Over the long weekend, I came across an interesting entry on the Innovative Educator blog. I posted it on our Delicious account but thought it was worth more visibility–I’d really like to hear what you think about it. The article suggests that 21st century educators should require all student work to be published–not just handed in. The author, Lisa Nielsen, provides several examples of how students could publish their work in viable channels, such as self-publishing services, social networks, and video sharing portals.
Nielsen asks, “If the first decade of the 21st century was about data driven instruction and assessment, can we make the next decade about realizing potential of the student behind the data and publishing to authentic audience as part of student’s school lives?” and I’m apt to agree. How would the knowledge that hundreds, thousands, or even millions of people could see your work influence the amount of effort you put into your next project? One of my most memorable projects as a student was in art class, when we created ads for local businesses. It was exciting to open that week’s newspaper and see my work in the real world–this experience probably had much to do with my decision to pursue a degree in journalism/advertising.
Anyway, I know this is easier said than done, but I would like to hear from anyone who’s taken a “publish it” approach to classroom instruction (or, for that matter, professional development–what if publishing Content Enhancement drafts to Depot were a required component of CE certification)?
21st Century Educators Don’t Say “Hand It In.” They Say “Publish It!” (via Delicious)
