Curriculum Chat

21st Century Learning: Teaching Network Literacy

Will Richardson, a former English teacher turned tech expert, discusses how teachers can effectively integrate Web 2.0 tools in the classroom and leverage the power of personal online-learning networks.

21st Century Learning: Teaching Network Literacy

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Wednesday, October 27, 4 p.m. Eastern time
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21st Century Learning: Teaching Network Literacy

(10/27/2010)

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9:40

EdWeek Producer: Jennifer:
Today’s chat, “21st Century Learning: Teaching Network Literacy,” sponsored by Compass Learning, is open for questions. Please start submitting them now.

The chat itself will begin at 4 p.m. Eastern. Thanks for joining us.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 9:40 EdWeek Producer: Jennifer

4:00

Anthony Rebora:

Welcome to our live chat with Will Richardson on 21st-century learning and network literacy (which Richardson definitely thinks is a priority for both students and teachers). I’m Anthony Rebora, managing editor of Education Week Teacher and the Teacher PD Sourcebook. I recently did a pretty extensive interview with Will about how interactive technology is--or could be--affecting classroom instruction today:
http://www.edweek.org/tsb/articles/2010/10/12/01richardson.h04.html

That piece has gotten quite a bit of attention and generated some strong reactions. So we thought it would be a good idea to let readers ask their questions directly to Will. Should be a lot of fun. We’ll try to move as quickly as possible.

Will, welcome. We are glad to have you. Before we get to the questions, why don’t tell you our viewers a little bit about yourself and your work.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:00 Anthony Rebora

4:01

Will Richardson:
Thanks everyone. I’m a former pub. school educator who for the last four years has been out “blogvangelizing” about learning networks online.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:01 Will Richardson

4:01

Will Richardson:
Really glad to be with you today. It’s a really interesting time to be in education, and I hope we get a chance to talk about the opportunities as well as the challenges of online learning networks.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:01 Will Richardson

4:03

Anthony Rebora:
Thanks, Will. Let’s start off with a question just so we have a good base for what we are talking about.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:03 Anthony Rebora

4:03

[Comment From jlamontagnejlamontagne: ]
can you define how you’re using “network” here

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:03 jlamontagne

4:03

Will Richardson:
An online learning network is made up of people and/or resources that are not in our physical space. People who share an interest to learn what we want to learn.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:03 Will Richardson

4:04

Anthony Rebora:
Kerri has a nice follow-up. This topic I know is near and dear to you.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:04 Anthony Rebora

4:04

[Comment From KerriKerri: ]
How do we help students and teachers grow their own “personal learning network”?

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:04 Kerri

4:04

Will Richardson:
These connections that we make build our own networks for sharing, collaborating, etc.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:04 Will Richardson

4:05

Will Richardson:
@Kerri Well, first we need to grow them for ourselves, right? It starts with our own passions and the things we want to learn...

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:05 Will Richardson

4:05

Will Richardson:
...we need to find other people with whom we can learn, and we need to be findable by those people as well.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:05 Will Richardson

4:06

Will Richardson:
I think one great starting point right now is Twitter. Lots of people just waiting for connections there.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:06 Will Richardson

4:06

Will Richardson:
But we also need to develop a “network literacy” around all of this...who are these people, can we trust them, how much do we share, etc.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:06 Will Richardson

4:07

[Comment From Jonathan M.Jonathan M.: ]
How can teachers provide opportunities for collaboration with students at other schools?

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:07 Jonathan M.

4:07

Will Richardson:
Well, again, a lot of that is dependent on the connections you have in your own network...

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:07 Will Richardson

4:07	Do you use twitter? yes ( 37% ) no ( 63% ) Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:07

4:08

Will Richardson:
But there are places online like Classroom20 or twitter4teachers.pbworks.com where you can find others who might want to connect...

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:08 Will Richardson

4:08

Will Richardson:
Also, on twitter, look for the #comments4kids hashtag. These are teachers who are looking for others to comment on their student blogs. Great way to start a connection.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:08 Will Richardson

4:09

Anthony Rebora:
We’ve got a perfect follow up from Nancy

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:09 Anthony Rebora

4:09

[Comment From NancyNancy: ]
I know that you are a fan of Twitter for communicating with your PLN. Can you talk about how and why it works for you? Do you recommend other tools for facilitating a PLN? btw, I follow your tweets :-)

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:09 Nancy

4:10

Will Richardson:
Thanks for following me on Twitter (willrich45). I think if you follow great Tweeters or Twitterers, you can start a great stream of information coming your way...

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:10 Will Richardson

4:11

Will Richardson:
I only follow about 150 people because I really try to maximize it’s effectiveness. Those people I follow are among the most relevant sharers I can find, so I get new resources and conversations from that stream all the time.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:11 Will Richardson

4:12

Will Richardson:
@Nancy And of course, blogs, photo sets, videos and others are all great ways to start connections.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:12 Will Richardson

4:12

Anthony Rebora:
Here a couple of reader comment/recommendations on twitter.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:12 Anthony Rebora

4:12

[Comment From Lisa BarryLisa Barry: ]
I used the twitter4teachers to start working on my personal network and finding people to follow on twitter. HIghly recommended.....

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:12 Lisa Barry

4:12

[Comment From SandraSandra: ]
I have to say that in 20 years of teaching, Twitter has been the absolute best PD I’ve ever had!

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:12 Sandra

4:12

Will Richardson:
Amazing, isn’t it? And most people think it’s just for Lindsey Lohan.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:12 Will Richardson

4:13

[Comment From michellemichelle: ]
Do you have advice on how to convince administrators to broaden the networks available? I find that the limitations are most stringent on the easiest-to-use tools, like the google suite. Understandably, they are quite concerned about students getting themselves into trouble and the backlashes of a litigious society eager to lay blame.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:13 michelle

4:13

Will Richardson:
@Nancy...some people follow 1000s on Twitter. Use tools like TweetDeck to separate out the most relevant people.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:13 Will Richardson

4:14

Will Richardson:
@michelle THis is a tough one, no doubt...

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:14 Will Richardson

4:15

Will Richardson:
My advice would be to show a deep understanding of how these connections work online, create really great classroom practice around it, collect all sorts of other examples from “out there” and try to make the compelling case...

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:15 Will Richardson

4:15

Will Richardson:
We need to educate the community about these shifts as well, obviously. A leader’s job has to encompass that right now as well, I think.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:15 Will Richardson

4:16

Anthony Rebora:
Tennille is looking for a clarification on the twitter idea.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:16 Anthony Rebora

4:16

[Comment From Tennille LewisTennille Lewis: ]
Is Twitter what you are suggesting for the student network

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:16 Tennille Lewis

4:17

Will Richardson:
There is a Twitter for kids type of environment at Edmodo.com that you can use as a sandbox. I know of teachers who have their students using regular Twitter, however. It all depends on your comfort level and goals, obviously...

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:17 Will Richardson

4:18

Will Richardson:
But let me just say, the tool isn’t the important part. It’s the connection. Finding, vetting, connecting, collaborating with others is the really important “literacy” regardless of what tool we use to do that.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:18 Will Richardson

4:19

Will Richardson:
@JSavage I use Twitter primarily for my professional learning about learning (though I do unfortunately follow a couple of Cubs fans) ;0)

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:19 Will Richardson

4:19

Anthony Rebora:
Jason has come understandable concerns for you to address.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:19 Anthony Rebora

4:19

[Comment From Jason GuardJason Guard: ]
I’m often hesitant to require students to download apps or join social media platforms because they don’t follow through and it becomes another thing to keep track of for me.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:19 Jason Guard

4:20

Anthony Rebora:
Viewers, please feel free to submit your own observations/solutions. I’ll try to put up as many as I can.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:20 Anthony Rebora

4:20

Will Richardson:
@Jason Well, it has to have value, right? I think it all depends on why we’re asking them to use those apps. Not saying you, but I know a lot of teachers who get kids blogging but it’s really nothing different from what they did on paper...

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:20 Will Richardson

4:20	Does your school or district filter your internet access? Yes ( 88% ) No. ( 12% ) Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:20

4:21

Will Richardson:
If we are using blogs to connect kids to other “teachers” out there who share their interests, I think it becomes a lot more sticky or relevant to their learning.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:21 Will Richardson

4:22

Anthony Rebora:
Let’s take this one from kkoetter, which gets back a little to the purpose of networking.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:22 Anthony Rebora

4:22

[Comment From kkoetterkkoetter: ]
What is it that you are wanting the children to accomplish on Twitter? Is it the networking piece or them having their voices out on the internet to create a positive digital footprint?

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:22 kkoetter

4:22

Will Richardson:
Yikes! I see all of these responses are being Tweeted as well! Cool!

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:22 Will Richardson

4:23

Anthony Rebora:
I should have thought to suggest a hash tag. Is there one being used?

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:23 Anthony Rebora

4:23

Will Richardson:
@kkoetter It’s the networking piece. Twitter is not a great place to share your “voice” or to have meaningful conversations, imho. But it is a place to share knowledge, ask questions, create connections...

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:23 Will Richardson

4:24

Will Richardson:
From a student standpoint, Twitter is a way to model these types of information flows and connections, and it’s an opportunity to take what happens there and go deeper, maybe on a blog or in a video or something else.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:24 Will Richardson

4:25

Anthony Rebora:
Here’s practical question from Sandy:

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:25 Anthony Rebora

4:25

[Comment From SandySandy: ]
My question is, “Where do I begin searching for free resources so I can become savvy enough to teach my students?”

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:25 Sandy

4:26

Will Richardson:
@Sandy Well, first, for some of this stuff, I think we have to be open to having our students teach us, right? I’m sure there is a lot they know that we don’t in terms of the “how to”...

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:26 Will Richardson

4:27

Will Richardson:
But you can learn the how-to at YouTube or any number of other sites around the web. Remember, what we need to teach them in the end, however, is not how but “why”...why should we connect? Why should we find others to learn with and from?

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:27 Will Richardson

4:27

Anthony Rebora:
Sandra also has a response to Sandy’s question:

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:27 Anthony Rebora

4:27

[Comment From SandraSandra: ]
@Sandy --- that’s exactly what I love Twitter for! In addition to the links to deep educational blogs, there are tons of free resource links provided.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:27 Sandra

4:27

Will Richardson:
@Harriet Try Edmodo.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:27 Will Richardson

4:29

Anthony Rebora:
We’re seeing a few of different versions of this next question--on what might be called the access divide.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:29 Anthony Rebora

4:29

[Comment From GuestGuest: ]
One concern I have is reaching students without technology available to them outside the school. How do we keep from holding back those with accessability? What are other districts doing?

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:29 Guest

4:29

Will Richardson:
@ldesena There are all sorts of information literacy skills that are required here...but that can’t be a unit. It needs to be simply a part of how we do our learning business in schools.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:29 Will Richardson

4:29

Will Richardson:
Re: access It’s a great concern...

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:29 Will Richardson

4:30

Will Richardson:
I just read a few minutes ago that we are like 22nd in the world in terms of broadband access here in the US...that’s almost embarrassing...

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:30 Will Richardson

4:31

Will Richardson:
I think one near term solution is in getting our brains around mobile devices...more kids are getting access that way.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:31 Will Richardson

4:32

Anthony Rebora:
Here’s a good one for you Will. I know you’ve thought a lot about this.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:32 Anthony Rebora

4:32

[Comment From GuestGuest: ]
What literacy skills does the use of technology “teach” that cannot be taught in traditional environments?

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:32 Guest

4:32

Will Richardson:
Great question, and the answer is probably not too many “different” skills...

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:32 Will Richardson

4:33

Will Richardson:
A lot of what people are calling “21st Century Skills” are really 19th C and 20th C...

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:33 Will Richardson

4:33

Will Richardson:
The difference, i think, is that you can’t get away without them as easily today, not when everything is so transparent and public...

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:33 Will Richardson

4:34

Will Richardson:
We have to really own those skills like critical thinking, and creativity if we are to participate effectively in these environments.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:34 Will Richardson

4:34

Anthony Rebora:
Here’s an interesting related question from Sandra.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:34 Anthony Rebora

4:34

[Comment From SandraSandra: ]
What are the differences you see between a blogged response and a written response (on paper)?

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:34 Sandra

4:35

Will Richardson:
@Sandra Well, I think that when we write on paper, it’s pretty much finished when we hand it in. I know that I used to ask my students for “final drafts” all the time...

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:35 Will Richardson

4:36

Will Richardson:
On blogs, publishing is a midpoint. We write with the anticipation of response, not just contrived classroom response, but real, public response. That changes the nature of the writing process, I think.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:36 Will Richardson

4:36

Anthony Rebora:
A quick observation from Patricia on “differences” question.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:36 Anthony Rebora

4:36

[Comment From PatriciaPatricia: ]
I don’t think the skills are different either . However, we have a responsibility to make sure kids understand digital citizenship and consequences of online behaviour. We can’t do that without modelling online use and talking about all of the issues associated with online environments.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:36 Patricia

4:37

Will Richardson:
Totally agree, @Patricia

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:37 Will Richardson

4:37

Anthony Rebora:
Joyce has an interesting take, too, from a different perspective.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:37 Anthony Rebora

4:37

[Comment From JoyceJoyce: ]
If you can’t read or write what difference does it make what kind of device you use?

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:37 Joyce

4:37

Will Richardson:
@Joyce It’s a great observation, one that I know many struggle with...

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:37 Will Richardson

4:38

Will Richardson:
I don’t think we stop helping kids learn to read and write effectively, but I do think we can think about ways to do that better...

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:38 Will Richardson

4:39

Will Richardson:
Especially in these cases, for some students, a technology may be more effective than a teacher. That’s not a slight against a teacher whose support and encouragement will always be important in the process...

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:39 Will Richardson

4:39	Do you give students blogging projects? yes ( 22% ) no ( 37% ) not a teacher ( 41% ) Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:39

4:40

Will Richardson:
But I also think that allowing kids to read and write about things they love, to write in different media, and to “read” what other kids have created can on balance be a very engaging way of teaching the basics now.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:40 Will Richardson

4:40

Anthony Rebora:
Observations from Ted S. and Gene on the blogging vs. written response issue.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:40 Anthony Rebora

4:40

[Comment From Ted STed S: ]
In my spanish classes I see a huge diff in what my students write on paper vs. on blog. They blog more expressively, they take more risks with the language. They don’t associate blogs with grading/judging/critiquing.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:40 Ted S

4:40

[Comment From GeneGene: ]
I’ve read that how we write is changing with web 2.0 tech. Material is in an evolving draft status. We re-write based on feedback (or lack thereof), not b4 :-) we “publish”.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:40 Gene

4:40

Will Richardson:
@Ted and if you hook them up with native Spanish speakers on their blogs...just get out of their way.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:40 Will Richardson

4:41

Will Richardson:
@Gene Exactly. And I have to say, that’s what I love about blogging. It gives me a chance to test my ideas and make it a process around learning, not an artifact.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:41 Will Richardson

4:42

Anthony Rebora:
However, Lana wonders if we might be diminishing the role of writing through the use of tech:

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:42 Anthony Rebora

4:42

[Comment From Lana MelnikLana Melnik: ]
I think the use of technical media provides introverted students a “safe haven or mask, if you” behind which to feel comfortable when they dialogue. It’s been my experience as an educator for well over thirty years now that many students (and instructors for that matter) are better able to express themselves in writing. Do you feel that the written communication skills are eroding, morphing or improving as folks twitter, text etc.?

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:42 Lana Melnik

4:43

Anthony Rebora:
Joyce is of the same mind:

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:43 Anthony Rebora

4:43

[Comment From JoyceJoyce: ]
so it doesn’t matter if they spell correctly or write grammatically correct as long as the message somehow gets across?

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:43 Joyce

4:43

Will Richardson:
@Lana I think morphing is a good word, just as the language we use today has morphed since Shakespeare’s time. It may be happening faster right now...

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:43 Will Richardson

4:44

Will Richardson:
But I do agree that some reticent kids are very participatory when they have some asynchronous space to think out and share their ideas.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:44 Will Richardson

4:45

Will Richardson:
@Joyce I think it does matter. But we shouldn’t disparage texting just because it’s not formal communication in the way we know it. One of our challenges is helping kids understand the importance of clear communication. I think social learning spaces can do that, depending on how they are connecting and with whom.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:45 Will Richardson

4:46

Anthony Rebora:
An interesting observation from Harriet:

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:46 Anthony Rebora

4:46

[Comment From HarrietHarriet: ]
Has anyone read A Whole New Mind by David Pink? I believe that the 6 senses outlined in this book connect quite well with way our students need to learn today. They are learning from completely different media than the way we learned. The form of reports will need to change to fit the different social networking devices.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:46 Harriet

4:47

Will Richardson:
I like that book, but I actually like his previous book “Free Agent Nation” better. We are entering a world of “Free Agent Learning” whether we like it or not, and we have to prepare kids for that.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:47 Will Richardson

4:48

Will Richardson:
Stephen Downes had a great line in a recent blog post that really captures this shift...

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:48 Will Richardson

4:48

Will Richardson:
“We need to move beyond the idea that an education is something that is provided for us, and toward the idea that an education is something that we create for ourselves.”

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:48 Will Richardson

4:48

Anthony Rebora:
Lana has some clarification on here position. (I think I may have misrepresented her. Sorry.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:48 Anthony Rebora

4:48

[Comment From Lana MelnikLana Melnik: ]
LOL - in some ways I envy the tools that technology is furnishing to our young people. Perhaps my viewpoints are a reflection of my age. I think as long as students find a desire to communicate and dialog about what they’re learnig (or not learning) the lines of communication (through whatever electronic means) cannot and will not replace in person communication skills.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:48 Lana Melnik

4:49

Will Richardson:
Our kids are going to create their own education...they are going to have to...the question now is, how do we help them do that well.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:49 Will Richardson

4:49

Anthony Rebora:
Will, Bryan needs some clarification:

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:49 Anthony Rebora

4:49

[Comment From BryanBryan: ]
What do you mean by “Free Agent Learning,” Will? Can you give a brief overview for those of us who haven’t read Pink’s book yet?

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:49 Bryan

4:49

Will Richardson:
@lana Nor should it.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:49 Will Richardson

4:50

Will Richardson:
@Bryan The learning part is mine. Pink’s thesis is that moving forward, our kids will be more likely need to be able to fashion their own careers, be entrepreneurial, etc...

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:50 Will Richardson

4:50

Will Richardson:
The concept of the 9-5 that you work long enough to get a pension is dying quickly.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:50 Will Richardson

4:51

Anthony Rebora:
Here’s one from Steve that takes us in a little different direction:

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:51 Anthony Rebora

4:51

[Comment From stevesteve: ]
Do you have any observations as to how other countries are dealing with these ideas? Has there been a large move in this direction ain any country?

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:51 steve

4:51

Will Richardson:
My point is that our kids (and we ourselves) have to be continual learners at this point, not just “knowers.”

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:51 Will Richardson

4:52	Where are you viewing this chat from? Classroom ( 16% ) Office ( 39% ) Home ( 41% ) computer center ( 0% ) coffee shop. ( 0% ) other ( 4% ) Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:52

4:52

Will Richardson:
@Steve In pockets, other countries are starting to wake up this shift. We’re working with a group of teachers in Alberta right now, and that province has been pretty progressive in its rhetoric at least toward really rethinking learning...

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:52 Will Richardson

4:52

Anthony Rebora:
That last poll is courtesy of Ted S:

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:52 Anthony Rebora

4:52

[Comment From Ted STed S: ]
I’m curious as to where everyone is right now. A classroom, office, campus center, home coffee shop? I ask b/c one of the ways tech affects our kids ability to communicate is that it no longer takes place exclusively in classrooms. 10 years ago we all would have had to pay airfare, lodging and per diem to have this conversation. Surely we can transfer this type of experience to our classes.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:52 Ted S

4:53

Will Richardson:
Australia is doing some interesting things, Singapore...but nothing that is really rooted in the idea that we need to really rethink the way we do things in schools when we have 2 billion teachers and goodness knows how many webpages of content at our fingertips.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:53 Will Richardson

4:54

Will Richardson:
@Ted S. Absolutely. You want your kids to backchannel with the world, try TodaysMeet.com. Free. But teach them appropriate backchanneling first. ;0)

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:54 Will Richardson

4:55

Anthony Rebora:
Will, here’s one I wanted to make sure we got to:

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:55 Anthony Rebora

4:55

[Comment From PatPat: ]
How do we help students determine validity of web-based resources?

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:55 Pat

4:56

Will Richardson:
@Pat...well, it’s not a unit, I can assure you. It has to be something we start talking about in 1st grade, 2nd grade, etc. There are some great sites out there that speak to information and web literacy.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:56 Will Richardson

4:56

Anthony Rebora:
Shane has the money question for many teachers today

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:56 Anthony Rebora

4:57

[Comment From ShaneShane: ]
Everything in my school is directly tied to improving standardized test scores. How can we neglect grammer and spelling for the sake of technology. Funding is tight and jobs depend on scores. Schools are judged by standardized test scores.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:57 Shane

4:57

Will Richardson:
@Shane I know there is still a real need to have kids pass the test, and we have to make sure that happens. But we also need to make sure they can function in these self-directed passion based spaces...

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:57 Will Richardson

4:58

Will Richardson:
It’s at the heart of the challenge we have as educators right now...how do we do both? How do we help kids “succeed” in those traditional ways and in the ways that no one is clamoring for. Tough moment.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:58 Will Richardson

4:58

[Comment From GuestGuest: ]
Just realized how effective this chat format is for class discussions. Usually students aren’t really listening to each other because they are so busy formulating a response (or retort). This environment forces them to pause and think before responding. And it’s easy to go back to review an earlier comment. I will be using this idea!

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:58 Guest

4:58

Anthony Rebora:
Well, happy to know this chat gave teaching idea to someone

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:58 Anthony Rebora

4:59

Will Richardson:
;0)

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:59 Will Richardson

4:59

Anthony Rebora:
A lot of great comments and ideas from our audience. And from Will Richardson.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:59 Anthony Rebora

4:59

Anthony Rebora:
Will, thanks for your time and expertise.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 4:59 Anthony Rebora

5:00

Will Richardson:
My pleasure...happy to be here! Thanks!

Wednesday October 27, 2010 5:00 Will Richardson

5:00

EdWeek Producer: Jennifer:
And thanks to Anthony for moderating today’s chat, “21st Century Learning: Teaching Network Literacy,” sponsored by Compass Learning.

A printable transcript of today’s chat will be available within 24 hours on this same page. And make sure to check out other upcoming EdWeek chats at www.edweek.org/go/chats.

Wednesday October 27, 2010 5:00 EdWeek Producer: Jennifer

5:00

21st Century Learning: Teaching Network Literacy

Wednesday, October 27, 4 p.m. Eastern time

Sponsored by:

Chat With Will Richardson
Are you experiencing the urgency and excitement of adapting broad changes in information technology to classroom instruction?
Are you seeking to integrate growing intellectual demands and opportunities presented by global online networks?
Drop into this chat to read how author and classroom-tech expert Will Richardson suggests teachers integrate Web 2.0 tools—including online-learning networks for students—into the classroom.

Guests:
Will Richardson, a former high school English teacher, is an instructional technology consultant and the author of Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms.
Anthony Rebora, managing editor Education Week Teacher and the Teacher PD Sourcebook moderated this chat.

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• Teacher PD Sourcebook (October 12, 2010)