Watch this YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubxAMrnKmkM
Can students link together like neurons in their quest to learn "by any means necessary" forming connections with each other to create learning pathways and networks in new, unique ways? Do you believe in the power of crowdsourcing? Explain your answer.
35 comments:
Yes, I do believe in crowdsoucing. The power of many is much stronger than the power of one. My opinion on students garthering to create their own avene to learning is possible, but, with help and assistance by mentors, educators, parents, etc. I think once students are shown the way, then they can improve the system and make it more effective and efficient for all learners.
Colleen F.
I think crowdsourcing is a good thing. When given the right tools to work from, children coming together to make meaning for themselves (whether it be in person or online through blogs, etc.)is much stronger then students making meaning on their own. Colleen provides a good point. Children need to be shown the path to get to the answer. We can't just expect students to get to the end point all on their own. They do need some guidance to help them get to the goal.
Crowdsourcing sounds like a very interesting topic. I believe that students would want to learn more if they had to gather information on their own. I agree with Colleen that with the assistance from the proper sources then the system could be more effective.
Deanna C.
I think crowdsourcing is an interesting idea. I agree with Colleen and Christine in that it is definitely possible for students to get together and learn on their own but they need the right tools and some guidance. For certain topics or lessons I think it would be interesting and beneficial to have students link up with students from other countries or states and learn independently. At the elementary level I do not think that crowdsourcing would be a good way to learn because at that age students need more guidance.
The video provided me with a clear view of how crowd sourcing works. I think crowd sourcing is a great idea, because students could come to together to make their own conclusions. With crowd sourcing students are the one directing the education. It provides them the freedom to choice how much they want to learn about a subject.
-Saira U.
Crowdsourcing can be very powerful when it comes to student learning. I believe that students learn best by working collaboratively and by communicating with one another. Wikis and blogs are a great way for students to communicate outside of the classroom. I agree with Saira in that crowdsourcing puts the students in charge of their own learning. I also agree with Colleen that first students need to be instructed on how to do something before they attempt it on their own.
*Jenny C
Yes I agree with crowdsourcing. I believe that it is better to learn in a group with group work or cooperative learning than to learn alone. I think students learn more when they teach each other as long as they have guidance. As long as a clear pathway is built for them then crowdsourcing is a great tool for students. I agree with Saira because it allows students to come together to make their own conclusions.
- Mike S
While I think crowdsourcing can be a useful tool for students and learners, it is important that there always be some direction or purpose in mind. In most cases, like many of my classmates pointed out, I think it would be nessescary for a teacher or supervisor to give direction or steer the students on the right path to ensure that things don't stray too far off task. That being said, I have always found that students learn more when they are sharing ideas with each other and bouncing off one another rather than just listening to a lecture or taking notes. Crowdsourcing can become an excellent tool when reviewing for tests too. Students could quiz and correct each other on their own in order to hone their skills in certain areas, or even to just review past material.
Jeff K.
I believe crowdsourcing is a very important and powerful tool in education today. It is definitely true that students can learn and grow by working together and sharing ideas. The video hit upon a major point that I feel is very important, and that is in an ideal setting, the teacher does not have to push, but the students pull. I believe having a group of students who work together, share ideas and teach eachother, and have a thirst for knowledge is the ideal setting for any educator.
I agree with Colleen and Christine,..students need that little extra push when it comes to learning new things. When students are motivated and assisted by teachers and their peers they can learn better. I feel that hearing other opinions and learning in groups can be a huge positive factor in classrooms. Crowdsourcing will definetely benefit students through the use of the right tools and effective teacher motivation.
-Jeanine T.
I think crowd sourcing is an interesting idea. The video was very informative and enjoyable. I agree with what Jessica said when she mentioned that it would be nice for students to hook up with other students in different countries and communicate their ideas that way. I also agree that it is not something for young students because they do need the guidance to help them through.
Jaime
Like many others have said, I too believe in crowdsourcing. I like how the video illustrated the power of one compared to the power of many. It's true - put many minds together and you will receive a greater outcome collectively from your students. I think it is possible in todays classroom because of all the advances in technology. However I do feel that students need some kid of structure or guidlines to follow when learning about a topic. I agree with what many others have said about how educators need to provide assistance to their students while crowdsourcing.
-Kathy M.-
Wow this clip was great! I feel as if it was the introduction to a revolution that will soon begin. If students did actually start the their own meaningful search to learn this would just change education completely.
Danyi T
I believe in the power of crowdsourcing. Strength in numbers isn't just a cliche. If students were to obtain information through interacting with other students instead of always obtaining information from a teacher, then they will learn more through their research and discovery on their own. This type of learning also allows students to draw their own conclusions about what they're learning instead of seeing someone else's point of view on a matter.
Tom L.
I absolutely believe in the power of crowdsourcing. I have always been an interpersonal learner and firmly believe in doing the job together. This is a global world we live in nowadays and we must learn to all work together, despite our differences. When teachers simply facilitate and guide, students have an ownership of their own knowledge. When students work together it expands eveyones knowledge and horizons. Working together is fun, useful, and educational when monitored correctly.
ooops that last comment was mine
-Mike T-
I think crowdsourcing is a great idea. Having students collaborate in their learning experiences provides them first with a safety net. Here, the students are able to work together, and become comfortable enough to take educational risks. By using crowdsourcing, students can develop efficient ways to get work done, in a way that goes beyond traditional independent work.
John G
I agree that crowdsourcing is an interesting and positive idea. I think that students would greatly benefit from this type of technology. I think if done correctly, this could be an effective form of peer teaching, and the students could learn alot from each other. I would like to learn more about crowd sourcing so that I could use it in my classroom.
-Christine Sommer
I do believe in the power of crowdsourcing. It seems to me that its kind of like a Montessori school. It one instance the children learn at their own pace and advance grades when they are ready. There is a lot more freedoms with crowdsourcing. In theory it is a good idea, but in practice it seems too difficult.
However where and who does the responsibility of the students learning lie? With this system it seems like the responsibility would lie with the student, which is controversial to the direction of current educational responsibility patterns. Right now the responsibility is the teachers and I dont think it is getting changed soon.
I do think that students can create these learning pathways, but I revert back to my position regarding the responsibility. How would someone go about constructing a pathway like this? Is this a safe idea with the state exams occuring so regularly?
-David B
Crowdsourcing seems pretty cool, especially in the way it was presented in this video. I do think however that students need some guidance, although they most likely could connect with other students on their own. However, I suppose that like any lesson, teachers need differentiate based on their students' level of needed support.
I agree with Christine when she says that students need some help in getting to the end point, and we cannot just expect them to get there on their own. I also agree with Jenny C when she says that students learn best by working collaboratively and by communicating with one another.
I think crowdsourcing is a great way for kids to learn, because we live in a world where we learn from one another. All the information we teach students, we learned from another source, so why not give students the opportunity to share the knowledge which each other and learn from one another.
The video really caught my attention. The visual imagery and soundtrack held my interest. Crowdsourcing sounds like an interesting way for students to learn. It allows them to think independently and seek out information from people other then teachers. I agree with David B, that crowdsourcing sounds similar to the Montessori method of education. I would be open to learing more about how ways to facilitate this type of learning style.
Bridget S.
I do not believe in the power of crowd sourcing. It may not be a good idea because there is no guarantee that the information posted is factual. If your students are learning you want them to learn the correct information. Although I agree in some way wit Christine when she says that it is definitely possible for students to get together and learn on their own but they need the right tools and some guidance. I also agree with Jeff when he says, it would be necessary for a teacher or supervisor to give direction or steer the students on the right path.
- Megan D
I think the idea of pulling information through crowdsourcing is a great way to take collaboration to it's extreme. A teacher could start as facilitator and gradually have less and less influence on students as they take a given concept and "run" with it. I agree with Christine that students need guidance from the teacher but I think the teacher should slowly pull back and let the students take ownership of their education.
Rob S.
I have mixed feelings about intergrating crowdsourcing techniques into the classroom. I do not believe it would be an effective technique to use with younger children. However, using this technique with students at the secondary level could possibly be effective with the proper guidance and assistance. I agree with Jessica and believe it would be a useful tool since students would be able to interact with students outside of thier classroom walls and thier own town, state and country. Kristina B.
Crowdsourcing seems to be an interesting way to let students work together and gather information. Depending on where they get their information from and who checks the quality of the work, croudsourcing could be an asset to the classroom. When working together, students can expose themselves to new ideas and different points of view, not only from within the classroom, but across the globe.
-Nick Maggio
I think that crowdsourcing is an interesting and innovative idea. I do agree with many people who stated that crowdsourcing could work in the classroom if the students are given the proper direction. Many students need some kind of guidance and direction to reach their final answers. I feel that the students would really enjoy learning if they were to use blogging and wikis to help them.
I definitely would like to learn more about crowdsourcing and figure out how to properly provide the students with the direction and guidance they need with this different form of learning.
- Jackie C.
I agree with Nick and Jackie that crowd sourcing could be a new and creative way to incorporate technology into the classroom if the appropriate tools are used. Blogging and wikis could be great for children to do research for future papers or projects, as long as teachers are there to guide them in the right direction as to where they can find accurate and resourceful information.
I would use crowd sourcing in my classroom for older students who may benefit from using wikis and blogs and other internet sources that will help them for future research in class and other classes as well. However, I think that crowd sourcing would really only work if there is proper teacher support and that students are monitored during internet access. I would like to learn more about crowd sourcing and more ways that I could incorporate them into my classroom.
Theresa Klee
I think crowdsourcing is a really good concept. The minds of many students are much greater than the mind of one student alone. I do believe that crowdsourcing would be most useful with the help and guidance of an educator, so that the students are on the track and finding information that is important to their learning.
Lauren G
Crowdsourcing can be a positive thing. When teachers provide students with the right tools, the students can come together to make meaning for themselves. This provides the students a beneficial avenue for learning in which the students can create the meanings on their own. I agree with Lauren that the minds of many students are much greater than the mind of one student alone. I would like to learn more about crowdsourcing and learn how to provide the students with the guidance they need with this different form of learning.
- Bethany H.
The video does not directly explain crowdsourcing, but it does present a great observation. That people accomplish more in numbers. I agree with the majority of people who have responded to the blog when they say that this can only work if there is guidance by a mentor or teacher. I actually looked up the term 'crowdsourcing' and found more of a business-driven approach, rather than education. I do think it could be used in a classroom but with guidance.
-Michelle A
I particularly liked the part that said "when will teachers stop pushing, and studentd start pulling". I think the video was brief but I enjoyed the beginning.
Christina a
I do believe that crowdsourcing is a possibility for our students to learn. It is something that needs to be monitored closely by teachers and parents. For the average student brainstorming and collaborative work is great...for the special needs child they could possibly struggle with this which is why i feel that an educator/parent needs to be involved. It would definetly be a positive for all students...lisaC.
Using the guidance and tools with crowdsourcing, students will be able to work together successfully to gather information. Being able to work as a team to gather this information may prove to be more successful than having to find information on their own.
I agree with Lisa that it needs to be monitored in order to have a positive outcome. Like Michelle said, it was difficult to understand what crowdsourcing was but seems to be for older age students.
Theresa Klee
I can see how crowdsourcing can be an effective tool in a classroom especially for middle/high school grades. Some children learn best through their peers and crowdsourcing provides ways where students can share their ideas on school topics and give feedback to one another.
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