Creating a Space
By being a little flippant and presumptuous, this illustration forces teachers to think about how we might perceive our students within a classroom space. Within your classroom you are creating a learning space, a discourse, an identity made up of you and your students. How is this space created? Does it connect to your teaching philosophy? How much control do your students have in constructing knowledge in this space? Do you see yourself as the authority or as a facilitator? You are constructing a unique, tiny universe where you and your students will learn from each other. What is this planet like? What materials are on this planet? How do you use computers, electronic devices, laptops, whiteboards, spiral notebooks, tables, chairs? How are these materials arranged in relationship to each other? Are your students standing and writing at the whiteboards? Sitting? Where are you? Behind a table? Hiding underneath it after returning their papers? Standing on top of it championing your students to think outside the box? Seriously though, consider your space. Are you moving around your students? Are you lecturing or posing questions to your students? Do you or your students guide the direction of the class period in this space?
This is a great visual, Matt. I've been reading Gee's book, What Video Games Teach us about Learning and Literacy, and I've come to the conclusion that our classrooms are actually virtual environments that force our students into virtual identities that make it more difficult to learn. What a paradox.
ReplyDeleteVery cool insight, Mark. I like how you connect digital environments to f2f environments. I am enjoying your conversations about Gee on your blog. Thanks for sharing.
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