Rebooting a Consistent Writing Habit
I’m so pleased my #CLMOOC colleague Anna started a conversation about a 150-words-a-day writing challenge. I oftentimes imagine my CLMOOC colleagues to be “perfect,” consistently engaged in connected learning practices, including writing/blogging. In a sense, Anna’s admission of her “failure” was an invitation to (re-)develop the habit of writing consistently. 150 words a day seems achievable.
I find many excuses for my inconsistency. I’m too busy designing and finding resources for my next #PBL (project-based learning) class. As part of that effort, I investigate and learn to use relevant, #realworld technology tools so that I can incorporate them into the projects my Meliora teens develop.
Pondering Thinking Idea by chamaldo shared under a CC0 Creative Commons license.
Simultaneously, in the back of my mind I am often contemplating the possibilities of offering effective PBL courses in an online environment. When these musings come to the foreground, I wander down many rabbit holes pursuing ideas.
I’ve dabbled in becoming familiar with Appreciative Inquiry, and pondered ways it could be applied in education.
I’ve also been steadily working on completing some micro-credentials, including Google Certified Educator Level II. Preparing for the exam requires time and focus.
Then there is the large unfinished work of writing “something,” (it started as a blog post and has morphed into a much larger entity) to demystify the many variations on project-based learning methodologies.
At the end of the day, these are all excuses. One of my objectives as an educator is to reflect on my practice. And, in all honesty, reflexive writings are an effective tool to help clarify and find answers to my various contemplations.
Person Writing on Notebook by Tookapic shared under a CC0 Creative Commons license.
So, I’m in! Now I need to go discover what the dots are all about in #MoDigiWri.
Hi Charlene! So glad you’ve joined the challenge. I thought of you today when Sarah shared this article on soft skills: https://www.tonybates.ca/2018/12/27/2018-review-21st-century-knowledge-and-skills/ I think PBL is an encouraging, modeling, and sustaining process that builds these skills — with an effective teacher guide. And I’ve not delved into Appreciative Inquiry yet, but it sounds “human.” I think education has become so standards and curriculum focused that we’ve forgotten that “we teach students.” To get to the soft skills, we need human time of conversation, reflection, and collaboration. Maybe the “foggy” of appreciative inquiry would slow us down to focus on those needed times. And perhaps Larry Ferlazzo’s reminder from Paulo Freier: https://twitter.com/Larryferlazzo/status/1079381721617813505
Thanks for the reference to Freier, Sheri. As an educator, I feel my largest goals are to provide an environment where students learn (and develop confidence in) the “4 Cs” (critical thinking, creativity, communication, collaboration, communication), and also learn who they themselves are. If they have those skills, they are well set for the future.
Glad you’re in! Online PBL sounds great.
Thanks, Kevin. I’ll add to the wordless image collection once I think about it for a bit.
AI (yes, amusing acronym) is an interesting approach I only heard about over the summer. I purchased the Kindle version of Appreciative Inquiry: A Positive Revolution in Change and have gone through it once. As you’ve undoubtedly already gleaned, the point is to identify the STRENGTHS in an organization and build on those, rather than taking a negative view. “Human systems grow in the direction of what they persistently ask questions about.” There are many references to using stories and storytelling to build a positive culture.
I haven’t wrapped my head around how to use it effectively even in my PBL practice, partly because I’ve been too splattered in my pursuits.
Charlene
Yeah!
I had asked folks to share out via Twitter a wordless image that represents digital writing … I invite you to do the same, if you want … I’ve tinkering with what people have shared in poems and music … I’d love to have you in the mix, Charlene.
Exploring your link to Appreciative Inquiry (although strange to see it shorted to AI, right?).
“Its assumption is simple: Every human system has something that works right–things that give it life when it is vital, effective, and successful.”
I appreciate the positive nature of this concept — of noticing strengths and building upon them for collective good — although I don’t quite see how it unfolds in organizational practice in practical terms. It seems like it might be a little … foggy.
I like that their newsletter is entitled “Words Create Worlds” (https://www.centerforappreciativeinquiry.net/AppreciativeInquiry/words-create-worlds/)
Kevin