Summary:
In the preface, Kalantzis and Cope explain that the "science of education" refers to the science of learning. Whereas a doctor is adept in the science of medicine, a biologist is adept in the science of biology, educators are adept at the science of learning. They continue by outlining the 4 foundations of knowledge that the text will follow. They are:
Diversity is key in contemporary cultures
Education must cultivate deep knowledge
Education must focus on designing learning experiences and tracking learning process
There is a global goal for the text that transfers locally
Next, the preface explains how the book is organized and useful tools to use in conjunction with the text.
Important Quote:
"If we tease out the underlying meanings of 'science' across such a broad range of domains of application, we might conclude that it refers to a privileged kind of knowledge, created by people with special skills who mostly work in research, academic or teaching jobs. It involves careful experimentation and focused observation. Scientists systematically explore phenomena, discover facts and patterns and gradually build these into theories that describe the world." (p. xiv-xv)
Questions:
Chapter 1 (pp.3-16):
Summary:
There is a current shift in education toward education as a social practice. Educators are becoming responsible for creating well-prepared members of society that have the social skills to function in a new world. The world is in flux in nearly every aspect: financially, ethnically, socially, educationally. For every person who fights for the importance of education and the changing of policies and procedures to support educators, there is another person arguing that education is secondary to other social issues (homelessness, poverty, healthcare, etc.). With the challenges educators face in public school seeming insurmountable, many feel that the only solution is to send their children to private schools where funds are linked directly to student resources rather than going through a convoluted and twisted path of state and federal funding.
There are 3 parts that the word education has traditionally been in reference to:
Institutions--Traditionally, education was linked to the ability to read and write and was, therefore, reserved for the social elite or royalty or only those affiliated with the university.
Curriculum--The content of learning and the organization of it into subjects and topics.
Pedagogy--The planned and deliberate process whereby one person helps another to learn.
There are 8 dimensions of learning today:
The social significance of education--Education is now a crucial part of economic and social progress
The institutional locations of learning--Learning does not have to occur in the traditional classroom setting anymore
The tools of learning--New media have changed the face of the classroom
The outcomes of learning--Educators are now responsible for building people who are prepared and ready to live and participate actively in a new world.
The balance of agency--There has been a shift in agency; learners make their own knowledge as well as gather it from others.
The significance of difference--There is immense diversity in learners and the styles that they learn in.
The relation of the new to the old--There is still value to traditional styles of teaching as there is value in new teaching.
The professional role of the teacher--The role of the teacher as a professional has changed; he/she is autonomous, highly skilled, and a responsible of student learning.
If schools do not make fundamental changes in design, they are in serious danger of becoming irrelevant. New Learning is a call to examine needed changes and to design education around the changing world in a way that will make educators the leaders of this transformation rather than victims to a failing system.
Important Quotes:
"There is no stronger predictor of affluence and wellbeing later in life than one's level of education. Education is the most achievable route to social mobility." (p.4)
"Professional educators of tomorrow will not be people who simply enact received systems, standards, organisational structures and professional ethics. In this time of extraordinary social transformation and uncertainty, educators need to consider themselves to be designers of social futures, to search out new ways to address the learning needs of our society, and in doing so to position education at an inarguably central place in society." (p.12)
Questions:
There is this conflict in chapter 1 of embracing the New Learning that is happening in education while still acknowledging that the existing constructs of education are still valuable and at times relevant. How does an educator effectively balance between the old practices that still have value but are criticized and the new practices that are changing the face of the classroom while challenging what it means to be a teacher and a learner today?
Chapter 2 (pp.17-46):
Summary:
Chapter 2 is about life in schools and the bulk of it consists of a comparison of the 3 types of educational experience. They are didactic, authentic, and transformative. These 3 paradigms are compared based on 8 guiding dimensions that K&C use to illustrate how education has changed. The 3 paradigms are roughly chronological, however, great care is taken to stress that both didactic and authentic educations are in use today in modern schools.
Below follows a breakdown of the 3 paradigms and the 8 dimensions of them:
Paradigm #1--Didactic Education
Dimension #1--Architectonic (The physical setting)
Relies on lateral communication between students and learners in many forms
Multiple languages and forms of communication
Multi-modality
Communication modifications for those with disabilities
Learners become teachers and vice versa
New ratio of students to teacher based on activity
Dimension #3--Intersubjective (Interaction of one person's will with another)
Students are meaning makers and meaning receivers
Assessment in the form of qualitative review
Teachers let go of old duty of command
Collaborative research occurs among learners and teachers
Dimension #4--Socio-cultural (The ways in which a person's life experiences are negotiated in a setting)
The differences among learners is fundamental
Material, corporeal, and symbolic differences are encouraged and used
Inclusive and pluralist teaching built upon prior knowledge
Dimension #5--Proprietary (Relationships and ownerships of control)
Classroom still exists but walls are broken down
Team teaching and learning
Collaboration and sharing are central
Teachers are collaborative professionals
The audience of students' work is made up of other learners, parents, and the wider world
The collaborative outcome is better than the individual's
Dimension #6--Epistemological (Ways in which knowledge is represented and created
Content is based on real world issues, ideas, and problems
Students are critical researchers of information and skeptical of "facts"
Knowledge makers rather than receivers
A shift in the direction of the knowledge flow
Fewer, more general and comprehensive key areas of content
Dimension #7--Pedagogical (How ways of making knowledge are configured in learning relationships)
Goal is to form a deeply knowing kind of person
Learners drive other learners
Students self-monitor and reflect upon learning individually
Students co-design knowledge
Dimension #8--Moral (Underlying moral that establishes balance of power)
Diversity is key
Students are problem solvers in the real world
Students are innovative, flexible, and agents of social change
No grades are given; success is collaborative; assessment is in stories and qualitative progress"
Important Quotes:
"Successful learning occurs in a social context that affirms the learner's identity and in a social setting that supports their interests, values, perspectives, and contributions. The deepest learning occurs in an environment of reciprocity and sociability." (p. 37)
"New Learning identifies and negotiates alternative learning pathways to common goals, appropriate to students' capacities as formed by prior learning, meeting their needs and satisfying their interests." (p. 38)
Questions:
In the last section of this chapter, K&C describe the assessment practices associated with transformative education. They argue that assessment can and should consist of stories that children tell about their learning that can be shared with others in the class, the community, and the world. Although I love the thought of not having to assess students and grade work, I have trouble imagining how this could work. The truth is, no matter how amazing and "transformative" education is, there are always going to be students who put forth more and take more away from education. How can grading in this manner be fair to all?
"The State of English Education and a Vision For Its Future: A Call to Arms"
By Janet Alsup, et. al.
Kalantzis and Cope Reading (Preface-pp.45):
Preface Reading:
Summary:
In the preface, Kalantzis and Cope explain that the "science of education" refers to the science of learning. Whereas a doctor is adept in the science of medicine, a biologist is adept in the science of biology, educators are adept at the science of learning. They continue by outlining the 4 foundations of knowledge that the text will follow. They are:
- Diversity is key in contemporary cultures
- Education must cultivate deep knowledge
- Education must focus on designing learning experiences and tracking learning process
- There is a global goal for the text that transfers locally
Next, the preface explains how the book is organized and useful tools to use in conjunction with the text.Important Quote:
"If we tease out the underlying meanings of 'science' across such a broad range of domains of application, we might conclude that it refers to a privileged kind of knowledge, created by people with special skills who mostly work in research, academic or teaching jobs. It involves careful experimentation and focused observation. Scientists systematically explore phenomena, discover facts and patterns and gradually build these into theories that describe the world." (p. xiv-xv)
Questions:
Chapter 1 (pp.3-16):
Summary:
There is a current shift in education toward education as a social practice. Educators are becoming responsible for creating well-prepared members of society that have the social skills to function in a new world. The world is in flux in nearly every aspect: financially, ethnically, socially, educationally. For every person who fights for the importance of education and the changing of policies and procedures to support educators, there is another person arguing that education is secondary to other social issues (homelessness, poverty, healthcare, etc.). With the challenges educators face in public school seeming insurmountable, many feel that the only solution is to send their children to private schools where funds are linked directly to student resources rather than going through a convoluted and twisted path of state and federal funding.
There are 3 parts that the word education has traditionally been in reference to:
There are 8 dimensions of learning today:
If schools do not make fundamental changes in design, they are in serious danger of becoming irrelevant. New Learning is a call to examine needed changes and to design education around the changing world in a way that will make educators the leaders of this transformation rather than victims to a failing system.
Important Quotes:
"There is no stronger predictor of affluence and wellbeing later in life than one's level of education. Education is the most achievable route to social mobility." (p.4)
"Professional educators of tomorrow will not be people who simply enact received systems, standards, organisational structures and professional ethics. In this time of extraordinary social transformation and uncertainty, educators need to consider themselves to be designers of social futures, to search out new ways to address the learning needs of our society, and in doing so to position education at an inarguably central place in society." (p.12)
Questions:
There is this conflict in chapter 1 of embracing the New Learning that is happening in education while still acknowledging that the existing constructs of education are still valuable and at times relevant. How does an educator effectively balance between the old practices that still have value but are criticized and the new practices that are changing the face of the classroom while challenging what it means to be a teacher and a learner today?
Chapter 2 (pp.17-46):
Summary:
Chapter 2 is about life in schools and the bulk of it consists of a comparison of the 3 types of educational experience. They are didactic, authentic, and transformative. These 3 paradigms are compared based on 8 guiding dimensions that K&C use to illustrate how education has changed. The 3 paradigms are roughly chronological, however, great care is taken to stress that both didactic and authentic educations are in use today in modern schools.
Below follows a breakdown of the 3 paradigms and the 8 dimensions of them:
Paradigm #1--Didactic Education
Dimension #1--Architectonic (The physical setting)
- 20-40 students
- Desks in rows
- All eyes forward
- No looking sideways
Dimension #2--Discursive (Person-to-person communication)- Teacher is the talking professional
- Question & answer style
- One speaker at a time
- Hands raised to speak
- Recitation
- Teacher-dominated discourse
Dimension #3--Intersubjective (Interaction of one person's will with another)- Students are silent unless reciting
- No talking out of turn
- Rewards for being good and quiet
Dimension #4--Socio-cultural (The ways in which a person's life experiences are negotiated in a setting)- All students are treated the same socially
- Teach to the middle of the class
- No jumping ahead or taking time to help those who are behind
- Same pace, same content, same test for all learners
Dimension #5--Proprietary (Relationships and ownerships of control)- Teacher is head of classroom; the classroom is hers
- No parents, other teachers, outside students, or outsiders invited in
- Work is individual and private
Dimension #6--Epistemological (Ways in which knowledge is represented and created- Knowledge is divided into subjects that are divided into themes
- Textbooks are filled with facts that the students must regurgitate
- "Know as others say you should know" theme
- Test to prove knowledge
Dimension #7--Pedagogical (How ways of making knowledge are configured in learning relationships)- Learning is memory work
- Memorize facts, figures, and rules to become smart
Dimension #8--Moral (Underlying moral that establishes balance of power)Paradigm #2--Authentic Education
Dimension #1--Architectonic (The physical setting)
- 1 teacher to 30 students or so
- Less fixed placement or desks, perhaps tables used
- More student activity
- Group work
- Student work on walls
Dimension #2--Discursive (Person-to-person communication)- More student dialog
- Small groups working at times
- Acceptance of colloquial languages of various learners
Dimension #3--Intersubjective (Interaction of one person's will with another)- Child-centered
- Children actively engage with knowledge
- Inquiry learning
- Teacher is facilitator of knowledge
Dimension #4--Socio-cultural (The ways in which a person's life experiences are negotiated in a setting)- Social and cultural diversity are both acknowledged
- Diversity in instruction based mostly on learning levels
- Remedial programs offered
- Still pressure toward sameness
Dimension #5--Proprietary (Relationships and ownerships of control)- Redistribution of space and knowledge
- Other teachers and community members come into class
- Still a 1:30 ratio of teacher to learner
Dimension #6--Epistemological (Ways in which knowledge is represented and created- Still make great use of print text
- Integrated units
- Multidisciplinary teaching
- Teachers create curriculum relevant to learning
Dimension #7--Pedagogical (How ways of making knowledge are configured in learning relationships)- Experiential learning
- Learner inquiry focus
- Learners gain a truer understanding of knowledge
Dimension #8--Moral (Underlying moral that establishes balance of power)Paradigm #3--Transformative Education
Dimension #1--Architectonic (The physical setting)
- Students can do their work anywhere
- No real classroom as we know it today
- Use of PDAs and GPS to track student attendance and participation
- Jointly constructed student work done by collaboration
- No need for co-location in a school building
- Schools look completely different
Dimension #2--Discursive (Person-to-person communication)- Relies on lateral communication between students and learners in many forms
- Multiple languages and forms of communication
- Multi-modality
- Communication modifications for those with disabilities
- Learners become teachers and vice versa
- New ratio of students to teacher based on activity
Dimension #3--Intersubjective (Interaction of one person's will with another)- Students are meaning makers and meaning receivers
- Assessment in the form of qualitative review
- Teachers let go of old duty of command
- Collaborative research occurs among learners and teachers
Dimension #4--Socio-cultural (The ways in which a person's life experiences are negotiated in a setting)- The differences among learners is fundamental
- Material, corporeal, and symbolic differences are encouraged and used
- Inclusive and pluralist teaching built upon prior knowledge
Dimension #5--Proprietary (Relationships and ownerships of control)- Classroom still exists but walls are broken down
- Team teaching and learning
- Collaboration and sharing are central
- Teachers are collaborative professionals
- The audience of students' work is made up of other learners, parents, and the wider world
- The collaborative outcome is better than the individual's
Dimension #6--Epistemological (Ways in which knowledge is represented and created- Content is based on real world issues, ideas, and problems
- Students are critical researchers of information and skeptical of "facts"
- Knowledge makers rather than receivers
- A shift in the direction of the knowledge flow
- Fewer, more general and comprehensive key areas of content
Dimension #7--Pedagogical (How ways of making knowledge are configured in learning relationships)- Goal is to form a deeply knowing kind of person
- Learners drive other learners
- Students self-monitor and reflect upon learning individually
- Students co-design knowledge
Dimension #8--Moral (Underlying moral that establishes balance of power)- Diversity is key
- Students are problem solvers in the real world
- Students are innovative, flexible, and agents of social change
- No grades are given; success is collaborative; assessment is in stories and qualitative progress"
Important Quotes:"Successful learning occurs in a social context that affirms the learner's identity and in a social setting that supports their interests, values, perspectives, and contributions. The deepest learning occurs in an environment of reciprocity and sociability." (p. 37)
"New Learning identifies and negotiates alternative learning pathways to common goals, appropriate to students' capacities as formed by prior learning, meeting their needs and satisfying their interests." (p. 38)
Questions:
In the last section of this chapter, K&C describe the assessment practices associated with transformative education. They argue that assessment can and should consist of stories that children tell about their learning that can be shared with others in the class, the community, and the world. Although I love the thought of not having to assess students and grade work, I have trouble imagining how this could work. The truth is, no matter how amazing and "transformative" education is, there are always going to be students who put forth more and take more away from education. How can grading in this manner be fair to all?
"The State of English Education and a Vision For Its Future: A Call to Arms"
By Janet Alsup, et. al.
Summary:
Important Quotes:
Questions: