Learning Outside of School and Self-Directed Learning (SDL)

Lauren Resnick’s The 1987 Presidential Address: Learning in School and Out illustrates the stark contrast between the traditional in-school model of learning and out of school learning. Out of school learning is usually more authentic in the respect that learning is socially shared, tool centered, and all actions are directly connected to events; while the traditional school model measures students individually and uses simulations to represent real world tools. The Internet can be a great medium for learning outside of school because it offers many collaborative opportunities such as wiki’s, social networking, Google Docs, etc. It also allows the learner to use tools that are applicable to the learner’s current or future profession.

In the above video Kevin Kelly described the internet’s impact on self-directed learning. There is an ever constant fear amongst the general public that new technology will envelop our lives to the point that we become sedentary and completely dependent upon the new technology. Before I watched Kelly’s talk, I always viewed this as a black and white issue. One could either argue that technology would take over our lives in a negative way, or that tools would always remain tools from which we could always step away from; never becoming dependent. However, he categorizes the internet as a technology tool that is progressively enveloping our lives, that we are/will become completely dependent on it, and that this is in fact desirable

In his talk, Kelly provides his perspective on digital age tools by linking to similar non-digital innovations.

 Kelly says, “… I want to talk about…this idea that we are going to be co-dependent … I have now gotten to the point where I don’t try to remember things, I just Google it. It’s just easier to do that. And we kind of object at first and saying, ‘oh that’s awful’. But if we think about the dependency that we have on this other technology called the alphabet and writing, we’re totally dependent on it. It’s transformed culture. We cannot imagine ourselves without the alphabet and writing, and so in the same way we’re going to not imagine ourselves without this other machine not being there.”

While I would argue that the web is a communicator of knowledge and language (much more so than an actual language in itself), comparing the web to a language offers a good illustration of how co-dependency can be a positive thing. It touches on Resnick’s argument that tools don’t eliminate or destroy intelligence, it simply shifts responsibility. Kelly says we don’t try to remember things, we just Google them. Resnick would say knowledge isn’t lost to Google it’s just in a different location. I see no problem with this conservation theory; in fact it’s desirable that knowledge be communicable and readily accessible. However being able to export ideas should make room to construct more complex thought, not take all burden off the learner. The calculator shifts the responsibility of solving simple equations from the brain to a tool so that more thought can be put towards complex equations. Google has aided learning via the internet in a similar manner.

The web is always with us on our laptops, phones, vehicles, and other devices. Letting the web flow around us at all times allows for immediate tap in to the pool of knowledge available. I believe very strongly in the relevant timing of instruction. During the 2008 presidential race I was teaching sections of AP political science and was able to integrate current events into my unit on the American election process by way of the internet with tools such as 270towin.com. Unfortunately the curriculum rarely aligns itself to events in the outside world and the students’ current state of mind like this. In self-directed learning, the curriculum will vary depending on student interest, however content is always relevant. If I happened to be watching a movie and was interested in a particular actor/actress’s work and wanted to know more about them, Wikipedia or IMDB are resources that I might tap into to direct my desire to continue my learning. Learning in this way is always sparked by current interest, is immediately satisfied with further exploration for understanding, and is delivered in adequate doses because it is at the learners’ discretion when to cease the learning process. I take great interest in learning how I can translate this self-directed learning into the more structured environment of the traditional classroom.

Google Spreadsheets

As part of the Google Docs suite, Google Spreadsheets is a remotely hosted spreadsheet application intended for collaborative works. At first glance, Google Spreadsheets is like Microsoft Excel with less toolbar capabilities and to some a less friendly user interface. But to uncover its true potential it should be viewed as a live data collector rather than for static data compilation.


My Experience
I’ve used Google Docs a great deal in the past, as far back when it was still Writely. Mostly I used Documents with classmates to take notes in college classes. Google Wave has improved upon this real-time concept and I see that as the next generation of the remote based collaborative document.
Spreadsheets I have used less frequently, but lately I have become very interested in the forms element of the application. When I have a classroom again I would really like to use forms to collect contact information from parents. Sending out forms (either via email or embedded on my website), would be both paperless and better organized than the traditional contact card method.
Something to be weary of is that if most of the information is being provided by one user, the interface is not worth the frustration. I would much rather use Excel or OpenOffice Calc if I was making a spreadsheet with very little input from others. But again, if thought of as a collaborative tool only, you can minimize this frustration.


Student Knowledge
In order for students to use this software in the classroom they will need to have a basic knowledge of spreadsheet software. Students must know that a spreadsheet is a grid with vertical columns, horizontal rows, and each individual box is called a cell. Students should know that each cell can simply hold data or hold equations that reference other cells. These equations are hidden so as to show the data seamlessly.
Students need to also be taught how to create and use forms as this is perhaps the best unique feature that Google Spreadsheets offers in comparison to other spreadsheet software.

Sharing
Spreadsheets can be shared by simply clicking on the “Share” button in the upper right corner of the spreadsheet and then choosing one of the share options (Seen at right). Collaborators can be invited via email and/or the creator can choose to make the document public and establish a web link for it.



 
Teaching Social Studies with Google Spreadsheets
Google forms can be used quite effectively for surveys which would be good for collecting opinion data. The information can be displayed graphically to the class as a whole to illustrate the range of responses. Teachers could design forms for their students to respond to, or students could create their own surveys to collect opinion data from friends, family, and community members.




Check out this two part tutorial on how to create a self-grading quiz using Google Forms:
Part I | Part II


Helping Students Collaborate
Unlike Google Documents, the collaborating benefits of spreadsheets are not as easily apparent. It will be important to model the use of forms for students, for this might be the most foreign concept.


Organization
With remotely hosted collaborative applications it is important to establish appropriate editing etiquette. Students should use comments to indicate rationale for changes. A great environment all stems from good communication. You have to be overly detailed in your statements so that there is no misinterpretation.