I believe that the central message of Mr. Dancealot is that students need proactive, hands-on learning. The author shows a time-lapse version of a course in which the instructor does nothing but read his notes to a class he is attempting to teach to dance. When he gives the class a final exam, nobody in the class seems to have learned anything at all. I believe that it is very important for teachers to do more for their students than simply read to them; students already know how to do that! A truly qualified instructor should be able to show their students hands-on activities and examples of whatever it is they are teaching.
Teaching in the 21st Century
Kevin Roberts believes that teaching in the 21st century will be almost exclusively electronic. He believes that almost all learning will be done online. He points out that students now have access to many online tools such as blogs, Twitter, Facebook, Wikipedia, and Google. Students in the 21st century will turn to these sources for their knowledge rather than teachers. I personally believe that Roberts might be jumping the gun slightly. Although I do believe school will be completely online & electronic one day, I still believe we are quite far from it and that traditional methods will still be here for a lengthy amount of time. If he is right, however, I will have to make adjustments to the way I want to teach. I personally favor a traditional teaching method that is enhanced by technology, not completely administered through the use of technology.
The Networked Student is a great example of what learning through technology can do for students. Networking allows students to connect with other students, teachers, and even college professors all around the world. Students are no longer simply limited to a single classroom with one teacher. The video asks, "why does the networked student need a teacher?" Well I believe that without a teacher the student would have no guidance on their journey of learning. I think that sometimes good teachers can serve as a students motivation and driving force behind their desire to learn. The networked student can learn on their own now, but a teachers wisdom and insight is still needed.
Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts
The thesis of this video is that students can learn best when they are given the opportunity to teach themselves. I believe that this approach can be very effective for students. Giving students the ability to do their own research and learn something that their own teacher might not even know can serve as a motivation booster for the students.
Flipping the Classroom
Flipped classrooms are a new concept to me. After watching this video, I am very impressed by the idea of a flipped classroom. If the students come to class already prepared with the information from the lesson, they will be able to make better use of the class time they have. Not having to spend time teaching them what they already learned in the class video will give the teacher better opportunity for more stimulating classroom activities. I can definitely see myself using a flipped classroom when I am an instructor.
