Does this jettisoning of time-honored titles mean that the paperless classroom is also lacking a creator, controller and grader? Is the paperless classroom also a teacherless paradigm? The answer is in some regards, yes. I have removed myself from center stage. I have relinquished the need to control every class. I have stopped seeing work as stagnant…completed and submitted by students and then graded by me. I have let go of my need to pre-plan months at a time, in favor of following the path that unfolds as we learn together. My classes are not, however, teacherless, just less about the teaching and more about the learning. The students know that I am ready and willing to be student to their insights, that they can teach, create, control and even evaluate their own learning. This shift has inspired a true spirit of collaboration, critical thinking, and communication in B304–it has been an amazing semester and has changed the course of my career for good!
Matt Townsley on 02 Aug 09Can you give us an update on the Iowa Schools Ning, Evan? Still on track to roll ou at SAI conference in the fall?
Evan Abbey on 28 Aug 09We've had some setbacks on the Iowa Schools Ning. We'll be talking about online communities and have examples of the current communities in the state at ITEC, but as far as having the whole Ning set up at that point, I'm not sure we'll be there.
