Reflection

Looking back on my learning journey in Unit EDFD 459 – “The Learning Space” so far, I have finally had “the penny drop” about Artefacts and the use of this term in Learning, and in Professional Development for educators.  I blame Indiana Jones on my slow-burn awareness and understanding of the term – I kept seeing the artefacts they were all racing to get their hands on in the Lost Ark, Temple of Doom and the Crystal Skull. I had a block, and struggled to move past it.  Several weeks on now, and I am fully immersing myself in artefacts in the realm of  learning participants, learning spaces and Professional Development.

In fact, I immersed myself so much so, that I made a Tagxedo especially for the occasion.

Its an egg.

Sorry to state the obvious.

Do you know why its an egg though? Add your thoughts to the comment box below!

I have also had my eyes open to Group Work….and how Group Work is not just Group Work.  Its not the loud, confident kid, with innate leadership skills oozing through his/her extroverted pores, doing all the work while the introverts go into lockdown, and the kid with no intention of doing ANY work, sits back and reaps in the good grades earned by the ones ACTUALLY doing the job. Well….it is sometimes that….but it is actually so much more.

Yes, there’s the Group Learning Space, but there are also Co-operative and Collaborative Learning Spaces…which are much more conducive to student engagement, participation and learning TOGETHER – for ALL participants. For educators in the 21st Century, these kinds of Group Learning Spaces have students actively engaged in & with learning tasks, and with each other, and can benefit from partnerships with ICT.

We all have, I’m sure, our own horror-stories of group work, be it during our own school life, or in our classrooms as educators…..but its the great, awesome experiences I want to hear about. Feel free to share yours below in the comments box, or share a great link to effective Group Learning Spaces and activities that you know of.