Paradigm shift?: From Learner to Knowledge creator

Here's a quick thought. An insight, which has some significant repercussions.

School has always created a culture of learners, which means a group of students absorbing knowledge. So the teacher/student relationship has been the mainstay of this paradigm.

However as I think about it, by getting the students to participate more fully in the creation of the class, they are also playing the role of teacher/learner themselves. More significantly, they become knowledge creators. I think, as I observed the students doing the presentations of the readings, and eventually asking them to create the readings to put on black board, this is exactly what they are doing--creating knowledge.

Certainly they learn, but that's the starting point only. They are also actively creating new insights. This changes many practices, and many assumptions we have had about education doesn't it? So what do the students have to do to become effective knowledge creators???

Arrghhh!!! Rush rush rush!!!

4 1/2 hours or so to the class! Am I ready for it!? I write this while steeling myself for a talk with my SH. I have not been very good with my own deadlines--so now I gotta answer for it. Yup, you guys are not the only ones with deadlines.

I am quite sure of at least two sets of activities--the Visual Journal intro and the group presentation (wonder how their preparations are going!?). Add my little summary of the general group readings. And also I think to clarify about assignment one. Many of them sure got questions one!~

Remember to talk about the journal summaries--ah, the miscommunication there. I assumed that you guys would take the initiative and print out your own sheets and then hand to me in class, rather than wait for me to pass the worksheets to you. Eventually I will have to wean you guys off the wait for worksheet from Mr Lau habit. Of course I also have to inculcate a give-everyone-enough-time-to-print-worksheets-out habit myself!!

Okay that's it for now. Gotta go for the meeting! C U in class!!

Last Friday's Class 23rd July - What's this class about???

Last Friday's Class at the IDEA Studio wasn't too bad, I think, but it was kinda chaotic. With so many students, all lounging on beanbags. New environment. Stretching voice. R they unresponsive, or is it just because that it’s the end of the day. Will I ever know?

I had to redo the Tetrad Lecture. I skipped 02's Tetrad Lecture for last week, and coverage for 01 wasn't good. I think I really have to transfer as much as possible to worksheets for classroom activity. The class of 42 is way too big! I sometimes wonder if I really know what I'm doing. Well, I tell myself I do, but really, all I'm doing is trusting my intuition to guide me...!

Later I went to the Design Studio. Was asked, by Iz, I think, "what is this class about". Good question. I answered my normal standard answer,  that this class is designed to help them be better thinkers. But is that the point even?

What I ‘m trying to do here is in fact to ask them to answer that question – oh, but of course, first it's to get them to ask this question, and answer it for themselves. It's good they are posing this question--makes me think. But equally important is that they come up with their own possibilities. How can I answer it for them, right?

Isn’t that what this whole week was about (and last few weeks)? I want them to define education for themselves, but not have me to do it for them. This only reinforces the old notion of spoon-fed education. Unconsciously, we are continuing to perpetuate this. How could they become more radically empowered if we stick to the comfortable way of doing things??? I wonder if the attempts at making them question education last week had an impact at all?

This means several things, I need to make my processes clear to them—to really do it, rather than just to say it and not mean it. If they are to model these thinking processes, then they should have some insight into how and what I am thinking. This is a class in progress after all. If I am to use all the insights from all the ideas from the readings, as well as to go with the spirit of this class.

So here I am with this BLOG for the class. Like in my email to them, I realised that I am crossing a private/public boundary line, much as what McLuhan said. It fits. And I need to learn to run this class, just as they need to help figure out what this class is all about. If we are all co-teaching it. This feedback and forward needs to happen continuously.

I'm thinking of using a learning contract – but how does that work? What do I need to take into account? My thinking: first few weeks were meant to confuse, and make them rethink reality, so as not to take it all for granted. Then, now with presuppositions all whacked out (I hope), it’s time to set goals, to create a direction for learning.

Get them to set the direction of the class--more meaningful that way. I can handle this. I think. How else to make this class their own, and to make it work?

A few other things to note. In the background, several issues surfacing: information overload and workload overload too. How will they deal with it. Especially with all their assignments. Maybe that's a very specific area we can target their efforts.

First Post - what's a BLOG for???

Hi, This is a test posting.

My first BLOG. Should be fun. I wonder if I'll get addicted to this?

I'm still getting used to this whole thing, so if you're reading this, do bear with the gaps for now. I'll fill those in when I'm able to.

Perhaps a little intro, and a words on why I started this weblog.

It started with one of my students in my Design Thinking Class giving me his blog URL -- since  I'd assigned them to make their personal journal entries for class. After reading his BLOG, I got to thinking about what the BLOG was. It was a journal, not private, but public. How did this differ from private journals? So I thought why not start one.

Okay, that's half the story. I admit that I still haven't fully embraced Internet Technologies, even though I surf the net, and do the nominal email stuff -- and buy plenty of books from Amazon.com. The other thing that prompted me to start this BLOG was the very fact that it could help me with the class itself. As a communications device, as a way for the students to better understand my thinking, and what I was trying to do in class. I do have to walk my talk after all. Otherwise how to connect with them??