Vania Castro
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Rodrigo Abrantes da Silva
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Alessandra Coutinho Fernandes
Petrilson Pinheiro
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Rita van Haren
Claudia Bergamini
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Thais BorgesLetramentos’s Updates
What is the Real Classroom?
Hi everyone! So here goes my account: I must say that it is really hard to look for examples of ideas of Trangressive Education in my local context, considering the whole eight dimensions separately. On the other hand, it is quite possible to think of situations where some of the dimensions may be identified as present and happening at the same time. For example, in my experience of teaching pre-service English teachers, I can recognize three of those eight dimensions: architectonic, discursive and socio-cultural. For example, our classes do not happen exactly in the classroom for this space is too small compared to other ones, either real or virtual. I believe that time surpasses the classroom space, so my classes take the whole period before the following meeting and participants have to take action doing their readings, discussing virtually on topics given and preparing themselves for the next meeting. In fact, my real classroom is on Facebook where we have a secret group where we share ideas, materials and discuss topics. Real classroom is just one moment during all this sharing that happens. At the same time as they are interacting in and out of classroom space, they are producing meaning by sharing opinions, agreeing or disagreeing with each other, and consequently building something together. Depending on the group and on the individual interests of each student in the groups some dimensions are more emphasized than others, some appear more vividly and others do not appear at all. I have a point to ponder: what strikes me when talking about new forms of learning is the students’ reactions to the possibility of using virtual spaces for learning. It seems to me that they consider using virtual tools for work or fun interactions but never for interacting viewing education. It takes time to convince them that they can use virtual tools to learn and that they can use the same tools with their own students. Some of them really change their views on teaching and learning. Unfortunately, there are some students and even groups that never seem to grasp this idea.
)_20Foto_20de_20F_C3_A1bio.png "Fábio Bezerra")
To try to change this situation, every semester I try to work with one tool only so that students can concentrate in learning the use of if without dispersions. I have already tried using two or three tools in a semester, but that caused a confusion, because they did not recognize their learning / teaching potential.
So, we have so much in common. I created a wiki for my students and it is such a hard job having them participate. In the end, I can say it's (kind of) working, but only because I've made it part of the evaluation process. That's so 'didactic' as Livia also put it. But I think this discussion is very relevant. If we go where our students are (FB), they feel really enthusiastic. But if we divert them from the beaten path, then we have to 'force' them to participate. Now, how transformative is that?
Hi Paulo, I have had some experience with students who just refuse usign virtual tools, even just simple emails. We have this blog where student teachers are expected to build their e-portfolios and some of my students refused to do it. They said they were not ijnterested in writing and having a portfolio since, in their pont of view, it wouldnt be useful for them in the future and they had nothing to add to a portfolio or learn by doing it. Fortunately, it has not been frequent among students and many of them have written and still keep their portfolios. Hope we can contribute to change their views on virtual spaces as diffrent forms of learning.
Hi Paulo!! I strongly agree with you when you ponder that learners usually don`t see the real possibility of learning in virtual spaces, seeming that real learning should take place in real classrooms, that is, in traditional, face-to-face interactions where the teacher is the main source of knowledge... bla, bla, bla... I see the same 'pattern'' in my groups, which, confirms your hypothesis that it takes time to convince them that they can use virtual tools to learn. Sometimes I think that the virtual classroom will have to become the only environment or, at least, the main environment, like a compulsory thing, until learners can realize the full potential and relevance of technology in their learning habits and academic lives... Unfortunately, the experiences I`ve had have led me to think like that despite my understanding that this is really undemocratic, old-fashioned and `didactic`...