Posted in the Bryan cohort’s virtual learning community, this video caught the attention of many in the cohort and prompted some serious thinking.

Members grappled with Wesch’s message and the realities of everyday teaching in a standardized testing environment:

How do I translate this into higher AP Calculus scores (a test that they must perform rigorous tasks in a very structured environment)?   –Mike McCarley

With being challenged and changing habits:

This was powerful and is basically summing up everything that this technology cadre is all about – educators not being the dispensers of knowledge, but the facilitators that work to empower students with the tools necessary to create their own meaningful footprint in the world.

As I strive to make assignments more meaningful, student-driven, technology-based, with global connections, I find myself having less time to complete other job related tasks – completing reports, grading, making parent contacts, etc. But I keep chugging along….   –Patricia Bailey-Jones

Responding to its emotional impact:

Wow! What a power message; it reaches so many different places inside me it’s hard to know where to start. I think the one thing that hit me the hardest was when Michael was talking about how easy it is to create, collaborate, and share with the multitude of technologies we have today, but just because we have all this it doesn’t really make it as easy as it seems.  –Courtney Pratt

And thinking on learning with students:

I really don’t think our students grasp the impact that they are capable of having on the world. The majority takes technology for granted and shrug off the advantages it provides. Just like internet responsibility, I think we need to help our student learn how to use media and other tools to have an impact.

The more “real world” examples we can bring into the classroom, the better. The more students see the use for the information they are learning, the better.   –Rebecca Dominy

Thinking, asking, considering a new learning landscape

An ending and a beginning

On a professional learning journey

Now hinting at, later engaging in the possibilities

And I, requesting here, honoring there, appreciating each thinking effort, intentionally failing to supply answers as these dedicated educators seek to navigate the “messy” waters of PLP and 21^st century learning, sense their sincere yearning for something better for their students. With that yearning, their questions, and their willingness to share, I know we’ll see some shifting and with that shifting, empowerment and then possibilities becoming realities for them and for their students–

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Lani Ritter Hall

Lani is Community Leader for Powerful Learning Practice. She also serves as the “Newbie Maven”, helping along and nurturing newbies to the PLP experience, as well as facilitator for the Connected Coaches. Lani brings more than 35 years of teaching experiences in urban, sub urban, and independent schools at the middle/secondary level in the U.S and Canada to this work. A national board certified teacher, she and her students began collaborating globally in the late 1980’s. Lani has created and facilitated professional development around technology infusion into learning for over twenty years and served in a leadership role for the K12Online Conference for 2 years. She is co-author of The Connected Educator: Learning and Leading in a Digital Age.

Latest posts by Lani Ritter Hall (see all)

• Through new lenses– - January 5, 2015
• Connected Coaching: Reflections & a new course starting soon! - September 24, 2013
• Virtual Classroom Visit — Sketch Up and Google Hangouts in a 3rd grade classroom - April 15, 2013