While I do not consider myself an expert in connected
learning, I am definitely a believer in how utilizing the principals can change
ones educational experience for the better, as I believe I am proof. My final
make is a fusing of an idea I have had for a while with ideas discussed in classes
I took this semester.
I am a lover of all things historical, and have always
been particularly interested in African/black history. This love of black
history comes from my mother, whom without her knowing planted the seed for
lifelong desire to absorb as much of it as possible. This is why I pursued history
in college, graduating with a B.A. in African and African-American History.
Since graduating and moving back to my hometown of Philadelphia I became
interested black Philadelphian history. I can’t count the number of
documentaries, documents and audio clips I have listened to pertaining to this
subject. I can talk about the richness of black culture this city has to offer
to anyone who will listen, and will argue with anyone who is wrong. I’ve found
that despite the plethora of information available about the early lives of
black Philadelphians, there are a few problems;
· The
information is scattered
· A lot
is locked away in scholarly journals and articles which require a subscription
· A lot
is not available online
· None
connected to PA standards
· A
connection to the present is often lacking
· Where
is the student voice?
· Non-Dominant
perspective
How could I address these issues, while continuing my own
self learning. Duh, a website!
My website, www.blackphillypast.com that will attempt to do the following.
1.
Be an all stop shop for all things black
historical Philadelphia
a.
Including a map of the city to see all things
black
2.
Bring to light silence voices, stories, and
information by non-dominant individuals
3.
Provide student support and input
4.
Blog and What’s Happening section to connect the
past to todays events
Since everything is connected I discussed these issues in
my other class with Sarah, a fellow teacher/colleague. Sarah shared a similar
frustration, as her students have questions about slavery & resistance in
Philadelphia, something her current unit fails to address. She also noted the microagressions
flooded within the unit. So to make a long story short, we scraped her original unit and created
our own based on the following questions posed by her students;
1.
How
did tribes communicate and deal with slaves before whites?
2.
What was Pre-Colonial W. Africa like before
slavery?
3.
What
was it like Post- Colonization?
4.
What
was life like for early Africans in Philadelphia society?
a.
Daily life, free blacks & kidnapping
Sarah and her students helped me realize that not all
students may be ready for independent learning, but we can help guide them
through questions and lessons. I was also looking for a way to be sure that student
voice is front and center, so now my website idea has been updated to include
the following;
5.
Provide support for educators
a.
Lessons with PA standards
b.
Historical resources pre-categorized
6.
Student Museum
So how is all this connected to Connected Learning?! Well Connected learning is described by , Mimi Ito in their 2013 report, Connected
Learning: An Agenda for Research and Design, Ito et al. as, “socially embedded, interest-driven, and oriented toward
educational, economic, or political opportunity. Connected learning is realized
when a young person pursues a personal interest or passion with the support of
friends and caring adults, and is in turn able to link this learning and
interest to academic achievement, career possibilities, or civic engagement.”
You can argue or dispute whether I meet the young person segment
of the definition. However I am pursuing my interest in black history, connecting it with
teachers and students through taking their specific interest black Philadelphian
history and build academic lessons tailored to their questions. This process is
also helping explore career possibilities in educational consulting. I can honestly
say that before this class I always thought that this interest would always be
a sideline, or hobby, never something I could turn into a career possibility. I
am hoping that through this website other educators and especially students can
use it as a springboard for their interest as well. They can do this in the
following ways
1.
through guest posting
2.
lesson planning
3.
setting up student museums
4.
photographing sites
5.
adding to the map
This is a huge project, so if I want it to be successful taping
into the knowledge base of fellow colleagues and educational institutions is key.
This question from connected
learning TV is taped to my wall for me to see while I work
What would it mean to think of education as a
responsibility of a distributed network of people and institutions, including
schools, libraries, museums and online communities?
To think of education this way would be to
radically change the way we educate our students today. It would also mean a
major shift in resources, as well our thinking around who deserves to learn,
and what they can learn. I am attempting to make it easier for the community to
access, understand and connect information gleaned from the above mentioned institutions.
Much of the information I’ve found around historical life took time a considerable
amount of time locating and processing. My circumstances warrants more time in
my day/week to find this information that many others simply don’t have. Does this
grant the right for their lack of ease of access to this information?
I know that this is a huge, never
ending endeavor. Through connecting with others around my original idea of
Black History my final make has become more than just as website. Utilizing the
principals I tried to learn, and understand all semester, has turned this
website into a potential platform for the next phase of my career. It has also
helped me continue my own learning, while sharing and connecting what I learn
with others. My hope with this site will help others explore their interest and
began their, “trip down the never ending rabbit hole.” Isn't’ this what connected learning is all
about?!
