Digital Classrooms

I found myself describing Learn-Now as a Digital Classroom today. Intrigued by the diversion from referring to it as being an online learning centre, I couldn't help but ponder and research the term of reference a little more. I wondered if in the end, I'd still tag it as a Digital Classroom. I do, but without a doubt, know I would have many who'd challenge that notion.

Google 'Digital Classroom' and you find everything from recommendations to shy away from the term completely, to proudly presented examples from around the world. After a good two hours surfing, all but one, two if you count Learn-Now, involve references to face-to-face classrooms. I personally know teachers who work in a Digital Classroom, am getting to know others who are trialling the concept, and today, met with an Intermediate in Wellington who are enroute the journey.

What has Learn-Now got to offer? We are an online learning environment that is much alike what I visualise face-to-face classrooms need to create as their online arena. An environment where students have several learning environments to work in; an inquiry based focus; choice of activity; the ability to co-operate & collaborate 24/7; (from having their US partners contribute while their own NZ contingent sleeps through to accessing their school life from home anytime, anywhere)...as but some examples.

From a technical perspective, it gets much deeper. We can offer huge inroads to design, management and engagement issues. Why does a page show a tabled arrangement of topics rather than a list of forums? Why have public spaces? Why have tuition lounges? What advantages are Members Lounges? What's with a booking room? What's with the red, blue, green & black paragraphs in that order? How many new items a week are highly recommended? When should a facilitator fade in and out? What is really deemed an extension activity by a student? When must a teacher direct in a learner-centred area? When will a topic flop? What ONE key move will entice a response to a thread in a forum? Out of 10 components in a topic/learning area, how many need to be forums?

We don't want Learn-Now to just be 'Learn-Now'. We desire that it also be a model to learn from and transform even more so, as we too learn alongside others to up the edge on what works. Learn-Now is a Digital Classroom - and while we prefer the term online learning centre, or 'school on the internet' as some insist, our closest relative is a school classroom. However, we'd represent a space more in keeping with a school running several digital classrooms, than just one. Food for thought...

Assessing Learn-Now re: G&T Education

Having been invited to present Learn-Now to the Sector Advisory Group for Gifted & Talented Education at the Ministry of Education, it posed an opportune time to assess the level to which it fits into G&T Education.

While often cruising the research articles on TKI site, this time two in particular seemed particular pertinent. Dr Tracy Riley's Creating a Learning Environment for Differentiation (2000) and Sonia White's Reasons Why Gifted Children Sometimes Underachieve (2001). With a passion for student-driven learning, Learn-Now is hugely encouraged by what's presented within both papers. While Riley's paper addresses the physical classroom, it's very easy to translate the same points to the online environment Learn-Now resides in. White's paper endears us to sighing with relief! Class-based, 3 staged enrichment programmes based on a thematic approach with topics, over an 8 week time frame is right on par. But that's not all...

Learn-Now first evolved in 2003 more by accident than design, when a principal of a decile 1 school, saw its programme, employed a 0.2FTE component and became responsible for the first of many progammes since. After a year, he spread the world, resulting in an entire cluster of G&Ts in the surrounding schools being enrolled. Some of these students hugely benefitted, others - it was literally a waste of money to have enrolled them. The difference? There were schools who either allowed the students to drive their programme, or there were those who hardly gave them enough scope to have barely 30 minutes a week involvement and dictated much of what they'd do.

As the years passed and the liberties of Learn-Now became more flexible, our emphasis on providing for just G&T students eased. We chose to open the doors to what White's paper calls 'uncovering hidden talents'. Giving more students the opportunities to demonstrate their potential...to uncover 'talent in the making'. Right on cue with White's references, there became flexibility in identification and programming, so that students at risk of underachieving can have the opportunity to demonstrate potential.

Riley's makes mention of Learning Laboratories and Learn-Now is, in our view, one such example. It's a comfortable, autonomous environment, and while our 'furniture's not comfy, we have lounges, cafe's, chat(work)rooms and personalised (but audience designed) areas. It's learner-centred, not teacher directed; teacher independent; open to new people, material and risk tasking. It's hugely complex - often to its detriment, when many teachers will cruise through and see it 'too complex for us' - but ask the students who have been allowed to determine its suitability themselves...they love it. Students simultaneously participate in variety of activities; access material at different levels; engage in instructional groupings; self manage their work (with facilitation where needed); and there's a comfortable ambience...interschool and global at that.

We're on the right track. Yet, in saying this, we believe that every student deserves opportunities for enrichment and extension. All students are at 'a place' right now. How do they get to their where-to-next? By giving them opportunities to discover their potential. One student, once deemed 'hopeless' by their teacher came to us as a 'last resort - just for some computer work to keep him quiet' they said. He became the CEO who ran an International Chocolate Factory with us; lead an online house group to a winning end and lead a computer club in his district for 3 years. He found his potential in leadership, strategic thinking, compassion, creativity and team work. Maths still isn't his thing, nor is spelling, but there was a lot more to him...

The beauty of it now, is that G&T thinking in NZ is launching into an elearning, online headspace. Just yesterday we were approached by a very forward thinking group in the Wairarapa, about to take G&T into a whole cutting-edge zone, with online thinking. For our students who often wish there were more 'like them' here, their prayers may be about to be answered.

Enjoying The Ride

The journey that's on the go right now, is vibrant, progressive and wonderfully energetic. Life involves an incredible array of people, situations and a buzz that's picking up momentum.

As a Mac user, iLife has now (perhaps finally) been able to show itself off. Invited to present a workshop for the Time4Online national conference running in NZ right now, we got ourselves onto the podcasting bandwagon. Podomatic.com was a nightmare, amongst other alternatives, but thanks to the discussions in many Mac-based forums 'out there' we installed iLife and have had a ball since!

GarageBand 3 now has given us a new adrenalin rush. We're early days yet. We often keep uploading and deleting our (trial&error) podcast efforts, but all the same, watch Our Podcast arena!

Next up, we've been invited to present the life of Learn-Now to a national Gifted & Talented advisory group in Wellington, with the Ministry of Education, as they look into an online way-of-life for GATE students in NZ.

Along the way, we've continued to enrol new students, take on new staff & seed some very exciting upcoming projects. We've also been taking Authentic Encounters Online - as a company, to a whole new level of profile, with huge results. In particular, within the field of consultation contracts for parties keen to develop collaborative online environments themselves. All's good - aside from the hours being kept! The bounce makes sleeping feel like a waste of time...!