lenses


 * lenses:**

when we use the term "lenses" in educational research, we're not usually talking about lenses in microscopes or eyeglasses (although that is a pretty close metaphor) - when you look through a lens, your perception is intensified and focused (and maybe a little distored) - when we say things in educational research like: //"use the lens of a classroom teacher to think about..."// what we mean is that we're going to look at it from a classroom teacher's perspective, focused on the issues relative to how s/he interprets them - sometimes this view may be a bit skewed, due in part to the fact that we're hyperfocused on one way of thinking (but it's always a good idea to keep a running list of points people may make to the contrary - you need to be able to defend your ideas) - here are the lenses we'll start with on ttutt:

>
 * our lenses:**
 * digcit - this is the lens of digital citizenship and is our broadest lens - we're starting with the Ribble & [|Bailey] framework (see research) but feel free to consider modifying our set of issues (values?) - for this issue, we ask ourselves things like:
 * what does it mean to be a digital citizen in our society?
 * how do we use digital technologies outside of schools?
 * how is the use of digital technologies similar to or different than other tools we use in teaching/learning? (overhead, kickball, paintbrush, physical textbook, pencil, protractor)
 * how do the issues of digcit apply to our non-academic lives? //(learning outside of school?! noooooo!)//
 * //**teacher**// - the lens of teacher means to consider things from the perspective of someone who is teaching now (use your observations in schools and here at state), or even in the future (picture yourself in this role) - for the ttutt project, ask yourself things like:
 * what do I need my students to know about this digcit issue?
 * can I use digital technologies to //effectively// support their learning of this digcit issue?
 * //**student**// - this lens is about your learning through digital technologies - how do you understand the digcit issues as they apply to your life as a formal student in college and an informal student of life //(more learning outside of school?! nooooo!)// - consider questions like:
 * how do you use (or have used) digital technologies, as prescribed by your teacher/professor? what do you think of these experiences?
 * example: building the TE150 papers online in the discussion forum
 * example: virtual field trips //(still feels like a ripoff to me!)//
 * how do you use digital technologies to support your learning, as you've chosen to use them?
 * example: IMing classmate on cell to ask about an assignment
 * example: google et. al. (that's [|et alii] - get used to seeing it)
 * how does working on this project through various technologies (and f2f meetings with food!) change how you think about and use digital technologies?

as this project progresses, i'd like you to keeping thinking about how technology might be used by students in the future - how are children learning using digital technologies? is it happening in schools or elsewhere? to start your research in this area, check out [|edutopia], especially [|this interview with George Lucas by Milton Chen] - here are other places to look: >
 * additional lens: futurevignettes**
 * [|edutopia]
 * [|technology integration]
 * [|interview: george lucas / milton chen]
 * [|interview: chris dede / milton chen]
 * Chris Dede ([|Harvard page] / [|edutopia page])
 * [|River City: a Multi-User Virtual Environment] (compare this with mmorpgs of today)
 * Gerald Bailey
 * [|digital citizenship]
 * Yong Zhao
 * [|online portfolio] (check out news articles first)