In reading the article, "Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age", there were several places where it got me thinking about learning--the different theories about learning and how we should re-think learning based on the digital era we exist in today. One of the trends mentioned in the article states that "Technology is altering (rewiring) our brains. The tools we use, define and shape our thinking." This is very true in my my classroom blog. Having the students network and communicate their thinking on other students' posts from other parts of the world is very powerful because it gives a voice to what the students are learning, going much deeper and further than if we had just shared it amongst our own classmates.
As Clarence Fisher had discussed during his Skype with our cohort, the teacher is no longer seen as the powerful, almighty, smartest person in the room. The world is quite literally at our fingertips; this is where the term 'flat classroom' is derived from--where students learn from other students and branch out, seeing the world beyond their textbooks (which are so quickly outdated).
Teachers can often feel like they're lacking control and unable to monitor everything their students are viewing online. But as stated in the article, "Real-life learning is messy and complex. Classrooms which emulate the "fuzziness" of this learning will be more effective in preparing learners for life-long learning." I believe this to be true because if we provide students with more experiences that allow branching out, we prepare them for the craziness and often chaotic world that awaits them beyond the walls of a school.
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