Flexible Learning in the 21st Century

Hello Everyone,
Over the past 2 years I have experimented with online learning with my gr 3 and gr 5 classes. I teach Primary so I use a blended approach. I have used blogs and websites with students because they are free and easy to set up. I ventured into this as a result of learning about blogging as a part of my current online Masters in Education Technology. What I have gained from those experiences is a deeper understanding of how to use Web 2.0 tools to extend my classroom beyond its four walls. By having a ‘mother’ blog with links on it to each of my students blogs I have effectively added windows into our learning space. The blogs are used like an online portfolio with most homework tasks posted to the blogs as well. As a direct result we are now collaborating with a school in New Zealand whom we met online.

Flexible learning to me is just that – a classroom that isn’t contained within the four walls. My classroom is open to the world. The way I teach (and learn) is also open to the world. That means that it is no longer about what the teacher says. Even the way in which I run the class blog is negotiated between the students and myself. I think that being flexible is being open-minded about how we learn.

I have just moved into a new teaching job at a new school (Sinarmas World Academy click here to see a slide show http://mrsjane5.blogspot.com/2008/07/sinarmas-world-academy.html) that prides itself on being a 21st century learning space. As a teacher in this school I am encouraged to be flexible. The campus is fully WiFi and all students from gr 5 – 12 are issued with a Macbook as a part of the tuition fees. The younger classes share sets of Macbooks. I am encouraged to teach anywhere on campus. There are no canteens. There are cafes with sofas – like Starbucks - and we can teach there too - or in the adventure playground or the rainforest that is onsite.

I am currently teaching my students to use their mobile phones. I consider it to be a tool as we have just learned how to download pictures using bluetooth to our Macs. Why? You may ask? This effectively gives most of my class (the ones who have a mobile phone) immediate access to a digital camera.

Garrison speaks about how we can use technology to enhance the constructivist approaches to teaching and learning. The demands are for meaningful and worthwhile experiences. Technology enables us to connect with one another directly and immediately. In fact I'm writing this whilst having a deep conditioning treatment for my hair at the local hairdresser here in Jakarta. I am using my dongle to connect to the Internet. That is very flexible - don't you think!