Wednesday, November 11, 2009

World Without Walls: Learning Well With Others

The title of this article warmed my first grade teacher heart. So much of what I read about incorporating technology in the classroom seems geared toward the middle or high school population - you know, those big-time tech users. Though I agree that opening the door to the world is clearly a beneficial endeavor, even for my young charges, I sometimes question how relevant all of this wonderful world-wide information is to someone just learning how to play well with others. Well, there you have it. When children first enter school, they begin to expand their understanding of community as a collection of individuals bound together by some common element. They begin to learn that they are members of many different communities - their families, neighborhoods, school, clubs, and so on. They learn that, as a member of a community, you share a common purpose as well as a responsibility to be a contributing member of that community. When technology brings a world of learners into their personal sphere, children begin to develop an understanding of themselves as contributing members of the MOTHER of all communities - the whole world. Talk about playing well with others.

1 comment:

  1. Question for you, why do you think the middle and high school students are the big time tech users? I might argue that many elementary students are using technology as much as the others at home. The Wii and Xbox type machines have captured many of the younger childrens attention. I love your view on community. That speaks to a wonderful learning environment where students can be free to collaborate and experiment with their ideas.

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