’m going to post snipits here for your enjoyment and education:

  • Not everyone is a blogger.  It’s important for teachers to figure out how they want to engage in the conversation.  It’s also important that kids be involved in making the dicision on how they should give voice to their learning.
  • Teacher speaking now says that in 27 years of teaching at all levels and all levels of income, he’s never seen students want to write like the poverty students he’s teaching now.  His students spend two hours a day writing.  He says that his students, who are largely ESL, are learning by working language.
  • Teacher now talking says that for it to be about the kids, it’s got to be about me first.”  The teacher has to understand the value of the technology, and then the professional can figure out or invent ways to take into the learning experiences.  She says that wikis are easier to maintain in the classroom than blogging with students.
  • Lots of talk about people Skyping into classrooms and talking about stuff with they’re doing.
  • Librarian is talking about a newsletter she use to publish in print.  Then she made it an e-mail through a mailing list.  Now she’s using Facebook, because that’s where the student are. Earlier in the morning, I asked her, isn’t putting this stuff on Facebook catering to the kids?  I expected her to say, “It’s where the kids are.”  She said, “It’s where the 21st century is.”  Good answer.
  • Teacher (New Zealand) says she has Skype on all the time, and if Brian Crosby (Nevada) knocks on their door, the interrupt whats being taught and start a conversation with Crosby.  We start to talk about what students are learning, not just being taught it.  “No matter what you are teaching or where, you can take the walls down.  It is so easy!”
  • Educator now is asking the question, “But why?”  We have to get beyond the “Wow!”
  • What exactly is 21st century literacy.  None of it is new.  I’m not interested in the pockets.  We need systemic and sustained change.
  • We’ve got every teacher with a blog.  We’ve got every student blogging.  But I’m worried about the parents.  I feel that I have to celebrate all of the technology.  Here question is this:  Should I have all of my teachers blog?  Am I making a mistake?  Two threads of answers:
    1. Small steps.  Support a teachers who are ready
    2. Teachers need expections.  Just don’t call it “blogging.”

Now breaking for smaller group conversations.  So I’ll post this now.  Please forgive any typos or awkward wording.

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