BP#2_Anti-Teaching

The implication is that I believe that the educational system as we know it, is obsolete. It has been for a very long time. With the onset of NCLB we have a crisis of learning significance that has stifled the educational system’s progress towards a PLE. NCLB has been counterproductive to allowing the set up of PLE. With teachers teaching to the test it has taken not only the joy out of teaching but has caused what Michael Wesch calls “anti teaching.” I’ve observed that many students are turned off when it comes to school and they do not know and understand the purpose of school. Students creating personal learning environments is where we should be. Whereas in the past the students were fed information like babies are fed baby food. The only thing is that the educational system has not been allowed to grow up. But I believe education has to mature and allow students to become an intricate part of their learning environment. We must transition into that to make room for intrinsic motivation. In allowing students to participate in their own learning through PLEs, it will allow the multiple intelligences to come to be recognized because students will be free to experience brain based learning instead of schools targeting one type of learner. I was real excited to read how Michael Wesch used the virtual learning environment to engage his students in his anthropology class. Boy, I wish I had teachers like him during my undergraduate work. I believe it would have prepared me better as an educator. I am very excited about the coursework at Fullsail. I’m learning more how to engage students using web 2.0 tools and PLEs. Since PLE’s are suppose to allow students to be responsible for their own learning it is important for teachers to begin to make the transition from what Michael Wesch calls anti teaching to a personal learning environment. I look at technology as being a tool to assist both teachers and students to participate in the learning environment. I look at it as being an means to an end. I believe that one of the key components to 21^st century schools is for students to become participants in their own learning instead of spectators.