Thinking and computer screens

I belong to a number of mailing lists and on one recently there was a discussion of digitising textbooks. In the light of that I wish to make a few comments. 
I work with computers all the time, 3/4s of my waking hours are spent in front of a screen, so I am used to computers. However when I need to read important documents that I have to cognitively engage with, I need it in printed format in my hand. I have had to review journal articles, and edit book and thesis chapters – small formatting functions can be seen on screen but not faults of conceptual design. 
I think the rush to computer screen needs to be done with great care. 

Effective learners

A deputy at our school, Jeremy Gibbon, gave a wonderful PowerPoint presentation at assembly at the beginning of the term on 'The 7 habits of highly effective learners'. Each slide had a key word which he spoke about and around. He focused on the audience and did not turn around and look at the screen. He knew what he wanted to say – he obviously had notes but he did not read from them. The key words were Read a lot, Are curious, Are active learners, Develop good study skills, Write well, Are responsible for their own learning and Are organised. It is available here, zipped, at 4 Meg, created by our PR secretary Deborah Torrington.

I was so impressed with the presentation and its delivery. The words 'Active learners' made me think of how I could make the CAT learners into more active learners. The results – this week the learners had to take the PowerPoint presentations which come on CD with most of the chapters in the book, and they had to give the presentation. They had to talk around the key words. They had to know their work and emulate the deputy by talking around the topic. It was so successful. The learners rose to the occasion, maybe because they hold him in such esteem and they wanted to copy his delivery. I picked up a few errors of knowledge with respect to primary and secondary memory, and different kinds of printers. I have his permission to share this PowerPoint - feel free to use this presentation in 2003 and 2003 zipped and 2007 and 2007 zipped and maybe do something similar.

Understanding and connecting

We adults are so distanced from young people. I was teaching adult Computer Literacy teachers this week about creating movies with Windows Movie Maker. After creating the movies I suggested that they sign up at YouTube so they could upload their videos. I said ‘YouTube’ and did not write the words on the board. At least 25% of the class of adults went online to http://www.utube.com/ and then to http://www.utubeonline.com/ (Have a look.) They had never been to YouTube and did not even know how to spell it.
We have to understand our learners’ worlds if we hope to engage them in the learning process, and YouTube is part of their world. At least these teachers are trying to keep up - good for them!