It's great when you start a project like this and discover that others have attempted similar things in the past. I received an email today from Craig Montgomerie about a project at U of Alberta from several years ago: Technology in Education.
What other resources or initiatives in documenting edtech history exist that can inform our project here? Why not use the network to inform our efforts here? These days, it's rare that we need to do something entirely from ground up :).
George
More encyclopedia than museum, but certainly worth a look is SDSU's Encyclopedia of Educational Technology
Fascinating resource -- one I can use with my students! And it provides a very interesting snapshot of many key areas of concern in our field of study.
Thanks, Jim.
Thanks, Jim.
I just came across this film from 1947 that was used for teacher training.
- Good And Bad Methods Training Educational Video made by U of Michigan and Indiana. I think we assume that using film in the classroom is a modern invention.
Oh my, that's great, Dierdre. Thanks! And the narrator is "the voice" -- I've heard that voice on hundreds of educational films. You know, the quality is pretty high on the whole -- first rate acting by the teacher too. Some of the situations seem goofy now, but you know, the principles hold up pretty well, don't they.
And just for comparison:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QI1EslmriCE&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QI1EslmriCE&NR=1
Here is another favourite Progressive Education 1940's
. I find it so interesting that 60 years ago, educators were saying we need to actively engage students and we still aren't doing it in most of our classrooms, particularly in university.
As for the technology point, I thought I was pretty radical because I was using movies in my classes as examples of concepts in the 70's. Then I discover this was being done in the 1940's. 
In 12 years of schooling in Ontario, Quebec and Saskatchewan in the 50's and 60's, I had one English teacher who brought in recordings of Shakespeare plays and a cutting edge French lab where we listened to tapes of people speaking French and tried to repeat what was said. My daughter recently graduated from high school in Saskatchewan and except for the computer classroom, her experience wasn't all that different except now they use computers to write papers instead of typewriters and research is done online instead of in the library. Which says more about students and very little about teaching.
The most innovative teacher from my highschool in the early to mid 60's actually took us to Waterloo University to learn computer programming. My most innovative mentor took me to see the research labs in the physics department of MacMaster University. As a high school student these outings stand out -- but what does not stand out positively is the hours of copying chalked noted from the board, being disciplined -- after all the whole class would be punished -- to control a few -- right -- even though I was neve a discipline problem. In the fist video -- the focus is that the teacher is "putting down the students" -- I remember in grade nine -- the teacher thought it was a good idea to throw chalk at kids.
And you mentioned Deirdre -- your daughter getting the same kind of education. Hmmm.... Some teachers, at my son's innovative school -- get the internet -- and how to use it in the classroom -- most of the high school students have labtops -- but others are teaching like they have for years -- with working with the academic students who are keen and want to learn -- except in ways that don't match them. For example -- I'm here at noon or after school if someone wants help. Most if not all of these gifted students are extremely busy (many extra classes, part-time jobs, volunteer work and extra school activities within the school) and would not respond to these offeres from someone who does not work with them -- and even just puts them down. My 2 cents as I was resonating with your post. I see so many great ways to reach these students -- and I am so grateful for the teachers who are able to change and reach out more to use the technology wisely, especially web sourcing. Jo Ann
And you mentioned Deirdre -- your daughter getting the same kind of education. Hmmm.... Some teachers, at my son's innovative school -- get the internet -- and how to use it in the classroom -- most of the high school students have labtops -- but others are teaching like they have for years -- with working with the academic students who are keen and want to learn -- except in ways that don't match them. For example -- I'm here at noon or after school if someone wants help. Most if not all of these gifted students are extremely busy (many extra classes, part-time jobs, volunteer work and extra school activities within the school) and would not respond to these offeres from someone who does not work with them -- and even just puts them down. My 2 cents as I was resonating with your post. I see so many great ways to reach these students -- and I am so grateful for the teachers who are able to change and reach out more to use the technology wisely, especially web sourcing. Jo Ann
Hello Jo-Ann and Deirdre,
This is a great conversation and with your permission I would like to share it with my students in the Masters of Education program at the University of Phoenix. I would just use it as food for thought. Would you mind?
Regards,
Don.
This is a great conversation and with your permission I would like to share it with my students in the Masters of Education program at the University of Phoenix. I would just use it as food for thought. Would you mind?
Regards,
Don.
Dear Don,
It is fine by me. What, in particular, do you find of value for your students? Feedback is helpful to me too. Thanks
Jo Ann
It is fine by me. What, in particular, do you find of value for your students? Feedback is helpful to me too. Thanks
Jo Ann